A/N: See the awesome manip sandra-sempra made on my Tumblr page crochetawayhpff! Also, drop a line and tell me your thoughts!
It had been two years since Hermione had the most fantastic kiss of her life. Two years since she had been alone with Tom and Hermione was pining hard for him. It had been more than two years really. They had kissed in January, months after her sixteenth birthday. And now it was May, and Hermione was eighteen. She longed for Tom, but he was busy as the leader of the Under, and she could see that he wouldn't rest until they were done; until they had come out of the Under and were living in the Upper like proper witches and wizards. Hermione too longed for that day. The Under was terrific and she hadn't been back to visit her parents much since being brought in, but even she could tell that conditions were worsening. Things were coming to a head.
Her parents had officially washed their hands of her at her eighteenth birthday, and Hermione had been living in the Under for two and a half years. She and Harry Snape were best friends, had been since he pulled her all along the Under on her first day there. They trained together, and Hermione practically lived with him and his family, even though they all lived in the massive school building. She was still learning, they all were, but she had additional duties as well: studying the Upper's laws and brewing healing potions for the coming conflicts.
Harry and she had both been charged with figuring out a way to lawfully merge the two communities. The entire third floor of the library at the school was Upper law books. Somehow, someone had managed a duplication charm on laws passed in the Upper. Once they were adopted by the Upper's Wizengamot, a new book appeared in the library in the Under. Newer laws were fascinating, but it was the older laws that Hermione and Harry bothered with. After Salazar Slytherin's crackdown, the two societies had separated almost wholly. But then, around the fifteenth and sixteenth century the laws had loosened. In fact, at that point, there was only one society. It was when the Hogwarts registry had been created. And Muggleborns and half-bloods were welcomed into the wizarding world. And it had been like that for almost four hundred years. Until the middle of the nineteenth century. It wasn't clear what happened, but the two societies split, and then wizards like Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald came onto the scene. Forging their way into the Upper, despite both being half-bloods. So Hermione and Harry were looking for laws from the time the two communities had merged, trying to find lawful ways to unite them once more.
Food and potions supplies were getting scarcer, and the Upper was cracking down on all the lines of communication and trade between the two communities. There weren't that many, to begin with, but the Under had always been able to get food and potions ingredients from contacts in the Upper. Gold was gold after all. It all spent the same, despite who it came from. Hermione had noticed that servings were getting smaller at the school and the batches of potions ingredients were poor quality. She did what she could with them, but Hermione knew her brews weren't coming out with the highest efficacy they could if she had access to better ingredients.
"Lily, where do we get the potions ingredients from?" Hermione asked one day. Thus far, she and Harry hadn't been invited to join Tom's counsel or help with the revolution beyond training and helping to train those younger than them. And Hermione was getting fed up. She wanted to know what was going on, to help if she could. Beyond more than looking through musty law books.
"Well, it depends. We have a few contacts from the Upper who will supply them."
"Like Luna?" Hermione asked. Luna Lovegood had been by several times with potions ingredients and food. Usually, anything she brought was of the highest quality, but Hermione hadn't seen her in a few months.
"Mmm, yes, Luna brings ingredients. But, she's being watched and been unable to get away."
"Is there any place we could go and gather the ingredients ourselves? Or are they all cultivated? Could we cultivate some down there with some Muggle grow lights or something?"
"Most of the potions ingredients are grown in Wizarding villages by herbologists. Some grow wild, but even those are in places controlled by the Upper. We don't live down here because we like it, Hermione. It's a necessity. There were once 'Under' villages before they too were driven underground. As for Muggle grow lights, we could try, but magic and electricity don't often get along," Lily shrugged.
"Then what are we going to do about it? I can't keep making blood-replenishing potions that have half of the efficacy rating. It's useless and a waste of time. I need better ingredients. I should just go up and look for them," Hermione decided.
Nobody knew her, not really. There was that incident a few years ago when she got her wand, but beyond that, she hadn't been to the Upper.
Hermione shrieked when a flyer was slapped down on the potions workbench in front of her. She recognized the large hand holding it down as belonging to Tom and turned to look at him over her shoulder. She went to smile but faltered at seeing the look on his face.
"Potter and Black are looking for you, Granger," Tom said.
He removed his hand from the flyer, and on it were her and Harry's faces. It was a wanted poster. Ten thousand galleons for information on the two rebels shown. Hermione felt her eyes grow wide. Logically, she knew she was part of a rebellion against a legitimate government, but seeing her face on a wanted poster made her breath hitch and her heart race in her chest.
