Chapter 14: Another One Destroyed!
When Hermione woke up she felt dizzy and out of it for a few minutes. Her mind was still on those terrible memories she had to relive, and at first she didn't realize where she was. Of course it's not like someone could really blame her considering how different the place looked from the dreary soul sucking house she remembered. Once she realized where she was, she remembered what she had been doing before she had been brought here, which led to her being surprised that she was alone in the room.
She just hoped that Sirius hadn't told the Weasleys otherwise George would be giving her quite the scolding later on about how they were supposed to be working together to change their future. Gasping Hermione desperately tried to figure out the time, if it was past sunrise then the Weasleys would be in a panic since she was missing without even leaving a note, if she wasn't careful Hermione missing at the same time Mia was with Sirius might end up outing her much sooner then she wanted.
Positive that she was alone in the room, but knowing she couldn't apparated out of the house with all of the wards, Hermione got out of bed trying to be as quiet as she could. Hopefully she would have some luck, so that she could get out of here before an overbearing Sirius got back in here. She had seen how overprotective Sirius could be of those he cared about, and knew he would probably try to keep her here for quite a while. What Hermione wasn't expecting however was the dizziness that hit her the moment she stood up, or the overtired feeling she had despite just waking. It took most of her strength, plus grabbing onto a convenient nightstand, to stop her from tumbling onto the floor the resulting crash that would have alerted Sirius that she was up.
Knowing of her weakness now Hermione went slower and took smaller steps praying to Merlin that she wouldn't be caught escaping, or rather fleeing since she wasn't a prisoner. At first she was positive she was going to be fine, no one was in the hallway, and she could clearly see the stairs from the doorway of the room. All it would take would be her carefully making her way down the stairs and out the front door without Sirius catching her, and then hopefully she could convince the Weasleys that she had never left the Burrow ground. It seemed like a fairly simple plan to carry out, even if it would be a bit dangerous to apparated in her current condition.
However even the seemingly simplest of plans could go wrong in the end, and so spectacularly too. With the railing it had been fairly easy making it down the stairs, they didn't even squeak as she was used to making her positive her decent wouldn't alert whoever was in the house that she was awake. She had even been able to hold in her shocked gasp at the empty wall where Sirius's mother's portrait had once resided, the only thing she had thought would actually ruin her plan of a simple escape.
Merlin her hand had even been on the door just about to open it when it suddenly stuck, so intent she had been to get out that she had missed the spell to keep her in until it activated. When she had turned around hoping to convince Sirius that she was fine, but had somewhere important to be her words had died in her throat at the sight that greeted her. Three concerned, but furious, people were standing at the entrance way to the kitchen each with their wand raised to keep her in.
It had made her panic for a moment, she understood why Sirius was furious he had probably been terrified when she had collapsed from the potion. Even Madame Pomfrey, who Sirius probably called as the medical person he most trusted, was easily explained since everyone knows how she can get when she thinks someone needs immediate medical attention despite their stubborn protests. Yet the last one was a man she had been hoping to avoid for as long as she could in this form. Her father, potions master extraordinaire, who Sirius had willingly called, almost looked like a furious father, but there was no way he could know she was his daughter. At least she didn't think there was, and it was that doubt of whether or not he could know who she was when she wasn't Mia Prince, that made her so terrified of him being here.
"You shouldn't be out of bed yet, now come on back up you go," Madame Pomfrey said sternly probably not expecting her to argue at all.
"Look I'm grateful for your help, but I am fine now. Thank you Lord Black for insuring my safety, but I really must be going to destroy the artifact, the longer it is left in this world the more damage it can do," she explained. Only then realizing that her leaving could have been disastrous since she didn't even have the necklace at the moment, "actually I'll have to ask for it. Those unaccustomed to fighting the darkness it holds can be terribly affected by it making them do reckless terrible things they wouldn't dream of doing normally."
Her father scoffed, probably thinking that there was nothing to dark for the double spy, let alone think it would make him act any differently then he already did. She really had to stop thinking of him as her father, especially when she wasn't sure if she had trained her shields enough to prevent him from reading her mind. Perhaps he wouldn't use those methods on a student, but who was to say he wouldn't use them on a suspicious woman he barely knew, and who could seem to be dabbling in the dark arts because of the object she and Sirius had received.
