Masquerade Act Three: The Veneer of Thalia and Melpomene

The Twenty Fifth Dance: Whose Been Messing with Mneme?


Yesterday's just a memory, tomorrow is never what it's supposed to be.
Bob Dylan


A hurricane of noise and light surrounded Hermione as she floated down a white tunnel. She wasn't floating in a physical body, more like a mental representation of herself, but she could feel the vibrations of countless words that people had said in her past swirling around her. Some voices were a bit more distinct than others and she could make them out as she continued down the tunnel at a pleasant pace. There was Harry's voice, full of concern. There was Ron's, full of heartbreak and emotion. There was Ginny's, light and full of laughter. There was Kingsley's, filled with care. There was McGonagall's, also filled with care, and advice. And there was Bellatrix's, sharp and caustic.

Hermione closed her eyes and let the voices wash over her, as she let the warm glow of the tunnel fill her. She wasn't sure how long she stayed like this, only the gentle tug on her non-physical body reminding her that she was still moving. Slowly the voices began to quiet down and overlap so much with each other that she couldn't make out a single distinct voice no matter how hard she strained her ears. Then they stopped.

She opened her eyes at this and found that she had come to a giant brass door. It was easily thirty meters tall and had no handle, the doors inscribed with gold and black details that reminded Hermione of tongues of fire. Her body had stopped moving of it's own accord, and it was up to her to move it now. She raised a hand to the door, a hand she couldn't see but that she knew she was raising, and pushed at the heavy looking doors. The doors swung apart easily and revealed a dark chamber inside that clashed sharply with the outside light.

Squinting her eyes, she moved in, the doors shutting softly behind her. Gradually her eyes adjusted to the contrast and she was able to make out that the room she was in had a very high ceiling, one she could barely see from down here, as it was but a black square no bigger the size of her thumbnail from where she stood. It was a straight forward room that was very narrow and had a single red and purple carpet that lead to a raised dais that housed three thrones, the carpet edged by stone black pillars with veins of purple. Banners hung in between the pillars and they were of rich colors, mainly purples, reds and blues, all dark hues.

Not sure what to do, Hermione took to walking down towards the three empty thrones, figuring she must be here to wait for someone or something. Her footsteps were muffled by the carpeting and as she got closer to the thrones she noticed that while they all looked similar in design, with thick twisted branches of brass and cushions of royal purple, they had different feels to them. At the feet of one throne, small flames were dancing around, licking up and down the legs. At the second, the floor underneath it was covered in a thin sheen of ice. And the last one dust under it.

They reminded her suspiciously of something she knew, or of someone she knew, and as soon as she thought that, she realized that she had no idea what she was doing here or who she was prior to her arrival here.

"Bollocks," she cursed out loud. "Not this again."

Not what again? Hermione asked herself, shocked by the words that burst out of her mouth during her moment of frustration. Had this happened to her before? It seemed that way. But when and how?

Deep in her inner thoughts, as she tried to fruitlessly force her way past this mental block, she didn't notice the arrival of the three men on the thrones before her until they spoke.

"Hermione Granger," spoke the fat one, who was sitting on the dusty throne in the middle.

Her head whipped up at this utterance of her name. "Who are you and what am I doing here?" She asked after a moment's pause in which she took in the sight of the men before her. One was handsome with a devilish grin and the flaming chair on which he sat on did not bother him although the metal must have been scalding hot. The second was a thin man with a dour expression on his face, and the last one was a fat man with a ring of hair around his balding shiny head.

"Always with the questions," the thin man clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "I'm afraid we can't answer them. For there will be no need to do so. All will be apparent when you return."

Well, that's a vague answer as I ever heard one. "So then why am I here? At least tell me that, so that I may be able to act accordingly, since I don't remember anything," Hermione said, her frustration at being denied an answer to her earlier question leaking into her voice.

"You're here because you managed to complete the task," the handsome man grumbled out. "Which I was hoping you kind of wouldn't so I could-" at this the man stopped himself from continuing seeing the glare the thin man shot him. "Anyways, that's all done so no need to talk about it anymore. Just relax from now on, and enjoy the few moment's of peace that you still have because I guarantee you, life will not be a piece of cake for you."

His ominous words were only intensified by the evil leer he had on his face, one that stretched his lips thin and gave his eyes a maddening gleam.

"Mmm, cake. I sure could go for some now," the fat man commented cheerily.

"Shut up," snapped the thin man, not even bothering to give him a look, his gaze unnervingly on the brunette as he spoke to her next. The fat man merely smiled and folded his hands over his lap in accordance, quiet for now. "Since you completed the task you were given, you are being returned to your body as was promised."

