Disclaimer: If I owned Rowling's characters I would of ended Deathly Hallows very differently(since I do not own them, I resort to writing about them in Fan-Fiction)
GRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
Chapter Nine
Neville and Luna managed to listen to the entirety of Umbridge's speech, and watched with horror filling their eyes as their fellow classmates; those of muggle blood were being taken away by Ministry Officials. Neville's fists were tighter than knots, as he watched several Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws being dragged away screaming and crying. The younger students just went quietly, however several of the older students pulled out their wands and rushed at the Ministry Officials and used their magic to escape. They were now on the run, Neville would have helped them but he needed to be able to read Hermione's log and he did not want to jeopardize his Rebellion.
Luna gripped Neville's wrist in a frightening grip, as her eyes filled with horror. Ministry Officials were using whatever curses came to mind to overcome the students who rebelled, to include the Unforgivables. She pressed her head into Neville's shoulder, trying hard not to focus on the students who were suffering at the hands of the Ministry. "Are we going to fight?" She whispered in Neville's ear.
"We will...but not yet." Neville's voice was hard, cold and filled with frozen fury. "We still have to make a plan, remember Hermione's words after the disaster at the Department of Mysteries."
"Never do anything without a backup strategy in case the plan backfires." Luna said with tears steaming down her cheeks. "Do you think Hermione is still on the run?"
"She's too smart to be caught by the Ministry." Neville said softly, his body relaxing from his anger as he rubbed his hand on Luna's thigh. "Meet me in the Library after classes are finished." He said before he stood up and grabbed his pack, heavier than he normally kept it, it weighed him down, books of all sorts inside. "Don't do anything foolish, keep the log, bring it with you." He said softly as he kissed her cheek.
Luna looked up to him, "I am going to attempt to read the log...and if I haven't been able to read it by the time we meet, we'll read it together." She told him quietly, a slight blush on her cheeks, as she kissed his cheek in return.
Snape observed the exchange between Longbottom and Lovegood from the corner of his eye, as he watched in silent horror as his muggle-blood students' removal from Hogwarts, some making the effort to escape, but others just could not fight because of their age and skill. Never thought I would see the day Longbottom kiss a girl, let alone the girl kiss him back. I should take points...wonder if they are planning something and that was all an act to hide it. I overheard the Carrows talking about Longbottom; he seems to be quite a torn in their side...Good for you, Longbottom, wish I could see how much of a thorn you are. If I could, I would bless your house with house points for causing my comrade's ill, but it is fruitless, not with the Dark Lord leaning over my every move.
Snape stood up, and left the room through the teacher's back door, his robes billowing behind him in his normal dramatic fashion. Now, to get Gryffindor's sword to Potter, according to Dumbledore's Last Will and Testament he needs it, so I must retrieve it for him, I believe Bellatrix was given the honor to watch the sword. How to get it will be tricky, however I think I shall manage. I cannot wait for this game is over and I have left this world to ruin or prosperity.
Hermione was exhausted, all her energy felt like it completely left her. She watched the exchange between her Master and his leash through eyes of glass. She fell back into the depths of her mind, as if in a self-induced coma. Her body becoming hard as a statue as it stood in a pose with her hands holding her staff in the air above her head, as a blinding light emitted from the very top of her staff sending waves of white light blasting from it through the air surrounding her.
"Your apprentice is learning...without you" The woman Hermione only knew as her Master's Leash exclaimed.
"What?" he turned around to face his apprentice. "So I see...will she be able to recover like that my Leash?" Her Master asked in mild concern in his voice, a tone Hermione never heard from his hard, cold calculating voice.
"She should, she seems to be a natural Fate Swayer, unlike you My Prince." Master's Leash stated as she walked over to Hermione. "You should have been with us a long time ago, if it wasn't for that old wizard's meddling with things he knew little about, you would have." Surprisingly there was no anger in the woman's voice. "He made you bias, but I hope you will learn from it, rather than try to save all your precious friends lives, you should be working on how Fate needs to be swayed to redeem the best outcome for the world's benefit."
The Leash smiled as she pulled Hermione's staff from her hands. The light it was emitting stopped, once she released it from Hermione's grip. "You must not fall deep into the healing, Apprentice; you are needed to sway the Fate of the World." She whispered in Hermione's ear before she kissed her cheek, allowing her energy to fill Hermione to the core, a slight burning coldness emitting from the woman's lips as it touched Hermione's skin. "Wake up. You are needed."
Hermione burst out in cold strangling coughs, as she gripped her chest, nearly falling to her knees as her crystal blue eyes met the Leash's. They exchanged no more words, but Hermione knew deep in her soul that her life was never going to return to how it was. The Leash made it clear, Ron and her were never meant to be and Her Master belonged to the Leash. So Dumbledore is the one that changed everything, he was the one that made it possible for me to live a semi-normal life, knowing love...was this what Dumbledore was apologizing for? Not being able to stop Fate from getting what it wants...it was not of your control, so no need to ask for my forgiveness.
Author's Notation:
Another chapter, more questions...you know what to do, READ&REVIEW!
Much Appreciated,
Lost O'Fallon Girl