All of her suspicions were proven for naught when her father spoke, "considering that there isn't even an ounce of dark magic on the object you and Black recklessly endangered your life for, I doubt it could affect us in any way."
It was then that Hermione remembered the actual reason she had needed Sirius to go with her to the cave. The fact that the necklace they had received was a fake, and that the real one had been entrusted to Kreacher by Regulus Black. If she wasn't so accustomed to hiding her true feelings she probably would have let slip that she had known it was a fake, it was actually better for her to have forgotten for a brief moment, otherwise they would have been suspicious about why she didn't seem concerned about the object she and Sirius had to retrieve.
Then her father's words truly registered and Hermione turned to Sirius with eyes full of fury. "You let them see it! I told you that these objects, the true ones anyway, are dangerous!"
"I trust them Lady Prince," Sirius responded although he looked like he wanted to deny that he actually trusted her father.
"Well I don't! I don't know them for one thing, and another they both teach at the school of that fool Dumbledore. He cannot know what objects I am destroying because he has dabbled in enough of the dark arts for the wrong reasons that it could be disastrous!"
"What in Morgana are you talking about?!" Madame Pomfrey looked positively murderous at her accusation.
She shouldn't have said anything in the first place, but it was too late to back out of it now. Besides she really didn't need it getting back to Dumbledore that Mia Prince didn't trust him, so maybe if she explained why she didn't trust him it would make things easier. Plus the fact that it might keep Dumbledore from being allowed to meddle too much in Harry's life if Sirius understood exactly what the old coot used to be like. Sure she believed that people could change, but she also believed that people had the right to know about Dumbledore's past, him hiding it just made him seem guilty.
"You can confirm this with Aberforth if you want, but Dumbledore wasn't always the way he is now. When he was younger before he took down Grindelwald they were actually partners working for the Greater Good. The two of them were best friends, perhaps even lovers considering what team Dumbledore bats for. Dumbledore probably wouldn't have seen the error of his ways if it wasn't for the fact that one of the three of them killed his sister with a spell that went array. With all his talk of the Greater Good, his manipulative behavior, I just don't trust that he won't fall to the lure of the dark side again.
"Plus I don't trust someone who works so hard to hide the truth, when they are in a position of power like that. With him being the Leader of the Order of the Phoenix if it ever revives I won't be a part of it. If someone else was the Leader I'd be a part of your side, but when Voldemort comes back, myself and those I trust will be working to bring him down. We won't actively try to get in your way, but our goal is protecting the people from him, and if I ever think your leader is making unnecessary sacrifices he will find that once I take out Voldemort I will make sure that people know of his Greater Good philosophy and how dangerous it truly is."
"And you don't have any secrets in your past that you would rather keep hidden?" her father asked in an accusatory way.
Giving him a grim smile she responded, "I never said that, but at the same time I am not the so called Leader of the Light, or a Headmaster of a school. When you are in a position of power like that, then those sort of secrets can end in your undoing. Besides my secrets have never once led someone to their death!"
Yes she had seen people die during the final battle of Hogwarts, maybe even killed Death Eaters with her spells she didn't know, but she hadn't led someone to their death. If Dumbledore hadn't keep all the secrets he had perhaps her father would have never died, Harry's parents might have never been killed if they ha trusted people other than Dumbledore and Pettigrew. Many members of the Order had died following Dumbledore without knowing who he truly was, and he himself had died because he couldn't resist the pull of the resurrection stone, couldn't resist his own guilt. Truly if it wasn't for the position Dumbledore held she probably wouldn't even care about his secrets.
"How do we know we can trust you? How do we know that you aren't just collecting Dark Artifacts that could help you take Voldemort's place?" The tone her father used as he questioned her was harsh, but she knew he was probably wondering the same things she had thought. That if he had trusted someone other than Dumbledore maybe he could have saved Lily.
"You don't, and there is nothing I can say that can convince you. I will not make false promises, or manipulate you into trusting me. Trust is something that can be earned in time after all, I won't force you to trust me. All you can do is just believe that Lord Black knows enough darkness to be able to tell when someone isn't dark. But if it would reassure you I could always destroy the artifact in front of you, if we end up finding it. Did you check to see if there was any clue in the fake locket, Lord Black?"