"I'm dead?!" Hermione blurted out, unable to stop herself from saying this in her shock. "But...I don't feel dead...could it really be?" She thought back to her lack of memories, of the bright white tunnel which the souls of people who had died apparently saw, and to the voices of those she loved and knew but who she couldn't recall how she knew or who they exactly were. Her throat felt dry and she tried to steady her breathing as she stared wide eyed in horror from one man to the other.

"She thinks she's dead. How funny," laughed the handsome man, only it wasn't funny at all.

"Don't laugh at me," she said but the words would barely pass through her dry throat and all that came out was a squeak.

"You're not dead miss Granger. You already died once and came back to life. This is something else. You're only here to pass the time so that you may get your old body back while the current soul inhabiting it vacates it completely," said the fat man evenly.

"I-what?" Hermione croaked out, not sure how to make sense of this.

"Don't worry, you won't have to be confused about this any longer," the handsome man smirked, "although, actually you might be a little when you go back-"

Again his words were cut off before he could finish, with another cold look from the thin man, but this time he had something to say too.

"Can you not learn to restrain yourself and stop spoiling things? That was what allowed this whole mess to begin in the first place."

The handsome man did not take well to this, his nostrils flaring and his hands tightening on his armchair as he leaned to his left so he could glare at the man on his far side. "So now it's my fault? All my fault and the two of you had nothing to do with any of this?"

"It was your cockiness, the arrogance to think you were above everything, else that lead to your blunders and to the subsequent collateral damage that occurred. And Ibraham is not excluded from this," the thin man snorted self righteously at this.

"This is still a sore point for all of us, let's not get into it now, okay?" the fat man put up both of his hands, not looking in the least bit delighted to be caught between the two warring factions. "Especially not with a young lady here." He looked on warmly at Hermione.

"Yes, no need to talk about this," the handsome man grit out through clenched teeth as he sat back into his chair. "Because he'll be constantly hanging this over our heads and reminding us for centuries to come about our fallacies."

The thin man thinned his already thin lips but did not comment further, perhaps because he knew the other was right, or simply because he did not wish to continue this line of conversation any longer. "The wait is over, you can go back to your body now Hermione."

"And how...how do I do that?" Hermione felt suddenly nervous. How was she to perform well on getting her body back? Was there a correct process for it or something...? She didn't want to mess it up and not get her body back. That would be terrible!

"Just walk out the same door you came in through and keep going," the thin man answered a bit condescendingly as if this should be obvious. On his words the doors behind Hermione opened up, some of the bright light cutting into the dimness of this room.

"And how do I know if I've reached it?" Hermione voiced, still not too certain on how this whole process worked.

"You'll just know," the thin man's tone indicated he was getting annoyed with her and the brunette shook her head, deciding it was best to just go. "Okay," she breathed and then turned in the direction of the doors. Casting on last look over her shoulder's, she noticed that they were already gone, leaving her in this dark room by herself, so even if she had more questions she wouldn't get to ask them.

Hermione frowned, feeling immensely irritated with them. And not just for their behavior in this moment, but for behavior that she had felt they exhumed towards her in the memories of her past that she couldn't recall. "Jerks."

Then with that she entered into the bright hallway.


Hermione's eyes fluttered open slowly as she became aware of her surroundings. She was lying on soft sheets and her room was white with a window of the wintery view outside. Groaning softly, for she had just had the strangest dream of walking down white corridors, she sat up and rubbed her forehead, pushing a few thin strands of her hair out of her way. Her hair! It was brown?

In a flash sudden realization hit her. Of everything that had occurred in Purgatory, of the switching of the bodies, the three judges, and of the fight between her and Bellatrix and Voldemort. I've killed a man, she thought bitterly, just so I could have my body back, to have my life back. Was it worth it? Was it right? In the all the time she had to kill Voldemort these thoughts hadn't occurred to her. She just thought she had to do it to right the wrongs she had committed at the hotel. But now...should she have really done it? Perhaps she could have kept him alive...found a way to reform him or something. He was evil, there was no doubt about it. And he had been killed before, although, killed might not be the right term as he had simply crumpled into dust upon crossing wands with Harry's nonlethal spell. But Hermione had cast the avada kedavra curse, the worst of the unforgivables. And wasn't it the case that no matter how horrid a witch or wizard, no one deserved to have their life taken from them? Who was she to judge their fates.

Ha. Judge.

The three judges had lead her to do this. This was the punishment she had been made to carry out in order to return to life. For there was always give and take in this world. One loses something so that the other can gain it.

Her hands trembled and she clenched them. She didn't want to think about this now. Not now when she should be celebrating the fact that she had regained her body even if it had been through less than savory means.

