Chapter 7
Two Betrayals, Part Two
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Phoebe and Hermione instinctively moved closer to each other. Phoebe reached out slowly and grasped Hermione's hand as Dumbledore took several steps toward them. This was a long-established protocol, designed to help in a retreat maneuver during the war. Hermione was to get to Phoebe and provide her with magical protection and a way to escape. Piper was Harry's responsibility and Paige was Ginny's. Being powerless, the Halliwells had to be protected. As Dumbledore continued to advance, Hermione raised her hand. Dumbledore smiled down at her.
"What do you think you're doing?" The old wizard asked, still walking toward them.
"Just tell me why." Hermione said, ignoring his question and giving Phoebe time to make sure the others were ready… they'd get only one chance at this. For Harry had spotted the artifact they'd come for. The goblet sat atop a short pillar behind Dumbledore. It was clear that he had been studying it before they had arrived.
"Why… what, Mrs. Potter?" This question was so flabbergasting to Hermione that she literally froze.
"Why did you do all of this…? You said you masterminded two wars… you were behind Voldemort… The Source… Grindelwald… You were the cause of millions of deaths. You destroyed families. You caused so much suffering and pain to so many people…"
Hermione paused. When she next spoke, her voice was so cold it could have frozen a star.
"You killed Catherine." Dumbledore chuckled.
"I do not deny anything, my dear. I am responsible for the things you say. Why I did these things is, for the time being, unimportant. What is important now is that you understand my goals. You, of all people, should understand. Muggleborns have long suffered under the Ministry. I intend to destroy those who oppress the muggleborn and nonmagical community. I hope you will understand that I do what I do for the betterment of our people. I could use the power of the Charmed Ones on my side…" Hermione shook her head in disbelief.
"You're insane… you… the things you've done…. You've got to be stopped."
"Stopped? My dear, you cannot stop me."
"Oh, can't we?" Hermione asked. "Harry, now!" Harry and Piper vanished, reappeared instantly behind the pillar. Piper grabbed the goblet and both she and Harry orbed out. The Death Eaters instantly attacked. Hermione shouted for everyone to flee as fast as possible. Danielle and Miley flamed out as a pair of energy balls flashed over their heads. Ginny and Paige orbed out together. Draco disappeared with a loud crack. Hermione kept Phoebe protected as the others left. Ron and Luna had just begun to turn on the spot to Disapparate when it happened. A jet of green light from one of the Death Eater's wands caught Luna squarely in the back. A second bolt of deadly light hit Ron full in the face as he knelt beside his wife's crumpled form. Behind Hermione, Phoebe screamed and started toward Ron and Luna. Hermione caught her and pulled her back.
"No!" she screamed. "There's no time, Phoebe. They're gone, honey. We've got to get out of here." Making a quick check to ensure all the others had managed to escape, Hermione turned on the spot and vanished with a loud crack, Phoebe in tow.
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GREAT HALL, MAGIC SCHOOL.
Hermione and Phoebe reappeared in the Great Hall. The others stood around a nearby table, studying the newly-acquired goblet.
"Mione!" Harry said when he spotted them. "Phoebe…." his face suddenly darkened. "Where's Ron and Luna?" Phoebe dissolved immediately into tears and clung to Hermione for support. Hermione looked up at Harry, unable to hold back tears of her own.
"Harry, they… they didn't…" Hermione muttered, her voice shaking.
"No…" Harry whispered.
"It happened so fast, I don't even…" Hermione broke off. "We can't stay here. Dumbledore will be coming for us, we need to…" A series of loud cracks filled the air as Death Eaters Apparated all around them. Hermione grabbed the Book of Shadows and Ancient Island Nations off the table and shoved them into Harry's arms as Ginny's shield power created a bubble of protective energy between them and the Death Eaters. She took the goblet and the other combined objects and grasped Phoebe's hand. The others hurriedly linked hands and Hermione turned on the spot and they vanished, leaving Magic School far behind… forever.
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They hit the ground, hard. The group stumbled and fell to the ground. They had arrived on a sandy beach on what appeared to be a deserted island. The hot, Caribbean sun baked down on them from above. Standing to his feet, Harry asked,
"Where are we?"
"An island…" Hermione said irritably. "Does it matter where we are? All that matters is that we stay alive… and I can't promise we'll be able to do that for very long."
"It matters because if we're going to survive we need food, water… a plan."
"I'm already working a plan." Hermione responded. "Dumbledore is more powerful than anything we've faced before. Our only hope now is to find Atlantis… even if we can't use its power, we can at the very least keep Dumbledore from getting it. I… I need to think this through…" Hermione turned trudged off down the beach. No one attempted to follow her. They all knew that Atlantis was Hermione's mission. If they were going to find it and stop Dumbledore, Hermione was their first, last, and only hope. Harry tore his gaze from the woman striding away from them and looked down at the others, still sitting on the sand. He sighed. Two of their number lost in a war that had only just begun… no, if Dumbledore was telling the truth, this was a war had started long before Harry had been born.