"Don't worry, you aren't the only ones they want," Tom said. He fanned out a few more posters, one for himself, one hundred thousand galleons. And one for each Lily and Severus at fifty thousand.
"I don't understand. I get you and Lily and Severus, as the faces of the Under and the leaders, but why me and Harry?" Hermione asked. This was the most she'd spoken to Tom in two years she realized.
"Your little escapade to Diagon Alley a few years ago seems to have made an impression," Tom drawled his dark blue eyes boring into hers with an intensity she didn't understand, but desperately wanted to.
"I think it's time," Lily whispered.
Hermione tore her gaze from Tom's to look at her surrogate mother and was shocked to see how pale the redhead was.
"Lily? What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"Tom, find Harry. It's time. We have to tell him, and Hermione and let's get them on the council," Lily's voice hardened.
"Good, let's get this done. I want this war over by the end of the summer," Tom growled, and he left the potions lab.
"Lily, what is going on?" Hermione asked. The look in her mentor's eyes scared her more than anything else. She looked fierce and heartsick at the same time which confused Hermione. What was she heartsick over?
"We'll explain it to you in a moment. Let's go to the council chambers. Tom will meet us there with Harry," Lily said as she stood from her stool and brushed off her robes. Hermione set her wand to pack her things up, and she too followed her mentor out of the potions lab. They left the school and headed up the street toward the council building. Hermione had never been inside and looked around interestedly. To find that it mostly comprised of a large boardroom and a few smaller offices. They entered one of the small offices and saw Harry, Tom, and Severus all present.
"Lily," Severus' voice was a warning and Hermione could see he was practically vibrating in his rage.
"Sev, it's time. Tom, did you show him the posters?" Tom shook his head, and Lily glared at him. "Show him," she commanded.
Tom pulled out the wanted poster with Hermione and Harry's faces on it.
"Woah, why's my face on a wanted poster?" Harry asked as he stepped closer.
"FUCK!" Severus exploded and turned and punched the wall behind him. He made a small dent, and then he let out a stream of curse words.
Lily crossed the office quickly and placed a hand on his back, murmuring to him soothingly.
"Er, Dad?" Harry asked. Hermione thought he looked scared.
Severus turned around, and Hermione was sure she could see tears in his eyes. He swept Harry into a hug and held him tight, "No matter what, I am your father. And I love you, Harry Snape."
Harry returned the hug, "Of course, Dad!"
Severus let go of Harry and took a step back. Tom handed him a glass of something, Hermione suspected alcohol. He drank it in one gulp.
"Get it over with, Lily," Severus rasped as Tom refilled his glass again.
"Harry, why don't you sit. You too, Hermione," she guided them both to a small couch in front of the desk. She sat on the edge of the desk and took Harry's hands in her own.
"You know what happened when Severus and I tried to lead a revolution?" Lily asked
Harry and Hermione both nodded. It was part of the lessons their last year at school. In the nineteen-seventies, Lily and Severus had begun a revolution, but they had failed. It was never clear what exactly had happened in that failure, but it's what resulted in the almost total cut off between the two communities that was happening now, twenty years later.
"The reason the revolution failed then, was that I had been kidnapped," Lily said calmly.
"What? Why did I never know this?" Harry asked as he bounced between looking at each of his parents.
"Because of what happened when Lily was returned," Severus said. His throat still sounding raw.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"I was pregnant with you," Lily replied.
"Wait, what? You were pregnant when you were kidnapped?" Harry asked. But Hermione saw the truth of it. Harry wasn't Severus'. Something had happened in the Upper that had resulted in Lily's pregnancy with Harry. No wonder Severus was such an angry man.
"No. I was not pregnant when I was kidnapped. I became pregnant during the kidnapping. I was gone for close to a year. It — It wasn't planned. And by the time I was freed, it was too late."
"Who's my father?" Harry asked. Hermione could see the anger building in him. She hoped he wasn't angry at Lily and Severus.
"James Potter," Severus gasped. Lily hung her head, Hermione didn't know if it was shame or sadness.
"That fucking prick? Fuck him!" Harry shouted.
"Harry, he didn't rape me. It was consensual," Lily said. "You need to know that, but Severus, he's your dad. He raised you, and stayed up late nights, and —"
"Gross. I don't ever want to hear about your sex life," Harry said and broke the tension in the room. Lily laughed through her tears and then so did Severus.
Harry stood and hugged Severus, "You'll always be my dad, not some Upper bellend."
Hermione smiled at the touching scene in front of her. This was one of the reasons she loved the Under so much. You didn't have to be related to be family.
