Mission, Praise, Beginnings

Hermione's mind was anywhere but on the mission. She was already in the meeting place but she wasn't very concerned with what she was supposed to be doing. She could only think about what Draco had told her. Lucius wasn't the one that had killed Cole. She couldn't think of anyone else who would have cared enough to do something like that.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone climbing the stairs. Quickly checking to make sure everything was in place she sat in the armchair by the door and waited.

"Hermione? Are you in here?" Remus said as he walked in the door. He didn't see anyone, but he knew that just because he didn't see anyone didn't mean there was no one there.

"Hello Remus." Hermione said, waving her wand to shut and lock the door. "Thank you for coming. We have much to discuss."

"Hermione what is this about? I don't have much time."

"Did you tell anyone you were meeting me here?"

"Of course not. You asked me not to and I have no reason not to trust you, do I?"

"No reason at all. But I must ask you to do one thing, you must listen to everything I say and you must not act until the end. I don't want to have to do anything irrational."

"Is something wrong Hermione? Are you in danger?" Remus asked his eyes wide with concern.

"No Remus, I am not in danger." She couldn't resist smirking a little. As of right now he wasn't in danger either, but she knew how quickly that could change when he heard what she had to offer. "Remus you have to trust me and listen to everything I have to say. I don't want to but if you refuse to listen or change your mind while I am speaking I will have to do magic you to listen, and I would rather you just hear me out without drastic measures."

"Hermione I don't know what is so important but I will listen to what you have to say, even if I don't like what you have to say."

"Thank you. Now please take a seat, this could take a while." Hermione waited for him to sit before she began, making sure her wand was within reach in case things went sour. "Now don't forget you said you would listen. I am here to offer you power beyond your wildest dreams. Never again would you have to worry about being discriminated against because of your condition. You could live a normal life. You could get married, have children, and live in luxury. Of course this won't be possible without you having to do something too."

"I'm going to have to interrupt you Hermione. I know I promised not to, but how could you make all of this possible?"

"I was getting to that. I speak for someone greater than myself right now. He could make all of your dreams come true, and all you would have to do in return is be loyal to Him."

"Who is he?" Remus asked eyes wary. He remembered the saying that he lived his life by, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

"Lord Voldemort. He is willing to offer you anything that you might wish for a few services. You will not have to receive the mark, or at least not the normal one as it would be too conspicuous for what he wishes you to do. All you would have to do to have everything within your grasp is inform him of the Order's movements against him."

"You mean betray everyone that I love? Spy on everyone who has stood by me through everything?" Remus said, jumping out of his seat in rage. He never thought that Hermione of all people would be the one that they had been looking for this whole time.

"What about me Remus? Am I no longer included in the ranks of everyone you love? Have I not stood by you through everything you have been through? Did I not keep your secret when I could have revealed it to everyone and caused you undue harm? Have I not been your most loyal friend?"

"I thought you were at one point. But how can I believe that any longer when you are willing to betray Harry, your best friend?"

"Forget Harry! He no longer acts like he is my best friend. You cannot pretend like you do not know what they have planned for me. Everyone in the Order has to be a part of it. Neither Harry nor Ron have the brains to come up with the plan."

"What are you talking about Hermione? What plan?"

"You don't have to play dumb Remus. I know you know about it, you are a higher ranking member of the Order."

"Hermione I really have no idea what you are talking about. What plan?"

Hermione looked at Remus harder, still not believing that he had no idea what she was speaking about. The harder she looked at him the more she believed him to be telling the truth. She couldn't help but think that he really was as innocent as he was acting. Finally she looked into his eyes and saw the truth. He never was able to hide his emotions from Hermione, all she had to do was look into his eyes and she could see everything.

"You really are telling the truth aren't you? You really have no idea what I'm talking about? You were really left out of it? They had to have known that if I found out that I would eventually go to you. They must know that it is impossible for you to lie to me. They would have known that if they told you I would find out." Hermione paused in her rant, realizing that she could use this revelation to her benefit. "You see Remus, they don't trust you anymore than they trust a child. I can almost guarantee that everyone else in the Order knows that Harry and Ron are planning on killing me. That they are planning on killing me and transferring all of my power to Harry."

Remus was having a hard time taking it all in. He knew that something was going on between the Golden Trio. They hadn't been as close this year as they normally were but he thought that maybe they had grown apart for other reasons. He didn't want to believe that it was because Hermione's life was in danger. The more he thought about what Hermione was telling him the more he realized that she had to be telling the truth. Since the beginning there had been meetings that he hadn't been informed of until it was too late. Conversations had abruptly ended when he entered a room. Until now he hadn't really thought too much of it as he believed that the Order had his and Hermione's best interests in mind. But now he realized that the whole time they had been planning to kill the person that had helped them figure out most of Voldemort's plans. They had been hiding it from Remus because they didn't trust him.