And it was her body. The hands she clenched were her's, her mudblood tattoo staring up at her from her pale flesh. She'd thought she'd never be happy to see it, but she was, for it was a surefire indicator that this was her body. Her brown unruly hair curled around her face, tickling her cheeks. She was back. A small smile graced her lips and she threw back the covers so that she could leave the bed. She needed to...she didn't know what exactly, but just to do something, something in her own body. So she walked up to the window and threw it open, letting the cold air fan on her face. And it was her face. No one elses. The sensation of being back in her rightful place was so strong that it almost entirely smothered her guilt at taking a life. Almost.

She trailed her fingertips over the ice on the window, the cold burning them but the feeling didn't bother her. For she felt alive.

"Hermione!" a startled voice surprised her and she spun around quickly on her heel, hiding her hand behind her back as if she had been doing something naughty.

"Ron!" her eyes opened in joy as she saw who it was. The red haired man's grin grew at the sight of the brunette and the two of them surged forwards into a hug, meeting halfway across the room.

"Oh Ron, I'm so glad to see you. I'm so glad I can hold you in my arms again," Hermione murmured against his chest, drinking in his scent.

"I'm happy too. You have no idea how happy I am right now," Ron said into her hair, rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's just...it was such a long journey and now, I'm back. Finally back." Hermione's voice cracked and she knew she was going to cry but she couldn't stop it and she didn't want to stop it. Tears leaked out of her eyes in a steady stream and he just held her there while she let it all out.

She didn't know how long they stood like that but he didn't stop holding her until she had let it all out. Then when she had calmed down, hiccuping slightly, he lead her back to the bed where they sat down.

"Better?" he asked in a soft voice, rubbing soothing circles onto her back.

"Yes," she nodded her head. "I'm better now that it's all done and over with. That I can now hang out with all my friend's again. That I can see them again." Her voice was still a bit thick and uneven but a huge sense of relief hung over her body. She felt better after crying, as if all the pent up tensions she had accumulated over the duration of her trials was now gone and in it's place blissful peace.

"I'll bring them in right now." Ron got up with an excited grin and left the room, allowing Hermione a moment of peace in order to wipe her eyes and try to calm down so as if it didn't look like she was crying for a long time.

She wasn't very successful because Ginny noticed as soon as she walked in with Harry by her side. "Hermione, you've been crying! I hope Ron didn't say anything insensitive again!" Ginny shot her brother a dirty look to which he tsked angrily.

"These are happy tears, I promise. I'm just glad to be back," Hermione accepted Ginny's warm hug with open arms, the two squeezing each other tightly. Then it was Harry's turn, the black haired man unable to stop his grinning. "It's good to see you standing on your own two feet. We were real worried there for a while."

"I was too," Hermione admitted as Ron cleared his throat to remind Harry not to hug Hermione for so long. The two friends separated and sent worried looks at Ron. "She is my girlfriend after all," he said a touch defensively but with playfulness in his eyes. "And it's been a while since I could hug her properly so I'm not willing to share, just yet."

Hermione blushed slightly. "We'll have all the time in the world to be by one another's side. I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon."

"Good." Ron's answering smile made Hermione smile back at him.

"Ugh, come on Harry, clearly these two don't care about us. We're just interrupting their time together," Ginny said in a faux disgusted voice, tugging on Harry's sleeve to get him to leave the room with her.

"That's right, be on your way," Ron made little shooing motions with his hand. Hermione laughed at this. "No, it's alright Ginny. Stay. And let's talk about all the things I've missed out while I was gone all this time." The brunette clasped the red head by her hands and tugged her closer to her.

"I suppose that means you've kicked me out now," Ron sighed dramatically. "Come on mate, it's clear we men have no place here." Now he was the one tugging on Harry's sleeve and Hermione rolled her eyes in good humor about the boy's behavior. "Ron, Harry, don't go. I want to talk to all of you. To hear everything that has been going on in your lives."

"You don't wanna hear what Ron has to say. It's just boring tripe nonsense. All he'll do is talk your ear off about Quidditch," Ginny confessed.

"I would not!" Ron countered. "I only talk a lot of Quidditch when you're around so that you'll get bored and stop bothering me."

"And how would I be a proper little sister if I wasn't doing my job by annoying you?"

All Hermione could do was smile as she saw the two bickering without any real malice hidden behind their words. She had missed this for the longest time. Her chats with Ginny about girl things, her more serious and strategic talks with Harry, and her sillier conversations with Ron.

"Are Luna and Neville here as well?" Hermione asked, cutting Ginny off from saying how Ron was trying to steal her boyfriend's time with her away, the ginger man acting worse than a jealous wife with regards to Harry.

"No, their not here. We haven't told them everything yet and feel it would be better to do so when you feel a bit better." Harry spoke this.

"And what about Kingsley and McGonagall?"

"They are quite busy right now wrapping things up, but they let us take time off from work so we could wait for you to wake up, to check up on you. When you fainted we were extremely worried. We didn't know what would happen given the effects of the spell, but we're glad it all worked out well," Ginny answered this time.

