Hello every one
Here's the next chapter of Gray Matter, I hope you'll enjoy.
I want to thank you all for leaving reviews, it really is a wonderful to hear what you think of my story and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to write back to you all, but know this, I appreciate your review and I'm most thankful for them. :-)
Thank you to my beta MadamKitten for helping me with this :-)
Chapter 2 of Gray Matter has been reposted for some minor changes, also thank you to my beta for the help with that chapter :-)
Chapter 10
A couple of days went by before the Dark Lord called them again.
Hermione had already begun to learn about pureblood customs and traditions. She really enjoyed the time she spent with Narcissa and Bellatrix. Even though they were sisters, they didn't act like it. They were as different as night and day. Rodolphus and Lucius were just hilarious to be around. They argued all of the time, and it was just hilarious. She hadn't had the opportunity to learn new spells yet, however Rabastan and Antonin found her several dark arts books to study.
Hermione was very proud of herself as she sat down beside Rabastan. She had chosen a gorgeous black dress for this meeting with the Dark Lord and had even managed to tame her wild curls. She looked every bit as proper as a pureblood. She captured Bella's eye from across the table and Bella showed her a thumbs up, so she had to had done something right.
"My dear Death Eaters, it appears that the Order of the Phoenix believes that we have captured and are using Miss Granger. Let them think that. In the end, it will help us. Miss Granger here has come up with a plan to infiltrate the Order, and take them down from the inside. When the time is right, you will be given details of this plan. Until then, she has to learn everything there is to learn. Teach her dark magic and our traditions. I want her to be an example when we win this war. I want others to know that I allowed her, the brightest witch of her age, to take my mark." Voldemort said and looked around the table.
"It will help us in the future, to gain followers, if they truly believe that Miss Granger is one of us." Lucius said.
"Indeed it will." Rodolphus said.
"If this plan should succeed I am prepared to allow some Muggleborns to join our cause. We would have to test the Muggleborns. Perhaps place those with powerful Magic in their veins into good pureblood families. We will raise them to know about the Sacred Twenty-Eight, to know how to act in our society. Muggleborns will never be as good as those of us who are pure, but perhaps with the proper upbringing they will have a place in our world." Voldemort said.
Hermione tried to take it all in, because of her, they actually wanted to allow Muggleborns to attend Hogwarts, allow them to do magic. She was proud of herself, and by the squeeze on her leg, she knew Rabastan was proud to.
"I'm grateful, My Lord." Hermione said and bowed her head in respect.
"Draco, you and Miss Granger will devise the test." he said.
"We will be honored my Lord." Draco answered for them both.
Hermione still sat there, and tried to take it all in. She was happy, and already starting to find out different ways of making a test.
"You are dismissed. Except Miss Granger." Voldemort said.
All the Death Eaters started to go out the door. Rabastan kissed her on her forehead, before going with Bellatrix and Rodolphus.
"I have something for you." he said and pulled out a chain from under his cloak. It had a black pendant, formed just like the Dark Mark.
"What is this? It's beautiful." Hermione said, and looked at it. It was beautiful, and she really liked it.
"This is for you to wear; I will not brand you with my mark just yet. This pendant is a copy of my mark. Every time I call upon my Death Eaters, you will be able to feel this pendant warm up, and you can use it to apparate directly to me. This pendant will also protect your mind from attacks, and give you false memories to present the order with. As long as you are wearing this pendant no one, not even Dumbledore, can see past the false memories. Do not take it off" he said, and moved, so he could put it on her neck.
"It's beautiful my Lord, but won't those from the Order be able to see it?" she asked, and looked down on the pendant which laid just over her chest.
"No, only those who know about this will be able to see it. Others will just see a lion pendant." he said.
"A lion pendant? It makes sense." she said, and looked at it again. She was really grateful for it. She wanted a mark, so she was able to come when he called.
"I have to go now, I have business elsewhere, remember you have to be able to control curses, next time I come." he said, and vanished in black smoke.
Hermione took a moment to steady herself, she always felt a little scared after being in the presence of the Dark Lord. When she was sure she was alright, she went to find Rabastan. Strange, she thought, he's not outside the door. She searched for him, and eventually found him sitting on the edge of their bed in their room. He was calmly twirling a wand around his fingers.
"There you are! I looked everywhere for you!" Hermione said and closed the door.
"You found me." He said and grinned at her, all the while still twirling the wand around his fingers. Hermione watched Rabastan as he showed off with the wand, and couldn't help but feel sad. Rabastan knew she didn't have a wand of her own.
"Do you have to twirl your wand around like that? You know I don't have a wand of my own." Hermione hissed.
"Oh I'm sorry Sunshine, but this isn't my wand. My wand is right here." He said, and took his wand from the dresser right next to the bed.
"Then who's wand is it you are twirling around?" Hermione whispered.
"It's yours Love, I promised you I would find you a wand and I did!" He said, and moved over to her. He handed her the wand, and she took it with trembling fingers. She looked at the wand in her hand, and swirled it around her fingers. It felt so good to feel the magic flow through her veins again.
