A/N: Ok, so for this chapter I just wanted to make you all aware that every single character you hear about or meet in this chapter is completely real; they are all created by J.K. Rowling. However, with that being said; the relationship between Evan Rosier and Bellatrix Lestrange is completely made up. That relationship is something I thought of and it is not canon or anything approved by J.K. Rowling. Evan Rosier's death however, IS real. He did truly die in a battle between the Aurors and the Death Eaters (found on Pottermore, which is approved by J.K. Rowling).

Alright, I'm done. J.K. Rowling owns all the rights, and I would be overjoyed if you reviewed!

A Black Past

Hermione sat in her office at the Ministry the next day, working on a report, Pamela sitting in a smaller corner desk filling out the necessary paperwork. She had returned to work the previous week as the Order had seen a halt in Death Eater activity and there was nothing more to research, and there was plenty to do here. Harry and Ron had also returned in the absence of the Order work; Malfoy had never abandoned his occupation, and was currently away in Morocco on business. Her unannounced arrival at Malfoy Manor and the conversation that had ensued following her arrival had both left her feeling rather out of sorts. Something about him had seemed very off that night, and it was disconcerting. And being at Malfoy Manor again had sent a shiver down her spine that she hadn't been about to shake since.

Standing, she instructed Pamela to keep working, and that she was only going to drop by Ron's office for a moment. Hermione eventually did make it down to Ron's office, but he wasn't there. She took a seat, tapping her finger impatiently against the desk, hoping he would be back soon. Her thoughts were interrupted as her toffee colored barn owl flew through the window, landing softly on her right knee, and dropping a wrapped parcel in her lap. Giving a sweet hoot, the owl flighted out the window, leaving Hermione alone again in the office. Picking up the parcel, she slipped a letter opening under the wrapping, gently breaking it free. The wrapping fell away, revealing a letter written on fine parchment. Unfolding the parchment, she began to read.

Granger,

I've thought a lot about our most recent conversation; the one where you came into my house unannounced? Well, I thought it was rather odd that more than one person would come to the same outrageous conclusion. Normally, I would assume that it was because they had talked recently and one had convinced the other. However, since the two individuals involved, don't often speak, I find that highly unlikely. I have thought of something that could explain their reasoning, but I cannot write it down unless this letter is intercepted. If at all possible, I need you to come and meet me as soon as you can. I will be waiting at Number 12.

-D.M.

Hermione's brow furrowed upon finishing the letter. It was rather unclear, and rather silly. There couldn't be a reasonable explanation to Katie and Blaise's crazy theory could there?

Hermione had rushed back to her office, alerting Pamela that she would be gone the rest of the afternoon, and leaving her the option to either stay and complete the paperwork, or leave it for another day. After leaving Pamela, she'd scratched out a hurried note to Ron and Harry, leaving copies on both of their desks before flooing immediately to Grimmauld Place, where Draco was already waiting for her.

"Malfoy?" she called upon entering the house, and walking into the living room. "Malfoy what in Merlin's name is going on?"

Draco stood by the fireplace, obviously agitated, his eyes boring into hers. "Granger, this is very important. Do you know what happened to Normank Ritchker?"

"The man who has an unregistered time turner?" Hermione asked, utterly confused. "No, we haven't been able to pick up anything on him since when we first tried to apprehend his time turner. He has dropped completely off the map. No one knows what happened to him or his time turner," she finished, looking at the blond Slytherin.

"Damn," he swore, a flash of panic crossing his features. "Granger, Blaise and Katie are right."

"What?" she breathed, fear clutching icily at her chest. "How…..?"

"That's why they are convinced that it's Bellatrix Granger. It is her. But from back in time. That Normank guy, used the time turner to jump back and bring Bellatrix to the present," Draco explained, his voice staying even but his eyes betraying fear.

"That would change the whole time continuum," Hermione whispered, her mind whirling. "If she's here now, that means almost all places she was in the past will have changed in some way."

"How would you know all of that?" Draco questioned, looking uneasy.

"McGonagall loaned me a time turner during third year so I could make it to all of the classes that I wanted to, even though they were held during the same hour. I learned how to use it and I witnessed many of the consequences that come when you meddle with time."

He nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. "Well there are definitely going to be serious consequences no matter what happens."