"I'll have to say my thanks to everyone, given all their hard work," Hermione said. "But for now, enough sober thoughts. I want to hear about happy things, good things that have occurred to you guys."

"You," Ron answered bluntly and without a second's hesitation. This made Hermione's face burn up and made Ginny gag. "Stop with this cheesiness. You're killing me Ron, with how gross this all is."

"But it's true," Ron said and this made Hermione blush all the harder. She didn't know he could be romantic without even trying. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't trying that made it work, because all his other attempts had failed. With an internal chuckle she recalled his attempts at complimenting her and the likes. He had been flustered and trying his hardest to impress her but it just seemed forced. But now, without any pressure on him to convince her otherwise, it was working out well.

Hermione was spinning through a list of romantic things to say back to that but had missed her window of opportunity by waiting for too long and now her friends were moving off topic.

"I get to go first. Since ladies first," Ginny waggled her brows at the two boys as they took their respective seats around Hermione's hospital bed. Ron in the armchair by the door, Harry by the chair in the corner which he pulled up closer, and Ginny on the bed by Hermione.

The quartet chatted for a while, their conversation never waning as Hermione's friends tried to convey to her all that had happened in these past few months that Hermione had been in a soul coma. There was laughter, so much so that Hermione felt her lips were hurting from smiling so much and that she had gained an extra ab or two from how much she guffawed. It left her all with a warm and bubbling feeling but sadly they had to leave, as it was soon to be past visiting hours in the hospital. Hermione hadn't noticed as it was as dark and gloomy outside as it was in the morning, and because she had been having so much fun catching up with her friends.

"Sorry, looks like we have to go," Harry said apologetically as one of the healer's of St. Mugo's dropped by to tell them they had half an hour to leave before they were shooed out. "But we'll be back," he promised and Ron and Ginny didn't have to say anything for Hermione to know that promise held true for them too.

"Oh, before you go," Hermione started, suddenly remembering something. She had slightly been dreading to ask this, since she knew that despite Bellatrix's switch to the good side a great deal of mistrust lay in her friends heart about the other woman, but she wanted to know if Bellatrix was alright, assuming that her soul had been returned to her proper place as well.

"Yes?" Ron arched a brow, striking Hermione with that motion. She was so used to that being reserved as a Bellatrix like move-the woman prone to doing that whenever she was about to make a point, or have a devious idea-that Hermione was almost tempted to tell Ron to stop arching it but stopped herself, wondering just why it bothered her all of a sudden. He'd arched his brow before thousands of times. It was a perfectly normal gesture for him to do.

"Uh, it's about Bellatrix," Hermione cleared her throat a little to reign in her thoughts. "Did her body come back alright after this whole affair?"

All three of her friend's faces became disgruntled, barely veiled disgust under their attempts to make their expressions more neutral. "And why do you care if she's fine or not?" Ron spat out.

Hermione was taken aback by this sudden twist in mood. "Look, I know she's not your favorite person exactly, but given all she's done recently-"

"Especially given all she's done recently, then you should be even less concerned about her well being," Harry input.

"There is no need to be this rude," Hermione blustered out, crossing her arms over her chest. "She's done us a big favor-"

"Of coming back to life so we can jail her," Ron interrupted and Hermione let out a huge gasp. "You want to put her back in prison. But I would think that because she killed Voldemort-"

Hermione's words were barely heard over Ron's next statement. "She's going to Azkaban where she belongs. Where she deserves, where she will rot for the rest of her days for her crimes." His tone was righteous and he pointed at the ground in emphasis as he made his point.

"She deserves a second chance!" Hermione couldn't help from yelling this out. "How could you do such a thing! After she has reformed her ways, gone out against all her beliefs to help me, and us! You want to throw her into the most inhumane prisons along with the other wrongly imprisoned wizards who don't deserve to be there?"

Ginny furrowed her brows. "Hermione, you're not making any sense," she reached out a hand to put on the brunette's shoulders but Hermione jerked away.

"I am making sense. Why should any witch or wizard be treated to such a terrible fate as Azkaban? Even Muggles don't have terrible places to hold their most notorious. Azkaban only further serves to drive those mentally unstable and criminally active to delve into their issues more. Surely this is nothing new that I'm saying. I've been advocating this for years!"

"Hermione we all know about your...justice and rights for all. Like SPEW or better prisons for prisoners, but not every bad wizard or witch can be reformed. Certainly not those as twisted as Lestrange," Ron tried to say calmly, noting that Hermione was getting close to blowing a gasket.

"It's Black now," Hermione sniffed, not knowing why she felt the need to say that. It just felt like it was of significant importance.

"Uh, sure," Harry said, looking uncomfortable and put off by this detail Hermione had mentioned.