"Now you have a wand, we can begin to teach you dark spells and magic." he said and kissed her forehead.
"Can you teach me now?" Hermione asked with a huge smile.
"Of course, come along." he said. He took her hand, and lead her out their room, down the hall towards a small study. .
"This is where we can practice dark magic and create new spells. Any damage in here won't affect the rest of the house. Come. Stand right here." he said, and she moved over to where he instructed.
"What spell do you want me to practice first?" she asked him.
"You need to be able to hold the Imperius curse, on someone who will be able to shake it off. So if you'll just wait here, I will find reinforcement." he said, and moved outside the door.
Hermione went into the middle of the room, and twirled the wand around in her hand.
"Lumos" she said, and watched when the tip of the wand lit up. She moved over to the fire place, and went to stand in front of it.
"Incendio" Hermione said, and watched as the fireplace lit up. She started to jump up and down, so happy that she could perform magic again.
"I guess you are happy then?" a voice said from behind her, and she look around and saw Draco standing in the door.
"Of course I am! I can finally perform magic!" Hermione grinned.
"Well, I´m happy for you. I have to go now, but I want for us to start on this test later this evening." he said.
"Where are you off to?" Hermione asked.
"I´m going to visit with Luna. Her father is ill, I intended to deliver some potions for him." he said.
"I wasn't aware you and Luna were so close." Hermione said.
"I only recently began talking with her. She is a rather entertaining person. It's unfortunate that she's alone with her father, I thought I would help." he said, blushing.
"I wish I could go with you, but I can't, I'm afraid. Rabastan has just gone out to find some reinforcement." she said and smiled.
"Then good luck with that, I shall see you this evening." he said, and walked away from the door.
Just as Draco moved out, Rabastan came in with Antonin in row.
"Is this reinforcement?" Hermione grinned.
"Don't taunt me durashka." Antonin said.
"What did you call me?" Hermione asked.
"Silly baby." Antonin grinned.
"What? I'm not silly, Stupefy!" she yelled, but Antonin quickly cast a shield charm.
"You have to do a lot better than that, durashka." he said, and moved to cast a spell of his own. Hermione easily deflected it.
"Okay, time out you two. You were supposed to help me teach her the Imperius curse." Rabastan said, and moved in between them, looking sharply at Antonin.
"He started it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Durashka" Antonin taunted, and Hermione moved to hex him again.
"Hermione, please calm down, and Antonin, knock it off." Rabastan said.
Hermione lowered her wand again, and Antonin did the same.
"Now that's better! Hermione, I want you to use the Imperius curse on Antonin, and make him do whatever you want!" Rabastan said smirking.
"What!? I thought you were supposed to be the test subject! I'm only here to supervise!" Antonin shouted.
"Calm down Antonin, she won't harm you." Rabastan grinned, and kissed Hermione.
"Fine, come on Durashka, try and make me do whatever you want." Antonin grinned mockingly.
"Imperio" Hermione yelled, but nothing happened.
"You need to mean it, Hermione. Using it on Muggles, is easy enough, but on a powerful Wizard or Witch it will be harder to hold the curse, try again." Rabastan said.
"Imperio!" still nothing happened.
"Oh little Durashka, can't make the big bad Death Eater do what she wants." Antonin taunted.
"IMPERIO!" Hermione screamed, and in a split second, she felt a little power over Antonin, but it was not enough.
"That's good Sunshine, try again, you almost had it!" Rabastan said, and moved behind Hermione.
Hermione tried to concentrate on the curse, and took several deep breaths, before she looked at the taunting face of Antonin. She really wanted to wipe that smile off his face. She raised her wand again.
"Durashka!" Antonin grinned.
"IMPERIO!" she yelled, and felt the power she now had over Antonin. His eyes clouded, and she could feel the dark magic in her soul.
"Good Sunshine, you did it!" Rabastan said, before Antonin was able to shake the curse of.
"Oh Merlin, that felt great!" Hermione exclaimed, and started to sway a bit.
"Hey, Love, I think you have to sit down for a bit. That was very powerful dark magic you just did, it can take a lot out of you until you've gotten used to it." Rabastan said, and conjured a chair for her.
"Thank you Rab." she said.
"You did well, but you still need practice." Antonin said, and moved to stand in front of her.
"I couldn't hold it long enough to make you do something." she said and looked at him.
"With practice, you will be able to." Antonin said.
"I think a bit of lunch is in order, and then we can try it again." Rabastan said, and called for an elf. Moments later, an elf appeared with a plate with sandwiches, and a jug of pumpkin juice. Antonin conjured two more chairs, and a table, before they sat down and started to eat.
After they had eaten, they tried again with the Imperius curse. They kept on practicing for a couple of hours, before they heard the front door slam, and Draco stood in the doorway.
"Xenophilius Lovegood is dead!" he said panting.
Durashka – Silly baby
Thank you to Alisa Kastrilevich, for helping me with that nickname to Hermione :-)
And thank you to Malyssa Mays, for all the other good nicknames she found, I hope to be able to use them later on :-)