Hermione silently agreed, her mind still whirling. "If Bellatrix really is back, why hasn't anyone reported seeing her? She's not exactly someone who blends into a crowd and as far as I know, she doesn't like staying in the background."

Draco shook his head, a nervous, pensive look on his face. "No. Bellatrix definitely likes to show off her gruesome techniques. This doesn't make sense."

Hermione ran her fingers roughly through her hair., her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "We need to talk to your mother."

"My mother?"

"Yes your mother," Hermione repeated. "I would say we should go to Andromeda, but your mother spent much more time around her older sister, and she of all people would know anything helpful about Bellatrix."

...

...

...

"Again, we're really sorry for coming to your home so unannounced," Hermione apologized, as they followed Narcissa into the sitting room.

"It's fine, although rather strange," Narcissa commented as she sat down lightly on the patterned sofa. "I just thought it might be better to speak somewhere more private."

"That's probably best," Draco sighed, staring out the window.

Narcissa shot a slight harsh look towards her son, but it was gone as quick as it had appeared. "So, Miss Granger, I'm assuming this is Ministry business?"

"Yes," Hermione answered immediately, not wanting to steer any of the female Malfoy's thoughts towards Harry and the Order. "We have reason to believe that some dangerous activity is taking place, and it could be being carried out in the name of your late sister."

"Bellatrix," Narcissa confirmed, her face impassive. "What can I help you with?"

"We know this might be a sensitive topic for you Mrs. Malfoy, so if you're uncomfortable with anything we ask, you don't have to answer," Hermione started, a slight smile on her face as Narcissa nodded in agreement. "So, could you possibly tell us how your sister reacted when people went against her wishes?"

"It differed," Narcissa answered simply. "When she was first graduated from Hogwarts, her tactics and methods were extremely calculated. She planned everything she did. She had notebooks, planners, catalogues, everything. She was careful and made sure that she didn't leave any tracks."

Hermione raised a finger slightly, and at Narcissa's look commented. "If Bellatrix didn't leave any tracks or traces, how do you know this?"

"Because after Bellatrix married Rodolphus she moved to the Lestrange estates, leaving all of her belongings in our childhood home. My mother left me the job of cleaning out Bella's room to turn it into a guestroom for our 'esteemed relatives' that would come and visit. During my periodic cleansing of her room, I found all of those diaries, journals, and plans that she had made. It was utterly horrifying how detailed she was in her plans to exterminate people she believed were her enemies. Of course by that time, it was too late to do anything to veer her off of the path she had chosen, so I kept it all to myself."

"Was she that meticulous in her later years? Before she died?" Hermione questioned, a strange look on her face.

"No," Narcissa replied, a dark look passing over her eyes. "Bella changed after Azkaban. It did something to her soul, being around all of those Dementors. After escaping from that awful prison, her plans dissolved. She never planned something again, she carried out all of her escapades with an insane twist; an almost crazed attribute. By the end of her life, I'm quite sure that she was mentally corrupted. I don't think my sister had any ounce of sanity left in her. Bellatrix lost all of her decorum and poise at the end. She killed whoever was in her way, whoever dared to address her without permission, whoever didn't fit her twisted ideals."

"Do you have any pictures of your sister before she went to Azkaban?" Hermione asked, trying to control her breathing.

Narcissa nodded, rising at walking over to a bookshelf and taking down a small oakwood box, carrying it back to the couch, placing it gingerly in her lap. She took a breath, and Draco could hear it shudder as she unlocked the simple clasp and lifted the lid. "I don't know if any of these will be of any use…" she said quietly, handing Hermione the stack of pictures.

Hermione gently took the stack, looking through the pictures one by one, Draco peering slightly over her shoulder. Many of the pictures were from the Black sister's childhood; pictures of them playing with dolls, making daisy chains in the field behind the house, dressed in their Sunday bests in the front foyer, and sitting on the floor amongst china sets, their faces filled with youthful joy and laughter. Draco's eyes scanned each and every picture, his face as still as stone, whereas Hermione's broke out in small smiles at the playful scenes the pictures captured. They flipped another picture and the scenes drastically changed. Instead of the smiling, joyful sisters, there were scenes of three young women, all the joy from their faces gone. Instead, they held domineering, haughty looks, as if they were glaring down at whomever was taking their pictures. Only a few pictures held all three of them; as later in their teen years Andromeda had been disowned. The last pictures showed only Narcissa, Bellatrix and often their parents.