The three exchanged glances having a silent conversation in front of her like they were deciding on whether or not they should tell her something. Sirius it seemed was still in her corner even if she had just said something terrible about Dumbledore in front of him, and she wondered if Sirius had realized that Dumbledore could have easily gotten him his long overdue trial before she messed with things. After all as Head of the Wizengamot Dumbledore had that type of power, plus she still had no idea what happened to Lily and James will. Hermione was certain that they would have left something behind in case Sirius was framed to make sure people knew he didn't betray them, and a part of her was certain that the reason Sirius had never been cleared was because Dumbledore wanted to control Harry.
"Yes, but even if there hadn't been it wouldn't have mattered because we found out that my House Elf had been in that cave before with my younger brother, and had been ordered to destroy the artifact although he never found out how. When we told him that you knew how to destroy it he said he would only allow you to have it, but you had to destroy it in front of him to prove yourself."
"Then take me to this House Elf please," she requested with a charming smile.
Madame Pomfrey and her father looked like they wanted to protest, but instead they sighed as they followed her and Sirius towards the kitchen. Kreacher looked just as crazy and sickly as he had the first time around before Harry had destroyed the locket and given Kreacher the fake. Hopefully by bringing the timeline forward Kreacher would become loyal to Sirius like he was meant to be, or at least hold loyalty to someone who wouldn't betray them. The old elf looked at her with wide eyes hope in them as he desperately clung onto the necklace, the darkness of which she could feel from the doorway of the kitchen, the slimy feeling almost bringing her back to when she, Ron, and Harry had destroyed it on the run.
Fumbling around in her pocket Hermione brought out one of her vials of Phoenix Tears, glad that it was dark so that Sirius and the other two wouldn't realize how to destroy the artifact. She needed them to stay away since they couldn't fight it off like she could when it tried to fight being destroyed. Besides she was worried that Sirius might know what had been in her Christmas present from Harry, and recognize that this was a part of it.
"Missy Prince knows how to destroy darkness?" Kreacher asked sounding far politer at this stage then she had ever known him to be. His hands were shaking as he clutched the necklace whether because it sensed it's doom and was trying to stop him from giving it over, or because he was excited to finally fulfill his mission she didn't know.
"Yes, can you place the necklace on the table? It's better you aren't touching it when it's destroyed because it might hurt you in the backlash," she couldn't be rude to the elf. Sure she might not have fully trusted him after what he had done to Sirius in her time, but this was a different elf, and she knew he had been affected by the locket for many years as he tried to fulfill his last orders from Regulus.
The old elf looked like he wanted to protest at first, but he did as he was asked and then moved back. Not far enough in her opinion, but she understood why Kreacher would want front row seats so to speak in watching the necklace destroyed. After all it was because Regulus had wanted to kill Voldemort that led to his old Master's death in the first place. To Kreacher her destroying the necklace would mean that Regulus could finally move on.
Smiling at the elf Hermione carefully uncorked the vial not wanting to waste any of the precious liquid inside. Not even glancing at the three humans behind her Hermione kept her eyes locked on Kreacher as she very carefully allowed a single drop to fall from the vial. The effect was instantaneous as the liquid collided with the dark magic, the shrieking she was so accustomed to sounding like music to her ears as she watched another of the foul magic artifacts being destroyed. She was one step closer to the end of that coward Tom Riddle the self proclaimed Dark Lord.
"Thank you Missy Prince, thank you Kreacher and the House of Black owe Missy Prince much for killing foul magic. If Missy Prince ever in danger call Kreacher and Kreacher will save Missy Prince. Master Regulus can now rest in peace his dying wish fulfilled," Kreacher babbled as he stared at the puddle of goo that used to be Slytherin's locket.
Giving Sirius a sly look Hermione smiled, "Kreacher would you be able to take me out of here? I really need to get home."
"Of course Missy Prince," the elf bowed and before they could stop them Kreacher snapped his fingers causing her to appear in the alley near Grimmauld Place. It was close enough for her to know where she was, but far enough that she could escape without them stopping her.
