There was yelling and glass breaking, so much so that it blew past the silencing charm that encased the kitchen and traveled up to the stairs where Harry ran down first with Ron and Hermione nipping at his heels. They stopped, with their wands raised, at the bottom of the stairs where Credence and Ginny stood looking at the door with a terrified look plastered on their face.

"What is it Gin?" Ron gently nudged the younger ginger with his shoulder. "Haven't seen you this scared in a while."

He was right. Hermione dragged her eyes over to Ginny who was clutching the banister for dear life. She hasn't looked so ashen since her run in with the book. Oh dear.

"The Lestranges." Ginny's face was pinched, her green eyes wide with fear. "I have to go warn the others." The trio watched as the young girl ran up the stairs with her hair whipping wildly behind her.

"'Bloody mental she is." Ron grumbled.

"Absolutely bloody not!" Sirius spat. "Grimmauld is in my name and I make the decisions!"

"If we don't leave Grimmauld today the Lestranges will attack and where would we be? In front of the Dark Lord in seconds!" Professor Snape's voice vibrated throughout the small foyer.

"Lestrange?" Harry whispered in confusion. "Why would the Lestranges want to come here?"

"Family Reunion?" Ron whispered back.

"Whatever," Hermione slapped Ron on the back of the head for his stupidity. "The reason it must be serious if we're leaving Grimmauld." Hermione worried her bottom lip between her teeth. The one meeting they decide to skip, and it was a big one.

Everyone on the stairs jumped when the kitchen door swung open. Mrs. Weasley stopped and stared at the quartet in mild annoyance as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Sorry Credence didn't know you were out here." Mrs. Weasley laid a loving hand on his cheek to which he leaned into.

"As for you three, I know you heard go, go pack your things, we need to move." Molly cut her eyes at the trio, her voice desperate, and her lips pinched as she hurried up the stairs with Ron right behind her and Harry running into the kitchen.

"Leave nothing. Everything must go." The door barely had time to close when Professor Snape flew out the kitchen. His black robes swirling behind him as he stopped to look at Credence in barely veiled emotion. Dark onyx eyes glared at her before turning his attention to the boy one more time.

"See to his safety, Miss Granger." Snape commanded.

"I-uh-I will?" The words tripped off her tongue as she processed his demand. Saying nothing more Snape turned on his heels and went into the potions room.

"Come Credence." Hermione laid a hesitant hand on his shoulder to which he tensed at. "You can help me...pack."

Credence stood to his full height with his head hanging low on his shoulders. Hermione smiled sadly, wishing she could see his eyes, but he never looked at anyone except Professor Snape. They were almost to the middle of the stairs when Sirius charged out the kitchen with his wild hair shaking behind him.

"That bloody snake!" Sirius spat as he stormed out of the kitchen stopping abruptly in front of an apologetic looking Credence who was shaking like a leaf. The look on his face was murderous.

"Bloody hell." Sirius growled before stalking up the stairs.

"Ignore him children he's just a bit dramatic." Remus gave them a tight smile as he walked by the two young adults. "Please hurry we leave in ten minutes."

Hermione sighed. The rivalry between the three men wasn't anything new. She just thought Sirius would be adult enough to put the childish antics behind them, I guess not...


They had the library packed in four minutes.

Hermione was impressed by his magical abilities. Sure, his movements were a little...off, but once he became confident he had the fluidity of Professor Snape. It was a little magnificent.

"We should charm the suitcase, so nothing moves out of place." He stood tall, no slouching shoulders or downward eyes, as he scanned the room. His wand hung loosely between his fingers unconsciously twirling the dark wood while deep in thought.

"Hermione?" Credence's baritone washed over her. Where was he hiding that voice? Hermione blinked, surprised she drifted so far so quickly, and looked into Credence's concerned eyes with a nervous smile on her lips.

"I'm fine. We should get-"

"- Sirius Orion Black! Bring me my son!" Bellatrix's manic voice rang through the small flat like a church bell on Sunday morning.

There was no noise, no movement, nothing as Credence and Hermione stared each other in rising terror at the deafening pops of apparition that sounded from outside the house.

"Come out cousin!"

Hermione slowly made her way towards the window with her wand coiled tightly in her hand. She shakily pulled back a moth eaten draped and stared down at the pacing form of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"My son! I want my son!" She screeched. Oh god. Hermione stepping away from the window like it was on fire. The blood in her veins seemed to freeze over as she processed Bellatrix words.