Hermione glanced at Draco out of the corner of her eye, gauging his reaction to the pictures. His face was impassive, his eyes carefully detailing each photograph. She looked back down and her eyes scrunched slightly. Narcissa and Bellatrix were pictured in the Black family garden pavilion, apparently posed for were others in the picture as well; Hermione recognized Lucius Malfoy standing close to Narcissa, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange stood towards the back of the group, a young Sirius and Regulus Black stood with their parents and other relatives Hermione didn't recognize. Then she noticed, standing directly behind Bellatrix, his hand on her shoulder, was a young man that Hermione didn't know at all.

"Who is this young man?" she asked, glancing from Draco to his mother.

Draco shrugged, but Narcissa shifted her position and commented. "That's Evan Rosier…. A Death Eater that was engaged to Bellatrix long before Rodolphus."

"What happened to him?" Hermione questioned, looking questioningly at Draco's mother.

"He was eliminated in a battle between the Aurors and the relatively new Death Eaters. They were caught torturing a group of muggles, and he was eventually killed by Alastar Moody," Narcissa answered evenly.

"I thought Bellatrix never loved anyone besides The Dark Lord?" Draco offered quietly, his eyes not leaving the picture.

"Bellatrix only loved The Dark Lord for his power," Narcissa answered her son. "She was attracted to it, an awful lot light a muggle magnet. Power was what Bella was truly in love with. Evan was a powerful Death Eater. He was almost six years older than Bella, and very experienced in the dark arts. Not only that, but he was very much in love with Bellatrix, who wanted nothing more than to become the best Death Eater she could be; wanting to prove herself and her pureblood allegiances. Bellatrix was fresh blood in the program, only having just been inducted when the battle with the Aurors was fought. She watched as Moody killed the man she loved, and something inside of her snapped. She became cold and unfeeling. She killed without mercy; whereas before she had never killed, only tortured. She became the calculating, deceiving, planning Death Eater that the other members feared and respected," she finished quietly, looking pointedly at her well manicured nails.

"So if she loved another, why did she marry Rodolphus?" Hermione wondered, looking back at the photograph.

"Because that's what you do," Draco answered softly, his voice taunt. "It's an obligation to marry into another pureblood family."

Narcissa nodded in agreement. "Our parents were good friends with the Lestrange family, and they convince Bella that Rodolphus or Rabastan would be highly praised suitors. So, to please our parents and continue the pureblood customs, she agreed; a year later, she married Rodolphus."

"But surely she didn't love him? Her other love had just died? Did she truly move on that quickly?" Hermione inquired, still slightly confused.

"The marriage of Rodolphus and my sister was a loveless one. They both agreed to the union to appease old tradition, although they didn't fulfill on those plans. Almost all pureblood marriages are for producing heirs to carry on the name and the family inheritance. Rodolphus and Bellatrix never had a child. They dedicated their lives to the Death Eaters, and eventually paid for their actions with their own blood," Narcissa finished stonily, her hands clasped tightly together.

"I'm terribly sorry, but there is one more thing I'd like to ask," Hermione said quickly, hoping that her question would be answered before Narcissa kicked them out. Seeing the blonde witches' nod of agreement, she continued. "Is there a reason that people think your sister could be related to these suspicious activities?"

"Many Death Eaters feared and respected my sister. They believed that she was strong, and that nothing could stand in her way. After The Dark Lord's plan began to fall through, many expected her to step up and take his place. Whether they said it out loud or not, many a witch and wizard's allegiances turned from the Dark Lord and over to Bellatrix," Narcissa replied quietly.

Hermione nodded, rising from her seat as she did. "Again Mrs. Malfoy, thank you for allowing us to come to your home and speak with you."

"Of course," Narcissa said politely, her features relaxing slightly at the signs that the two young people were leaving. "I only hope that it helps."

"I'm positive that it will be of the utmost help for us," Hermione reassured her, as they walked back to the front doors of the estate.

Narcissa nodded, watching as Hermione walked out the door, her hand flying out to catch Draco's arm before he left. "Draco-"

"Mother, I'm afraid I can't talk now," he said, his eyes trained steadily on the open doorway. "I have work to do."

"Draco surely you can spare one minute? I'm sure Miss Granger will wait for you," she pleaded, her face dropping it's signature calm to reveal utter panic.