"So you're going to throw her into jail just like that!" Hermione threw her hands up to accentuate this egregious point. "Without even letting her try to be better? Without even asking her for more details on the soul spell and how to combat such things? It's an ancient magic, could be a historical landmark for all we know, and you simply want to toss her away into prison when she contains wealth's of knowledge on spells we barely know?"

"It's our job as aurors...to put the bad guys in their place." Ron too was beginning to look uncomfortable, squirming under his heavy robes. "Why do you care so much anyways? What's gotten into you?"

Hermione opened her mouth to say more but then thought better of it. If her friends hadn't been convinced by Bellatrix's earlier good deeds then the brunette wouldn't be able to convince them in this conversation. She needed to show them proof. And what better way then to do so by letting them speak to Bellatrix. To have her admit in her own words that she wanted to get better but she needed aid with it. Because Hermione knew the woman did. If killing her own master and leader hadn't been a loud cry for help then Hermione didn't want else was.

"Then let's go talk to her," she said at last and this time they all looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Hermione, why do that? What would it achieve?" Ginny asked, in an almost pleading tone as if begging Hermione to stop before she got too far, before this conversation took a turn down a most unfavorable path.

"It would achieve nothing, except in pointing out how bloody crazy Bellatrix is," Ron muttered out and Hermione shot him a dark look.

"It's out of question, she's too dangerous, wand-less or not," Harry shook his head no.

"She won't be. If this is about me..." Hermione peered at each of their faces in concern, wondering if they didn't want her getting close to the black haired woman due to her torturing her all that time ago. She could see protectiveness on their faces but it wasn't directly a cause of that one scene so she moved on. "I've faced worse dangers than her and handled myself." This was Hermione referring to escaping the hotel, killing Voldemort and saving Bellatrix from hell, but she didn't dare mention this out loud in fear that it would trigger Ibraham's gift. She knew Gabriel's gift had been lifted but she wasn't so sure about the other man's. And then there was still Dorian's gift, the one that hadn't been revealed yet. She dreaded to think what it could be.

Probably something sexual...knowing him, Hermione shuddered, hoping she wouldn't suddenly become some sort of sex addict or something.

"I just want you all to see her. To really see her. She's probably lying in bed, devastated and broken, not a shred of the evil commanding force that she held on the battlefield to be seen on her," Hermione edged on, knowing she had to get her friends to see the other witch. She knew she couldn't convince them so quickly but she wanted to plant the seed of trust in their minds. She couldn't be alone in thinking the witch could get help. If she convinced enough people then they could get her into some healing program.

"And what would that accomplish? It won't change the fact she killed my uncle," Harry said with barely disguised disgust at that.

"And it won't change the fact she killed Dobby," Hermione acknowledged before someone else could include that. "She's taken a lot of things from people, but that doesn't mean we can't get her to stop doing that."

"I don't want you going near her anymore than you have to. The last time you did...it was because of-" Ron clenched his jaw, trying to not get worked up. Hermione was touched by his fierce protectiveness but she knew the witch wouldn't hurt her. Bellatrix hadn't exactly said it in words, but it was something that Hermione sensed. Just like a person could tell if a storm was approaching, Hermione could detect the others reluctance to let harm come Hermione's way, whether by her hand or anothers.

"No harm will come. I'm sure that if she's being held in this hospital then she's being guarded by aurors. And if that's the case nothing will happen. Because I will have them and you three by my side, defending me. And you're all very skilled in wand work," Hermione smiled at them to try and win them.

"We don't have clearance to get in,"Harry said in a last ditch attempt to get her to toss this foolish idea away but she was well prepared to shoot his defense down.

"You're Harry Potter. You can get in anywhere at anytime and do whatever you want."

"Way to blow up his ego," Ginny said in a light hearted manner to break the serious mood that had befallen the group.

"I guess we'll do it," Harry said with a heavy sigh as he looked at Hermione's face, seeing relief hit it upon his words. He could see the angry look Ron was shooting him out of the corner of his eye and tried to ignore it.

"Harry, are you really going to let this happen?"

"Just this once. So that Hermione can have her chance to prove her side of the case to us." Harry knew all far too well how it felt to have no one believe them, to not be given a chance to prove their point. It had happened to him multiple times with Rita Skeeter. The vile woman had distorted his words and the truths he spoke and he had been angered and distraught at being unable to get others to see that the webs she spun were full of fallacies.

"Thank you Harry," Hermione said gratefully. "It means a lot to me." Lately she felt like she had been asking people to place a lot of trust in her and her choices but she was glad to have one of her best friend's by her side, that he was giving her outlook a chance.

"I'll go too." Ginny added.