A small smile formed on Hermione's face as she watched him think. She could tell that he was ready to give in. She hadn't thought it would be this easy to convince one of the remaining Marauders to switch sides.

"So what is it going to be Remus?"

"I don't know what to do Hermione. What you say is true, but they have still been there for me. They have helped me in so many ways."

"Did Dumbledore help you when he allowed your secret to get out? He could have stopped the press from printing it. He is the great Dumbledore after all. Since then have you been able to find a job? Find an apartment? He betrayed you early on. He betrayed you and ruined your life so that he could use you for his own purposes. Since your secret was released all you have been able to do is work in secret for the Order, going where he tells you to when he tells you to."

"How would it be any different working for Voldemort?"

"It would be completely different. Maybe not at first since what you would be doing would be done in secret. But you would be working towards something. You would have a future when everything was said and done. He would provide you with a job, with a life."

"I won't lie, it is tempting. How do I know it isn't all a lie though?"

"You have to trust me. I know it is going to be hard to do, but you have to."

"And if I do trust you, what would I have to do?"

Hermione smiled. She had won.

"All you would have to do is accept this letter and follow its instructions. If at any point you betray me and show someone the letter or mention that I was the one that gave it to you, you will be killed." She said handing him the letter before he could object. What he didn't know about the letter was that it was a blank sheet of paper. The real letter would only be revealed once he had come to terms and decided for sure that he wanted to join.

"Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Nothing. Thank you for coming Remus. I hope that you join me." Hermione stood up and gave him a hug.

As Hermione walked away Remus still had doubts, but they were quickly gone when she turned around and smiled at him. It was the same smile she had the first time he saw her, the same smile that had made him want to protect her.

..........

An hour after she had left Remus she still had a smile on her face. She was waiting outside of Voldemort's meeting room for him to call her in. She knew that she should be a little worried about meeting with him, as he was the Dark Lord known for his violent mood swings, but she couldn't. She had completed her first mission and even though it was very difficult it could be counted a success.

"You may enter now Miss Granger." She heard a voice call from within. Her breath stopped for a second in fear before she remembered that she had good news. She held her head high as she walked into the room.

When she reached the throne she quickly put her head down and knelt before him.

"You may stand Miss Granger. What news do you have for me?"

"My Lord, I have the greatest news that I could possibly give. I believe that I have successfully turned Remus Lupin over to our side. I met with him as instructed and spoke to him about joining us. He was hesitant at first but when faced with the truth he quickly agreed. I gave him the spelled letter with the instructions not to show it to anyone or to reveal who gave it to him if asked. I believe that soon we will receive notice that the enchantment on the letter was released and that he will be heading to the new meeting place. If I may ask, who is going to be meeting him there?"

"Miss Granger, who do you think is going to meet him there and bring him to us? I feel that even though you led a misguided life before you made the decision to join us, and even though you were brought up in the muggle world, that you are the only one that can be trusted in this matter. Once I have received word that he is there I will summon you back and give you the location. That will be the most difficult part of this mission. When he meets you there it could be a trap, so be prepared. You will be allowed to bring one person with you, so think over your choices and choose wisely. You are dismissed."

"Thank you." Hermione said her previous smile even brighter than before, thanks to the rare compliment she had just received. She quickly left so as not anger him.

Voldemort couldn't help but continue to think about Hermione even after she had left. She was a promising student of the Dark Arts, second only to him when he was younger. He felt that she could very well be a ranking member in time. The only thing he could hold against her was her parentage, which he had recently discovered the truth about. He had had his suspicions about her parents from the beginning, knowing that even with study you had to have natural talent and magic in your blood to be able to accomplish the things she had.

He couldn't help but hope that once she found out the truth of her parents that she wouldn't desert him. He knew that he needed her to be on his side. He just didn't realize at the moment how many different ways he needed her.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. I won't lie this story is becoming harder and harder to write. I know exactly how I want it to end I just don't know how to get it there since there are still so many things that have to happen, and so many things left to explain. I want everyone to know that you guys are the reason I haven't given up on this story. So many times I wanted to just quit during this chapter but then I would receive a review and it made me want to continue.

I'm pretty sure I know who I want her parents to be, but if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know in a review.