Draco sighed, but reached out and slowly shut the door so he and his mother would be blocked from Hermione's view if she chose to turn around.

"Thank you," Narcissa said quietly, her hands shaking slightly. "Draco I'm not a fool. I know that the business you are conducting for the 'Ministry' isn't for them at all. I know you believe that Bellatrix could possibly be back…. But please listen to me. Don't keep looking into this. If she really is back by some unreal stretch of the imagination, she will find out what you are doing and come after you. She's merciless Draco, as you know. She will stop at nothing to prevent word of her return getting out. Don't continue doing this. It's much more dangerous than you might think."

"I appreciate your concern mother," Draco said, opening the door to leave. "However, this isn't something I can just ignore. I assure you that I will be careful."

Narcissa tearfully nodded, pulling her son into her thin arms, before turning and walking back into the house. Draco stared after his mother for a moment before exiting, and shutting the door firmly behind him. He fastened his cloak tighter as the cold wind hit his face. He walked quickly down the steps, enjoying the crunch of the snow underneath his shoes. He cleared his throat quietly as he walked over to Hermione, who was waiting patiently for him by the gate. As he neared, her face broke into a small smile and she turned so they could walk side by side down the road. They walked in silence for a moment, before Hermione broke the frigid air.

"Why would they chose to bring Bellatrix back instead of Voldemort?" she questioned.

Draco flinched slightly at the mention of the Dark Lord's name, which didn't go unnoticed by Hermione; however she chose not to bring it up.

"It's like my mother said. People started losing respect for him. He failed continually," he replied.

Hermione didn't say anything, just folded her hands into her cloak pockets and tried to clear her mind. The snow was falling gently around them, and she enjoyed the peaceful feeling it brought, even if she herself wasn't feeling very peaceful at all.

"I think we need to alert the rest of the Order about this… whether or not it's true," she commented slowly, choosing her words carefully.

"Agreed," Draco replied, glancing sideways at his Gryffindor companion. "I think we should also alert the Ministry. The public has a right to know if there is a maniac killer on the loose."

Hermione nodded. "Alerting the Ministry is definitely a smart idea." She fell silent again, kicking the snow lightly with her feet as she walked. She felt the sudden urge to say something to the blond man besides her, and before she could talk herself out of it, the words were already tumbling out of her mouth.

"I got promoted… at the Ministry."

Draco turned his head towards Hermione at her uncharacteristic comment. "Really?" he commented, one eyebrow quirked upwards, and a small smile present on his face. "So you're above the all-mighty Chosen One, Granger?"

Hermione slapped his arm lightly, a smile tickling the corners of her mouth. "Knock it off Draco. But yes… I am higher on the totem pole than Harry is."

Draco's brow furrowed slightly. "You called me Draco."

"Well that's your name isn't it?" Hermione answered, her cheeks turning slightly pink; running her fingers through her hair in a flustered manner.

"I suppose so," he answered slowly. "So what's your promotion?"

Hermione's cheeks turned an even darker shade of pink and she mumbled something incoherent into her silk scarf.

Draco smirked as he looked at the fluffy haired witch. "What was that?" he teased. "I'm not quite sure I heard you over the overwhelming sound of your scarf."

Hermione glared at him over the edge of her scarf, her eyes twinkling. "I'm Head of the Department."

Draco's feet stopped moving, and he immediately halted. "Wait really?"

"Really," she smiled, her voice revealing her utter excitement. "Mr. Dawson is retiring, and he asked me today if it would be willing to step up to his plate and take over the department."

"That's amazing Granger," Draco responded, a smiled lining his face.

Hermione beamed; still unsure of why she had even told Draco of her promotion in the first place. However, it did feel good to have someone commend her for something she had done. She also noted that Draco had an actual smile on his face. Hermione couldn't think of a time when she had seen him actually smile. The smiles she had witnessed at Hogwarts had always been filled with hate, intolerance, and dominance; it had never been just a true smile…and Hermione found that she rather liked his smile. She turned to see him still looking at her, the smile still on his face. She blushed slightly again, but quickly cleared her throat and brought her mind back to the present task.

"We should get back to Number 12 and see if we should gather anyone," she said simply.

Draco mentally slapped himself for getting off topic. "It would probably be a good idea to get back," he agreed.

Hermione nodded, giving him a small smile before disapparating; Draco following shortly after.

A/N: Another chapter down! Please read and review.