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Hermione sank down to the ground half a mile away from the others by the edge of the water. The warm water lapped at her bare feet, but she barely felt it. Since their encounter with Dumbledore, Hermione had been in a daze. Dumbledore? How could Dumbledore have betrayed them…? No, Dumbledore hadn't betrayed them. He had never been on their side in the first place. Hermione was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice Phoebe wander up beside her, plop down on the loose sand, and rest her head on her shoulder. Phoebe always felt safer in Hermione's presence. She couldn't explain it, but when Hermione was nearby, she felt as though nothing could touch her… that she was invincible. Hermione never seemed to show fear, maybe that was the reason…
"Hermione…" Phoebe said slowly. "do you think we can survive this?" Hermione took Phoebe's hand and sighed.
"I don't know, Phoebe…"
"I'm scared, Mione." Phoebe whispered, gripping Hermione's hand tighter.
"Yeah…" Hermione whispered. "so am I." For the first time, Phoebe noticed Hermione's hand was shaking. In fact, she was trembling all over.
"Hermione, are… are you okay?" Phoebe asked, her voice soft.
"No…" Hermione said shakily. "Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard on Earth. If he could manipulate both sides of a war that has spanned decades, I… I don't know if we can stop him."
"We can't give up hope yet, Mione." Phoebe said. "We've faced a lot worse than this in the past." Hermione shook her head furiously.
"No," she said, her voice shaking more than ever. "we haven't. Even Grindelwald feared Dumbledore to some extent. He's capable of magic we can't even imagine."
"But we have to try!" Phoebe said desperately, gently stroking the back of Hermione's hand in a reassuring way. Phoebe was scared. Hermione always maintained an aura of complete calm. To see her like this, physically trembling, her eyes red from crying, the hazel orbs normally so full of life becoming lost and hopeless, was unsettling. Hermione never broke down, never lost hope… not even when things seemed hopeless. However, she had just been betrayed by one of the people she deeply trusted. Then two of her closest friends had been murdered right in front of her and she had been unable to stop it. Not to mention everything else that had happened to her during the war. Phoebe knew, however, that she had to help her friend regain her confidence. If Hermione couldn't stayed focused on finding Atlantis, they'd all die. Phoebe sighed. Hermione leaned back against the sand. Phoebe did the same, snuggling up against the younger woman.
"Even if it's just for Ron and Luna, Mione… we have to try."
"I know…" Hermione said quietly, tilting her head away from Phoebe. "We will try. We'll fight… with luck we'll find Atlantis. Maybe then we'll stand a chance." Hermione lifted the goblet which she had placed on the ground beside her. It was emblazoned with the Atlantean Seal and, at the top, it had two inch wide slots, one of either side of the rim, where Hermione supposed the staff would go, when and if they found it. She gathered the other combined objects and placed the goblet on top of the upper Seal. Golden light surrounded Hermione and Phoebe as the goblet bonded with the other artifacts. Once again, the mysterious voice spoke.
"You have been betrayed. Your enemy has at long last revealed himself, just as Zook once told you he would. Nevertheless, you are very near your goal. Only one last artifact remains in your path. You must find it before he does. If you fail, you will die. The last object you seek lies in a place where preparations are made for the final battle between good and evil… the place where an army for the good side has been under construction for thousands of years. The rest, I fear, is up to you to discover. Good luck." Hermione turned to Phoebe as the voice fell silent.
"Any ideas?" she asked.
"Valhalla." Phoebe said. "It's a magical island in the Indian Ocean. Leo was held there once by the Valkryies who inhabit the island."
"I'm guessing they wouldn't help us find it?" Hermione asked.
"I wouldn't advise asking them. They aren't evil and we parted on relatively good terms, but… they aren't looking to get involved in a war. If we're going, I would suggest moving about the island quietly." Hermione nodded.
"Come on, then." Hermione said, starting off back down the beach. "We have to hurry. If Dumbledore finds Atlantis before we do, he'll be unstoppable." As they walked, Phoebe noticed Hermione seemed rather unstable on her feet. She moved closer to Hermione and helped her keep her balance as they proceeded back down the beach. The sun was very near the horizon now and night would soon fall. Hermione gave Phoebe a slight smile at her kind gesture. Phoebe sighed and said,
"I love you, Hermione… with all my heart." Phoebe looked away from Hermione and out towards the rapidly setting sun. "I'm with you until the end… no matter how this all plays out." Hermione couldn't find the words to respond with. Instead, she gave Phoebe's hand a gentle squeeze. Phoebe didn't need anything more than that. As they reached the halfway point back to their arrival point, the sun sank completely and the beach became bathed in moonlight. Phoebe's fear had, if anything, grown in her conversations with Hermione. Even so, she felt relived, knowing as she did that Hermione she would always be with Hermione, even if remaining by her friend's side took her to the very gates of Hell.
