DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!

The Serpents' Child

Chapter 7

A/N: Long because a lot of it isn't mine! :P

!"!

"You know, you should learn to tell the difference between dreams…" Lucius Malfoy stepped forward out of the shadows, using his wand to remove his mask, which floated away like smoke into the air, "And reality." Everyone tensed, but Hermione almost shed a tear as her uncle revealed himself for who he truly was. "You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now hand me the prophecy."

Harry raised his chin in an attempt to look brave. "If you do anything to us, I'll break it!"

A shrill cackle rang through the room, making everyone shudder. "He knows how to play!" Hermione blinked her tears away as her real mother stepped into the light, screeching away. How could she come from…That?! Things were going to get…Interesting. Bellatrix walked forward, swaying slightly as if she were drunk, until she came level with Lucius, who looked at her in – most people would say – annoyance. Obviously he thought she was going to cause problems. "Itty bitty baby…Potter." She spat his name.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville stated, stepping forward as he looked like his heart was being ripped out.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" She snickered. "How's mum and dad?"

"Better now they're about to be avenged!" He raised his wand quickly, as did Bellatrix, obviously being the more skilled Duellist. Hermione whispered, 'No!' and held his arm, pulling it down to the floor to stop him getting himself killed. But as she looked back up, the way Bellatrix looked at her…It made her think that Bellatrix assumed she had done it out of loyalty to her mother.

Lucius tensed slightly, slowing raising his hands. "Now, let's everybody just…Calm…Down…" His voice…If the situation weren't so dire, Hermione would have almost listened to him. The smoothness of it made her want to just curl up in it…Wait, he's her uncle! Her evil Death Eater uncle! Her evil Death Eater uncle who will no doubt harm her friends! "Shall we?" He finished off as he bobbed his hands up and down slightly. After Bellatrix had sulkily lowered her wand, Lucius explained. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why did Voldemort need me to come and get this?"

Bellatrix's face erupted in anger. "You dare speak his name? You filthy half-blood!" She screamed, her voice echoing around the room. Hermione flinched. How could that be her mother?

"No, it's alright, he's just a curious lad, aren't you?" Lucius soothed. "Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made." Neville, Hermione, Ron, Luna and Ginny looked around in alarm. Out of nowhere, two Death Eaters had appeared on the three remaining sides of the group, enclosing them in the small space. Hermione pointed her wand at the two who were facing them. But Hermione had this feeling…This horrible squeezing in her stomach, that one of the Death Eaters was looking straight at her. She could feel it. She didn't need to see it. Was it Rodolphus perhaps? Was he even here?

"Haven't you always wondered about the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord?" Lucius asked Harry as he and Bellatrix advanced on them. Hermione desperately tried to stay brave. She didn't want to take her eyes off the two Death Eaters opposite her, but she felt another gaze on her. Biting her trembling lip, she risked a quick glance. It was Bellatrix, studying her intensely from under her thick eyelashes, not blinking as the distance between them shortened. She looked back at 'her' Death Eaters. They were closer now. "Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant?" Risking another glance as the stare intensified, Hermione turned again and saw Bellatrix and Lucius now only a few feet away and Bellatrix was now gawping at her openly, her face consumed by an open mouthed smile. Was Bellatrix happy? Or…What else could that smile be? It seemed to be genuine…Was it?

"Don't you want to know the secret of your scar?" Lucius teased, holding his hand out. "All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do is give it to me. Then I can show you everything."

Harry looked between the prophecy and Lucius. "I've waited fourteen years…"

Lucius gave a look of sympathy. "I know."

"I can wait a bit longer."

They knew that was their cue. Pushing their fear down, everyone cast a Stupefy simultaneously, though they were easily blocked by the Death Eaters, who vanished in pillars of smoke. That was when Hermione felt it, only for a split second. A warm wash of magic over her. What was that? What had happened? She'd never felt that before…It was comforting, making her feel like she was snuggled up in bed or being embraced. Those feelings were made by…Protection spells. Who would cast…Bellatrix? Bellatrix risked her title as a Death Eater by casting a Protection spell on the best friend of Harry Potter? What if Voldemort ever found out?