"Credence?" Son? Hermione looked up to the still frame of Credence with barely contained horror on her face.

"Don't think different of me, please." Credence hung is head low, his shoulders hunched to his ears. "I'm not, I'm not like her, like them."

"I-I-" The words we're stuck in her throat. Was he a spy? Would he turn her in?! to Voldemort? Or was he an impostor? Every horrible idea of who he was and what he wanted popped into her head. Did Professor Snape lead them astray?

"I won't hurt you." Tears were beginning to leak from the sides of his eyes. "I-I promise! I'm not like them." Credence was teetering on the edge.

Besides the fact that he arrived with Professor Snape Hermione knew next to nothing about Credence. The only thing she was told was that he needed to be treated with the utmost care.

"He's…. troubled. Had a tough life the poor thing." Mrs. Weasley flew around the kitchen as she started making dinner. "It's up to us to make sure he...well you know."

"I'm afraid I don't." Hermione spoke from the table.

It was a quiet night of Harry sneaking around with Ginny and Ron playing Wizarding Chess with Remus that had Hermione helping the Weasley matriarch in the kitchen. It was something she missed doing with her own mother.

"Like Harry, Credence has survived...trauma... from his relatives." She dabbed her eyes with a corner piece of her apron charming the dough to roll itself.

"Practically tortured." She sniffed once more before she washed her hands to cut the carrots. "It's up to us to make sure he gets situated alright…. wouldn't want any accidents."

The last couple of words were mumbled under her breath but Hermione heard it as clear as day. She could see that Credence needed...extra attention. He was always frightened, always on edge, always looking behind him. Almost like Harry during first year.

"Is there anything I can do?" Hermione wanted to help. She found that her and Credence had similar tastes in books and potions and she wanted to talk shop with him since everyone else hated doing those things, especially during the summer hols.

Mrs. Weasley stopped and looked at Hermione with misty eyes and a watery smile on her face as she sat across from her at the enlarged table.

"Oh, you sweet girl." Mrs. Weasley laid a warm hand on top of Hermione's. "Be his friend. He needs one now more than ever I'm afraid."

Looking at the shaking boy now she wondered if it was him that really needed to be protected or her. Hermione wasn't sure, but she kept her wand on him regardless.

"Credence!"

Pairs of shoes pounded up the stairs in recorded time. Professor Snape barged into the room with his robes billowing behind him with a look Hermione has never seen cross his face before, panic.

"Follow me, we do not have time to waste." Snape flicked his wand at the suitcase, shrinking it down in size and placed it into his pocket. He stepped towards Credence and gently placed a hand on his arm, but Credence didn't bulge.

"H-Hermione." He said softly.

Slowly, oh so very slowly did Professor Snape drag his eyes over to Hermione's heaving form making her unconsciously step away from the twin pairs of eyes stared at her trying to figure out what to do with her exactly.

"Ms. Granger…." Professor Snape tried to get Credence to move but Credence was steadfast, he was not going anywhere without Hermione.

"This…is a matter of life and death and you must heed my words as best as you can." He looked at her and then at Credence and then back at her with thinly veiled annoyance, real meaning was there tucked away under his careful words. Shut up and listen.

"Prof-" Hermione started.

"-Do you understand?" Professor Snape cut his eyes at the insolent girl.

"Yes Sir."

"Good." 'Professor Snape paused letting the wailing threats of Bellatrix ring throughout the room. He motioned for the two teens to follow him out and they did.

"There is another safe house. If something should happen to me, you get Credence and yourself there-" Professor's Snape's long legs had him down the winding stairs in record time. Hermione had to catch her breath before she fell over. I should think about exercising.

"-But Sir- " She gasped.

"- Do. You. Understand." He growled, he honest to goodness growled. Hermione zipped her lips and nodded her head yes.

"Good." Snape turned around and walked briskly to the living room not caring to look back to see if the teens were following or not, he knew they were. "All your questions will be answered if we survive this…. manhunt."

The living room was barren, no personal items, no furniture, and no people. The Professor reaches into his pocket and produced a small amount of Floo Powder holding it out, so each teen could get some.

"Let us go. The others took the portkey already, we have to go by Floo." He ushered Credence in first laying a sallow hand on Credence's black clothed shoulder, a look of fear, understanding and undiluted emotion passed between the two that had Hermione looking away.