"I can't believe you Hermione. What are you doing? What are you thinking?" Ron ran his hands through his hair, but for all his words he couldn't just let them do this without him. No matter the journey, the trio did it together whenever they could. And sometimes Ginny came along too.

"Come with me and you'll find out what I mean," Hermione said, holding her gaze steady to his face and watching as he made a pained expression before finally deciding to go along with it.

"Fine. Let's go and get this over with."

Just like Hermione had predicted, the room Bellatrix was held in was guarded by two aurors in the entrance, along with a multitude of spells that prevented her from leaving past the doorway. No doubt there were even more spells inside, to stop her from doing any sort of violent actions or from attempting to hurt or injure herself and others.

The two guards on duty there raised their eyebrows at the quartet's arrival. "Hermione Granger, it is a pleasure to see you awake and walking on your own two feet!" one of them exclaimed at the sight of her. Since she was still in her hospital gown she felt a bit embarrassed at the way he took her appearance in with a sort of reverence. She certainly felt like a mess.

"Yes, I am excited to be doing so myself as well," Hermione admitted although she had been awake for longer than a week already.

"What brings you all here?" asked the other, a man with a thick beard, not as enthusiastic about the golden girl's miracle recovery.

"We're here to see Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry said, in an uncertain tone of voice.

"Whatever for?" was the expected question of shock.

"There is a small issue at hand that I must discuss with her. Regarding the soul spell," Hermione added.

The two aurors gave each other looks before turning back to the group in front of them. "Do you have clearance? She is dangerous and given how miss Granger has recently recovered-"

"I'm fine. In tip top shape," Hermione assured before she ad libbed an excuse on the spot. "And Harry does have clearance. After all, he needs to ask her some questions too about the state of how she produced such a soul spell. For research for the ministry."

"Uh, right. Okay, come on in them. Should we come in with you two...?" the bearded man poised.

"We will be fine," Harry insisted. "We have our wands by our sides and if we need anything we'll just call out for you two."

"Right," the first guard nodded his head and then the two of them moved aside. They both still looked not entirely convinced about letting the group walk in but didn't want to argue anymore about these issues.

The group all entered the room, passing through the wards protecting the place easily and stopping a couple feet away from the lone piece of furniture in the otherwise empty and white space. Situated on the single bed in the room was Bellatrix. She looked as disheveled yet put together as always, her hair twisting around her face and down her back as if trying to smother her with it's thick locks. It was strange how she managed to convey a careful array of controlled chaos and...wait a second, why was Hermione paying so much attention to this? She shook herself to try and ground her thoughts but she still couldn't help but notice the other's actions.

Bellatrix was clad in St. Mugo's hospital gown and hunched over on herself as she leaned over a book with no discernible cover that made it hard to tell what she was so focused on, fingers pressed to the paper as she scanned the text there. She was moving her lips silently as if discussing the text she was reading with herself.

Hermione felt an odd sense of relief hit her body at the sight of the other woman. She didn't know where it stemmed from-maybe the sight of the woman in her proper body meaning this nightmare of the body switch had truly concluded, causing this feeling. Whatever the cause, Hermione didn't dwell too long on it.

The older woman didn't seem to notice that the four of them had strode into her room so Hermione cleared her throat, announcing her appearance, feeling slightly nervous for some reason.

Bellatrix picked her head up at this, her finger stopping on one of the words on the page. "Hmmm, what do you want?" Her tone of voice sounded like she was addressing complete strangers, enemies even, and not people she knew in the very least as acquaintances. It was flat, a tinge of irritation in it.

Hermione felt a small frown grow on her face. She hadn't been expecting to be greeted this way. Especially given all the two of them had faced. Did it all mean nothing now that it was over, now that they both got what they wanted? Anxiety gnawed inside her and she bit her lower lip to control it. Suddenly she wasn't entirely sure that Bellatrix had changed like Hermione deluded herself into thinking the older woman had.

Would she thus fail to prove to her friends the other had changed? That would be embarrassing and not a highly favorable outcome especially given how stringently she had advocated for giving the dark haired woman a chance. She only hoped the witch would behave.

"Well, that was a surprisingly civil greeting. Civil but rude," Ron commented under his breath, but Hermione still heard him as did Harry and Ginny, making the red head girl chuckle lightly.

"We've come to talk to you," Hermione said, her voice wavering a bit. Bellatrix's casual way of addressing her started to grow painful to her, as was the way she off handily closed the book and looked at them with empty recognition. Hermione didn't know why it was hurtful, it just was.

"I'm flattered. A whole entourage for little old me. Why, even everyone's favorite hero Potty is here, along with his sidekicks the Weasel's and his girl toy."

"She hasn't changed. At all. Just like I thought," Ron said more loudly this time. "I told you Hermione. She needs to be stuck in Azkaban just like we talked about."