She didn't have time to think when Ron took hold of her hand and pulled her along after them, running through the shelves. They made a turn and ran again, stopping when Lucius appeared in front of them in a pillar of black smoke, holding his hand out. He looked like something out of a child's nightmare…They backed away and ran down a different row. But they became separated. Luna broke off. Neville broke off. Harry broke off. Ron stayed with Hermione, refusing to leave her. They ran to the end of a row and met up with Harry again, just as a smoke column appeared on either side of them. Harry cast a Stupefy, but the man just flew off again. Hermione and Ron both cast the same spell, though the man just waved them away like air. For one of the first times in her life, Hermione non-verbal spells to pull a couple of prophecies off the shelves and onto the man's head, breaking over his mask. He grunted in annoyance and then just blocked them away. They kept running until all six of them regrouped, bumping into each other.

From one side, a smoke column started heading towards them, gaining speed quickly. Ginny pointed her wand at it and calmly spoke, "Reducto." The spell hit with a flash of light. And the prophecy shelves began to collapse. Luna stayed rooted to the spot, transfixed as she watched the glass orbs tumble to the floor, needing Neville to pull her away. Harry ordered everyone back to the door and they ran as fast as they could. Running through the shelves until they found the door, Harry ran through it into the empty space below. When Neville had come through last, the door closed behind them as they all free-fell. Stopping only a foot above the ground, they fell onto it a second later, groaning and grunting as they got to their feet.

"Department of Mysteries…They got that bit right, didn't they?" Ron snapped sarcastically.

They stood on a large island made of rock, in the middle stood a huge archway, at least thirty foot tall. In the middle was…It was hard to describe…It was like a net sheet floating in the wind. "The voices…Can you tell what they're saying?" Harry asked, walking closer to it.

Hermione replied, "They aren't any voices, Harry. Let's go."

Luna spoke, "I can hear them too."

"Harry, it's an archway!" He wasn't listening. "Please, Harry!"

He turned and raised his wand to the ceiling. "Get behind me!"

Moving into a circle, it was only a second later when black smoke surrounded them from both sides, from top and bottom, from left and right, from everywhere! Hands grabbed Hermione surprisingly gently, bringing her back against a body. The smoke settled and the chamber became clear. Harry stood by himself in the middle, all his friends around him, all held by Death Eaters. Luna, Ginny and Ron were held by unknown Death Eaters, Bellatrix had Neville and a man had Hermione. But as she struggled against him and he held her jumper firmly yet not harshly, she knew him. By the way he looked at her, and his eyes. This man was Rodolphus Lestrange. This man was her father.

Laughs filled the chamber as Lucius approached Harry. "Did you actually believe, or were you truly naïve enough to think that children stood a chance against us?" Bellatrix smirked at him. "I'll make this simple for you, Potter." He held out his hand impatiently. "Give me the prophecy now, or watch your friends die."

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville encouraged, earning a shush from Bellatrix.

Harry looked torn for a second, before handing Lucius the sphere gravely. The blonde held it up triumphantly before a white flash of light came from behind them. He turned and came face to face with Sirius Black. "Get away from my godson." With a single thump, Lucius and the prophecy went flying. Transforming himself into a white smoke column, Sirius whizzed around the room, blasting Death Eaters against the walls. More columns joined him, revealing Tonks, Mad-Eye, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin. Hermione visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and was then released by Rodolphus. Tonks ran over to her, taking her arm and pulling her around the room, collecting Luna, Ginny, Ron and Neville.

They all watched the fight from behind the covers of rocks, torn between watching the duelling or the flying fight that Bellatrix was engaged in with Kingsley. Hermione focused on Harry and Sirius battling Lucius and Rodolphus. To her own horror, she found herself praying that Lucius and Rodolphus wouldn't be seriously injured! They were, after all, her family. But Harry and Sirius were her friends! She still cheered when Harry and Sirius won the duel, but then froze in horror as she watched in slow motion as the man she knew as Dolohov aimed his wand at Tonks. Tonks' back was turned, she had no idea. But Hermione was wrapped in a Protection spell – a strong one she knew – thanks to Bellatrix. Adrenaline overtook logic and she threw herself in front of Tonks.

Pain ripped through her body as she felt the skin on her chest and stomach tear and rip apart, bathing her in her own blood. Ginny screamed, which brought the attention of Tonks and May-Eye. And Bellatrix. Hermione was drifting into unconsciousness, but she knew a murderous look when she saw one. All she heard next was the Killing Curse. And then everything went black.