"Professor…." Hermione pointed to the window at the darken sky. It was quiet, too quiet. No sounds of apparitions, no Bellatrix yelling. Where did they go?

The Professor must've sensed the same thing as he ushered Hermione into the fireplace with Credence. He circled the room slowly, flourishing his wand with speed encasing the two teens in a protege charm.

"Bombarda Maxima!"

Hermione screamed at the explosion while Credence stumbled out of the fireplace and unto his knees. The sounds were muffled behind the shield. The outside distorted in smoke. A shiver ran down both their spines as an added disillusionment charm worked its way around them.

The smoke cleared to reveal a deranged Bellatrix and a stoic Narcissa Malfoy posing beside her sides looking like villainous royalty. Behind her was an auburn-haired woman dressed in a dark green robe looking wildly at her surroundings.

"Where is he Severus!?" The woman's matted hair flickered around her like Medusa's serpents. "Where's my darling boy?"

Hermione could see the ends curling around in the air waiting for something to move so it could strike and alert it's mistress. I can't believe she had a child.

Bellatrix stepped forward making Credence cower away in fear. Without thinking Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and placed a hand on Credence's shoulder.

"He's gone I'm afraid. This...dwelling...was empty upon my arrival." The lie oozed off Professor Snape's tongue easily as he looked over at Narcissa and then the woman in the back.

"You had one job! One!" In a fit of rage Bellatrix blew a hole in the wall. Shrieking about how it's his fault her baby boy was gone.

Credence began to rock back and forth even putting his hands up to ears to try to drown them out. Hermione was staring wide eyed at Professor Snape praying for him to hurry this interaction along. Credence was losing his shit.

"Calm down Bella." Narcissa's sounded from behind her, cautiously laying a hand on her sister's shoulder. "We'll find him, won't we Severus?"

Severus said nothing, neither confirming or denying her statement. Narcissa's mouth was screwed in a frown as she stared at the potions master.

"Magic, magic, magic." The lady in the back giggled as she took tiny steps forward with a look of wonderment on her face.

"Don't wander off dear." Narcissa reprimanded. It was just when she was about to turn to attend to the woman did she see it, the slight shake of magic behind Severus. Cool blue eyes slowly looked at the towering man in Alarm, the boy was supposed to be long gone by now.

"I will continue to search for the boy, I'll alert Rodolphus of any news." Severus's onyx eyes never left Narcissa's terrified blues. Deep in the depths of those onyx eyes he was pleading for her to get her sister and leave before they were discovered.

It was subtle, but Hermione could feel it. The slight shake of the foundation, the humming between the walls accidental magic. She crouched down to Credence's level and wrapped an arm around him. Poor Credence. Muscle memory it was, first year with Harry ended up much like this.

"Breathe, just breathe. They're almost gone." Hermione rocked with the distraught boy, whispering words of encouragement

"I-I can't. I can't hold it." Credence cried.

"I'll murder all of them! Every last one until I get my hands on him." Bellatrix snarled.

"I can't let her." Credence grunted as he hunched over in pain. "I can't let her hurt anyone else."

"He's doing it he's doing it, my baby." The woman with the stringy auburn hair squealed pointing behind Snape in delight.

"Credence?" Hermione backed away slowly from the sight of Credence twisting into himself. His head turning side to side like a botched exorcism.

The shaking got worse. Hermione could hear the clattering of loose items from upstairs hitting the floor, even the window seemed to vibrate.

"Get back." Credence turned to look at Hermione with pure white eyes.

Just as Bellatrix finite the protective shield Credence exploded into a mass of smoke. Twisting violently in the air crackling with red burst of magic, ripping the roof clean apart as he jutted into the sky.

"Stupefy!"

It all happened at the same time. Hermione backed into the unlit fireplace in terror wand hanging loosely between her fingertips as Snape disarmed the black-haired woman. Another wave of his wand had the other woman out of her deranged stupor and into sanity.

"Severus." Her voice was like spring. Calm and dewy and fresh with unshakable emotion. "It's been hard Severus."

"I know, I know but you must listen. You must give me the information before Bella wakes up." The hand Severus laid upon her cheek was tender. As if he couldn't believe she was standing there.

"Credence…" She stared up at the swirling mass in the sky. Stretching, expanding, and folding into itself. It was memorizing and terrifying all at the same time.