This got a reaction. The older woman's nostrils flared and her eyes widened a fraction. "Azkaban?" her voice cracked from pitch. "And after what I did for you? Now you turn your backs on me and want to throw me into that shit hole? After you were the one's worried I would stab you all in the back and here you are doing the same to me?" Her indignation was to be expected.

"Calm down. No one is going anywhere," Hermione raised her hands to appease the other. She took two steps forward so that she was within arms reach of the end of Bellatrix's bed in case the other wanted to attempt a violent action.

"I better bloody be not," Bellatrix snarled out, eyeing Harry and Ron suspiciously.

"No one will do anything either," at this Hermione shot a look at Ron over the shoulder, the man having not so covertly reached for his wand where it was holstered, and stopping him from pulling it out. He scowled in response at her wordless demand to settle down. "Until we discuss things."

"What is there to discuss?" Bellatrix put the book aside and leaned up from her bed, now prompting both Harry and Ron to reach for their wands. Hermione simply didn't understand why they were both so eager to reach for their wands. She had thought that working with the older witch would have put some faith in her but apparently it had not. "I killed him like I was ordered to do. I proved to you all that I'm not going to continue upon my evil ways. What more must I do to show this? Must I kill all of the remaining Death Eater's so that you can bloody let me alone in peace?"

"Uh, what is she talking about?" Ginny asked. She hadn't been privy to the whole details involving the issue with Voldemort, but she should at least know that Voldemort was now no more.

"She's crazy, don't pay her too much mind," Harry assured his girlfriend, reaching for her hand and squeezing it in his.

"She's gone and killed someone else now. Who? Who did you kill?" Ron asked with a touch of viciousness. "It better not be anyone we know, not one of our friend's again, you bitch!"

At this Bellatrix furrowed her brows but they immediately smoothed a moment later as a smile cracked her lips. "Don't worry. I'm just plain old blabbering on and on. Trying to rile you up."

"Voldemort," Hermione said for clarification. "She's talking about Voldemort. She killed him and you don't have to worry about her hurting anyone else."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, girlie," Bellatrix snickered, making Hermione's head snap to her. Was Bellatrix still planning to hurt people now that she had her body back and was not at risk of getting hurt by the judges?

There was a period of heavy silence that fell upon the room following Hermione's words. It made Hermione's skin crawl but Bellatrix was unperturbed by it, snapping her book back open and making herself more comfortable on the pillows she had fluffed up behind her back. She seemed to think that the discussion had ended.

Harry frowned. "Hermione," he began slowly. "Voldemort was not killed by Bellatrix."

"Of course he was. Not solely, but with my help too, if you want to get into the specifics of it," Hermione corrected herself.

All of her friends were frowning at her now, full out scowls that displayed their worry and confusion at her and her words. Hermione didn't like their looks. With a sense of trepidation, she had a feeling something had happened that she most certainly wouldn't like.

"Hermione, I killed Voldemort, in the battle of Hogwarts all those months ago," Harry pointed at his chest, saying this slowly as if she was slow or something. This was a hint reminiscent of a debate they had had earlier when Hermione had tried to convince them all that Voldemort had risen for the third time.

"Yes, I know that. But then he came back alive and I was forced to kill him, along with Bellatrix's aid, so that we could get our bodies back," Hermione clarified.

At this Ron seemed to lose his patience, not waiting for Harry to calmly explain things anymore. "None of what you just said makes sense. What body switch, what killing of Voldemort?" he flailed his hands out, an incredulous and pissed off expression on his face.

"Are you hallucinating due to the coma? You've only been awake a few days and then you passed out all of a sudden. It could be possible you're still experiencing affects from it, some sort of hallucinations-" Ginny was rambling on, worry glimmering for her friend in her eyes. Hermione cut her off.

"I'm not hallucinating things. I assure you I am fully lucid right now. Tell me, what's the last thing you remember." Why were her friends acting so weird? Had something happened during the duration of the time that Hermione had been unconscious? But what?

"That's not relevant-"

"Yes, it is Ron. I need to know so I can see where it is things stand," Hermione gave him a sharp look and he sighed, his anger at her fading a bit.

"We were visiting you at the hospital to check up on you. Yesterday in fact. You had woken up from the coma around two weeks ago and we were so glad. We thought it was all better but then all of a sudden you fainted on us while we were talking about a job in the ministry for you." Harry was the one who spoke. His words sent a cold chill down the brunette's back.

"And what happened during those weeks in between my awakening and my sudden fainting?" Hermione's voice was faint as she spoke as an inkling of an idea formed in her head. It wasn't a very pleasant idea.

"Nothing really. We captured a whole bunch of Death Eater's though! We found them congregating on the street corner and rounded them up. They were pretty pissed and kept yelling at us how the dark lord would get us. And when we laughed and told them he was dead and they seemed very insistent that he was alive." Ron let out a small laugh as he remembered their rigorous belief that their lord was walking the earth.