"Why are you telling us this now?" Hermione asked.
"Because of the wanted poster. I think Potter knows or suspects something," Tom replied, speaking for the first time. "And because I've been trying to get you and Harry on the council for months and Lily and Severus have blocked me."
"They're children!" Lily insisted.
"Maybe, Harry is, but I'm eighteen," Hermione responded.
"Lily, we have to make our move soon. If we don't, we'll be too weak to make a move at all," Tom warned.
"I know," she whispered. "I just —"
Severus pulled her into a hug with him, and Harry and Hermione smiled sadly, they made for a beautiful family, and she wished she had one.
Several days later, Hermione found herself at her first council meeting. Tom commanded the room, and Hermione's heart beat faster when she set her eyes on him. She was fascinated to see the inner workings of the Under and even more surprised to realize they were planning a raid on the Upper for the following week.
"How many are we planning to involve?" Tom asked Lupin.
"We should have close to fifty. The twenty of us here and then another thirty or so," Lupin replied as he counted up names on the parchment in front of him.
"And they are all well-versed in what our objective is?"
"Of course, guerrilla tactics, cause fear, upset a few shop owners, some minor vandalism. They all know we want the Upper not to feel safe in their beds. They'll make some standard moves, instituting a curfew, insisting on checking wands, et cetera. That will make it easier when we make our final move later."
"Er, what is our final move?" Harry asked.
Tom turned to glare at him, and Harry muttered an apology.
"We'll be attacking the ministry. But we want to terrorize the community first. If we wear down the population with the guerrilla-style attacks, our hope is it'll be easier when we take over the Ministry," Tom told Harry. "Then with all the old laws you and Hermione have found, we'll be able to merge the two societies legally."
"I'm not sure guerilla tactics alone will work," Hermione volunteered.
"Hence the law books," Tom snapped, glaring at her for interrupting, but she wasn't deterred.
"I've seen it done a lot in the Muggle world, mostly in third-world countries," at several blank looks, Hermione explained. "Countries that aren't as advanced as Britain, like a lot of sub-Saharan African countries, or South American countries. Regardless, guerilla tactics work, but usually what happens is that the opponent retaliates over-aggressively, which could be problematic for us."
"That's the point. When they are over-aggressive, it'll upset the Upper even more into accepting us," Tom said through clenched teeth.
"What's the population difference?" Hermione asked.
"Explain," Tom scowled.
"Well, if they hit our population center, namely here, can we survive it?"
"She has a point, Tom," Severus drawled.
"Fine. What do you think we should do?" Tom asked her. She could see how angry he was as his eyes tightened and his fists clenched.
"Tom, I think —"
"Just tell me your fucking idea, Granger!" Tom shouted.
Hermione gulped, "Well, we should move out of the Under before we attack. Or at least, move the vulnerable population. Then when they retaliate, there will still be people here, but not the ones who are most vulnerable, the children, elderly, anyone too ill to fight. And since Luna's father runs the Quibbler, we should have him start posting positive media on the Under and half-bloods in general."
"Not Muggleborns?" Lily asked with a frown.
Hermione shrugged, "Start slow."
"I think Hermione's idea has merit," Tonks said, grinning at Hermione. Hermione smiled back.
"Fine. And where do you think we should send our vulnerable? Got a hidden property in the Muggle world we don't know about yet, Granger?" Tom was still seething. Hermione wasn't sure what the problem was. Was he upset about the interruption? Or with Hermione for questioning his plan?
"Er, no, I don't. But maybe we can find a place to rent? How many vulnerable are there, do we know?"
"Lockhart, Tonks, count the vulnerable. I want an accurate number by the end of the week. Before we begin our attack next week," Tom said. "Lily, find Lovegood and get us some good press. Maybe a research paper on how powerful half-bloods are compared to pure-bloods?"
"Consider it done," Lily replied, taking a few notes.
"Fine, anyone else want to ruin my plans?"
The council was quiet, and Hermione's stomach churned in uncertainty. Clearly, Tom was mad at her. She felt sick at the thought of that anger directed her way. Nobody said anything, and Hermione kept her gaze on her hands in her lap. No way was she looking up to meet Tom's furious gaze.
In the end, Minerva and a few other teachers went with the rest of the vulnerable to a large country house Hermione found to rent for the summer. There were almost one hundred and fifty that needed a place to stay. Some were able to go to relatives in the Muggle world, and it meant that there would be lots of doubling up at the Manor house. Hermione was due to check on them all after the raid on the Upper in a few days.