"Credence will be fine, I promise." He turned her chin to make her look at him. "Tell me of Riddle."

"Horcrux." Her voice wasn't unlike Luna's. It seemed very childlike and unaware but underneath the surface she knew, she knew it all.

"How many?" Severus swore, afraid of her answer.

"Credence!" She called up to the sky. "It's me, it's mommy!"

"How many! Kendra how many!?" Severus grabbed her shoulders fearing the little seconds of lucidity she had left. "Please…"

"The girl…" The woman known as Kendra looked away from sky and over at the trembling girl pointing a skinny finger in her direction. "That's her…"

"Severus!" Narcissa produced her wand and pointed it up at the sky from the fast approaching Obscurial.

"Miss Granger…" he forgot. Severus whipped around producing his own wand with ease.

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger we're running out of time!" The look in Severus eyes was one of urgency. His tone was practically pleading for her to cross the room and be into safety. "We need to side-along-"

"I-I can't!" Hermione's legs were like lead as she stared up at the black mass hurling back to the house. She tried to shrink into herself, make herself smaller so thing didn't rip her to shreds.

"I got Miss Granger, get Kendra out of here!" Narcissa confidently pointed her wand at Hermione, her mouth muttering Latin a mile a minute.

But It was too late.

The Obscurial slammed back into the house with a force that blew the wall to pieces showering the place with dust and debris. The sound it made was bloodcurdling it was unlike anything she's ever heard before.

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger!" Narcissa called through the smoke. "Follow my voice!"

The Obscurial hit again, making the foundation rock and creak in distress, a cloud of dust and debris rained over Hermione's head making her rethink her decision of hiding in the fireplace.

"How can I trust you!?" Hermione's voice was small and muffled as she kept a hand over her mouth to keep the smoke at bay.

"I am part of the Order Miss Granger! Just like Severus I swear it! Please follow my voice so I can get you to safety." Narcissa pleaded. Hermione did not believe her; her husband was a known Death Eater and her son a pompous git for Merlin sake! there's no way Narcissa Malfoy was a blood traitor turned spy.

"Leave...her…Alone." The voice sounded everything and nothing like Credence, it made Hermione's skin crawl. Against her better judgment Hermione began to crawl in the direction of Narcissa's voice. Whimpering when her hand crunched on a piece of glass.

"Her...mi...one."

"Severus!?" Narcissa tried to reach out for him, for anyone, but all she felt was air. "Severus calm him!"

"Credence." Severus's Baritone was clear through the chaos. "Credence you can control this!"

"I can't."

"Where are you Miss Granger?" Narcissa was closer than before.

"I'm here, I-I'm here!" Hermione clumsily stumbled to her feet. Her hands reached out colliding with fabric and then an arm. "I got you, I got you."

"You're so beautiful." That's not Narcissa. Hermione pushed the hands away from her, but they held onto her right. "You'll change it, you will."

"Please let go." Hermione pleaded.

"Kendra! Kendra!" Severus yelled.

"Miss Granger!" Narcissa's voice was near and Hermione tried to go towards her she really did.

"Protect him, protect my son." The woman pleaded. She even hugged Hermione.

"Professor!"

"Miss Granger!"

"Severus!"

"Bella…"

It got quiet. The only noise was from the Obscurial above them. Hermione didn't move, didn't even breathe, Bellatrix was awake.

"Seven." Kendra whispered into her ear before pushing her backwards. Seven? Seven what?

"Liquet." The smoke swirled and cleared in the direction of Bellatrix and her wand.

"I don't think we've properly met." The smile that crossed her face was black and wicked, the giggle that escaped her mouth was equally as disturbing. "Avada-"

"No!" The face that came forth from the smoke was demented looking. The Obscurial slammed back into the house, the black smoke spreading everywhere before it collected itself, and rushed straight into Bellatrix's body throwing her into the barely standing door.

"Miss Granger!" Severus warned.

"Merlin…" The last thing Hermione saw was inky black tendrils coming for her swooping down from the sky and wrapping itself around her body, whisking her away through the night sky.

"Credence!" Kendra screamed throughout the night.

Dark green light spilled from her wand as she thrust it up towards the heavens. The sky over the destroyed manor of Number 12 Grimmauld Place turned black as the spell twisted and turned the clouds into an image of a skull with a snake sliding through its mouth.

The Dark Mark.