When Hermione arrived back at the Burrow it was to a normal sounding house, almost like they hadn't realized she was gone even though it was late in the afternoon already. Her head was already spinning from apparating with how she felt. The poison's effects were still bothering her, but not enough to show outward signs at the moment.
She was about to head to her usual reading spot to make it seem like she had been there the entire time when a hand circled her elbow pulling her back into the cover of the trees. A furious looking George was behind her now, although under the fury she could see the concern in his eyes. She wasn't sure yet if he knew where she had been or not.
"Damn it Hermione I've been worried sick, you could have left me a note or something. I had to tell mom that you went down to the village this morning to get a few items, and that you probably got sidetracked at the bookstore or library. Where were you?"
Sighing Hermione knew that she couldn't keep George in the dark any longer, "do you remember that mission Dumbledore left Harry, Ron, and I that we would never tell you guys about?"
"Yeah what about it? Wait don't tell me you are trying to succeed in doing that by yourself!? Merlin Hermione do you have a death wish or something?"
"No, but I needed to do it. I know it's dangerous not including you in my plans, but I'm going to from now on alright. Here's what happened before..."
With that Hermione told George everything about their hunt for the Horcruxes, and how the one she had just gotten had been a little dangerous to retrieve. She told him how the objects made someone feel if they were prolonged to one for too long, and how it was thanks to Bill that she found an easier way to destroy them. George was understandably horrified at what she told him, but he understood why this mission couldn't be told to the order, and why she didn't exactly tell Sirius or anyone else what the objects she was destroying where.
She then went on to tell him about her plan on how to save Cedric. Of course George had to argue with her about it worrying about her getting hurt, or risking her friendship with Harry and Ron. In the end it was fairly easy to convince him by using her trump card.
"Fred would hate you if your name came out of the Goblet George because he would think the same thing Ron did when Harry's name was put in. I won't hide trying to put my name in from Harry, making him think I just want to see if I can outsmart Dumbledore, same with Ron, but I won't allow them near when I attempt it."
"Fine, but you and I are going to spend most of this summer going over all of the spells and charms you can use to protect yourself. If you end up hurt doing this Hermione I will never forgive you," he told her his voice hoarse probably as his mind brought him back to Fred's final moments. Yes he had Fred back, but this Fred was younger and didn't go through half of the things they had together, and even if George tried to act like normal she could tell it was putting a strain on him.
She wished that she could promise George that she wouldn't get hurt, but both of them knew that sort of promise would be an empty one. If it came between her being hurt or Harry being hurt she would obviously put herself in harm's way to protect him. Hermione wanted to do nothing more than stop Harry from even being in the Tournament, but she knew it was impossible for many reasons. She couldn't alert Barty Jr. too soon to someone being aware that he was an imposter, or else he might try to bring the date of Voldemort's rebirth forward instead of using the Tournament to do so. The only way to keep Harry safe was to become the Hogwarts Champion herself instead of Cedric. George would be able to keep an eye on Barty Jr. to make sure that he didn't try to hurt Harry when she was busy with competing.
"I'll try my best George," she said instead.
"You better I can't lose you too," he told her before turning back to the house.
She was a little surprised that he didn't hear about Mia Prince being poisoned, but she knew Sirius could tell the Weasley family at any time. After all in Sirius's eyes it would be their business since he knew about Fred's betrothal to Mia Prince, and since he didn't know any of her other family members, or at least he didn't realize he knew one, it would only make sense for him to tell them. She would just have to be a little more careful for the rest of the summer, and be very careful tonight to not raise Molly and Arthur's suspicions on why their son's best friend was acting sickly. It was just too early for anyone other than George to know the truth, and it might turn out being too dangerous for them to ever know. If everything she wanted to do went as planned she would become very high on Voldemort's hit list as Lady Mia Prince.
AN: I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I do know that my version of Kreacher is a lot different, but in Kreacher's eyes Hermione is a pureblood since she is Lady Prince, and so he would treat her with respect. Plus she destroyed the Horcrux making her a very important person in his eyes, plus she freed him from the darkness of the Horcrux a few years earlier then the past.
Please tell me what you guys think of the latest chapter :) Sorry that there aren't any Fred and Hermione moments.