"And that's all you did?" Hermione knew what was going to be said next and she knew she wasn't going to like hearing it.

"Yea, pretty much," Ginny confirmed. "My week wasn't nearly as exciting as that. I spent most of it helping mum out around the house."

"So none of you remember meeting up with members of the Order? None of you remember storming Voldemort's abode and taking apart his third attempt to rise to power?"

"The Order doesn't exist anymore!" Ron raised his voice to say this. "They separated after Voldemort's defeat."

At this Bellatrix, who had been doing a good job of tuning everything out as surely it didn't concern her, perked up. She could hear Hermione coming close to tears and desperation and for some reason this peaked her interest. What had the girl so emotional? Not that she wasn't emotional on a daily basis.

"No, Hermione none of that happened. Where did you get such ideas in your head?" Harry's voice was a tad exasperated. "You were always in the hospital, you didn't go anywhere or plan any plan of attack with us, much less fight a battle against Voldemort who is dead. And has been dead for months."

"It seems someone has a screw lose in her head," Bellatrix sang at Hermione, startling everyone in the room who had momentarily forgotten she was there as she had been so quietly reading her book. "All a figment of an overactive imagination." She cast a meaningful glance at Hermione.

"It's not us who has the problem with our memory. But you two. You're both babbling on and on about some nonsense or another, although I expected it from her but not you Hermione," Ron angrily pointed out as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Yes, of course," Bellatrix commented in a whatever tone of voice before turning to Hermione. "I think we must have had our heads muddled up by that spell I cast. We should give it a rest and have our heads checked later. I completely agree with your friends over there. Drop the topic." Then a grin spread on her face. "The golden girl has lost her brains! Finally lost them! Now she can join kooky old Bella!" This was followed by a nasty cackle.

Hermione could feel her heart drop. Not you too. I'm all alone in this. My friends have no memory of the past events of this week, and they think I'm going insane!

She had been hoping Bellatrix would be on her side, to help back her up. The older witch's earlier words had indicated that she had remembered the events prior to their passing out but now it seemed they might have been vague references to something else.

But when she looked at Bellatrix, the woman cocked her head to the side in some sort of gesture meant to mean something but what, Hermione didn't know. It made a small flicker of hope in her chest grow. The feeling of hope however was pressured on all sides by a sense of rising panic and of the horrific thought that perhaps what Hermione had experienced after all was some sort of dream she had concocted after fainting. But then why couldn't she remember the period of two weeks before in a normal manner, where nothing of significance had occurred, but remembered it as a period of planning and battling Voldemort? Had her's been the only memories that had been altered?

Her head was beginning to hurt the more she thought about it. Nothing made sense!

"I doubt checking your head would do any good," Ron muttered nastily to the older witch who had already gone back to calmly reading her book. Hermione suddenly felt like she couldn't be in this room. The realization that possibly everything she had gone through was imagined was enough to make her light headed and she needed to leave this room, to get some fresh air, to sit down, something as long as she wasn't here.

Oh god, I think I really did imagine everything. That's why Bellatrix was so cool to me before. We've never fought at each other's side before. Then does this mean the hotel was a lie too? Was everything I experienced just something that occurred to me because of the soul spell?

"Hermione, where are you going?" Ginny asked in alarm as Hermione stumbled out of the room, her head whirling and unable to be perceptive of the environment around her. All noises came in through like they were underwater and her sight got blurry.

"Hey, Mione!" Ron and Harry were both calling out to her too but as she dizzily made her way out of the room and down the hall, clutching to the walls, her friends were behind her, trying to touch her and help her.

Then who were the judges? Were they just random voices in her head? Was she now going mental? Had the soul spell caused her to gain some of Bellatrix's mental illnesses? And Bellatrix had gained some of her personality, thus she was so calm and reading a book?

Oh Merlin, Hermione felt like she was going to be sick. Her breaths were coming in rapid gasps and she was aware that she had placed her back to the wall and slid down to the floor, knees pulled up to her chest, hand pulling on her hair.

The body switch could have been a sensation I had due to the spell. Soul spells are not widely researched, thus the full list of side effects of one are unknown. Anything is possible. Oh Merlin, what am I going to do now. Everything was a lie. Everything. Have I gone mad? Have I?

Hermione could feel a wail bubbling out of her throat but she couldn't hear it, just like she couldn't hear what Ron was saying to her although he was crouching in front of her and shaking her roughly by the shoulder's as her eyes went this and that way like a caged animals.

Ginny and Harry were off to the side doing who knows what and then a Healer came and pushed Ron aside before pointing his wand tip in her face. And then she was blissfully gone.

A/N: And so the drama and mystery continues.