She could only hope that the skirmish later this week would go well, she was nervous, she'd technically never fought in a duel before. Not a real one. And while, this wasn't supposed to be a duel, per se, it could still come to that. If there were members of the Upper, who were ready for it. Tom seemed to think that they would be afraid and would instead cower and hide than stand and fight. Hermione couldn't imagine that, but they grew up in a different world, so maybe that was true. When she thought back to the only time she'd been in Diagon Alley, Potter and Black had attacked them. But perhaps they wouldn't be there? They seemed the sort who would fight back.
Tom kept it pretty close to his vest in regards to who in the Upper would be a problem. They weren't geared for a war like the Under was. So Hermione didn't know if they had a standing army. She'd tried to ask if the Ministry had some any law enforcement, but nobody could give her a straight answer. It made her wonder if they knew. She hoped, for everyone's sakes, that they did. She couldn't imagine what a slaughter it would be if they were up against a full-blown army.
Since Hermione had been to Diagon Alley, she was one of the few who would be responsible for Apparating fighters in. She would have to make three jumps with two people each and then she could to join her team. And it wasn't supposed to be a fight, but they were planning to hit the Alley on a Saturday, during prime shopping hours. There could be some resistance. They were told to stun and disarm only; they didn't want to hurt any citizens. Hermione wished she felt more prepared than she did. She felt like she was walking into this whole thing with one arm tied behind her back.
On the morning of the attack, Hermione was too nervous to eat breakfast. She paced the street in front of the council hall. Not even Harry was able to calm her down. And of course, Tom still acted like he was upset with her. She was avoiding him. Best not to poke the bear, as her mother had always said.
"It's time," Tom declared, and Hermione found herself surrounded. She found her first Apparition group and popped them away. The most potent fighters were going in first. She landed in a side alley, off the main thoroughfare. Then she disappeared once more to get the next group. Hermione had a lot of magic; she was taking as many people as Tom, Severus, and Harry. Not even Lily was taking three teams. She brought her second group to the same alley to find that the first group hadn't left yet. Hermione looked at her watch; it had only been a minute and a half. She took a deep breath before going for her last group. When she was back in the Upper for the final time, she waved her team forward.
The Upper was tricky, the storefronts moved, like a conveyor belt. It wasn't that fast, but if Hermione stood in one place long enough, then she'd find herself in front of another storefront. It was a complicated bit of magic that Hermione was dying to figure out how they made it work. If you stood on the street long enough, would you find yourself at a wall? Or, perhaps, riding the conveyor belt upside down? She longed to know the secrets, but now was not the time for that.
Her group found themselves in front of a shop called Twilfitt and Tattings, an expensive clothing shop. She sent half the unit in, while she and the other half stayed in the street. They were guarding the group's back, giving them a way out if things got hairy inside. She could hear some screams and shouts coming from other shops. Inside Twilfitt, she could hear glass breaking and a man cursing. It was exciting and sickening at the same time. Hermione wasn't raised to destroy for destruction's sake. And part of her didn't feel that comfortable with it.
Soon her team was outside, and they moved down to the next shop, a joke shop it looked like, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Hermione frowned at the alliteration, this time her half of the team went into the store. It was already chaos without anybody touching anything. All the bright colors and moving and talking displays were disorienting. She shot an Aguamenti at a few displays and then cast a Confringo at an extensive array of potions bottles, causing them to explode and spray everywhere.
"Here now!"
"What's this?"
Hermione glanced up to see identical twins staring down at their group.
"Down with the Upper!" one of her group shouted as he cast an Expelliarmus at the pair.
One of the twins blocked it and cast his own curse back. And suddenly, Hermione found herself in a proper duel after all. She sent most of the team back through the store destroying as she dueled the pair. Finally, she got the upper hand with a well-timed Avis spell, which conjured some birds, followed by Oppugno, which caused the birds to attack the pair viciously. They both dropped their wands as they attempted to fend off the birds and Hermione was able to stun them.
"Sorry, boys," she muttered as she ushered her team out of the store and onto the next one.
They were about to enter the next store when Tom and Severus came flying down the street on a pair of brooms.
"Calvary's coming, time to retreat!" Tom shouted as he flew past.
Hermione grabbed the nearest two members of her team and popped them back to the Under. She did it twice more before going back to the Upper one last time to make sure there weren't any stragglers. Not seeing anyone, she left to meet the rest of the council. Hopefully, they had done what they needed. The attack on Diagon Alley was only half the plan. The second half relied on the Upper retaliating against them. She was both hopeful of a strong retaliation and fearful of what that would mean for her and her friends.
