"What could go wrong?" he asked, and Hermione knew they were all in trouble now. There were a lot of things that could go wrong. Harry understood that, but he was trying to stay optimistic, she guessed.

"This is a suicide mission," Ron mumbled, agreeing with her silent assessment. Yet, they had no other choice. The key to Voldemort's destruction was in the Lestrange's vault. The Horcrux. So, there was really nothing to be discussed about breaking into Gringotts.

Hermione let her gaze drift, one last time, over Shell Cottage, admiring the sunrise. A cascading trail of colours striped the sky: deep blue, then lighter, turning purple, mauve, into a bright tangerine glimmering where the ocean met the horizon. She took one last gulp of the fresh early morning air, then downed the Polyjuice Potion, transforming into her own personal nightmare, Bellatrix Lestrange.

She felt the change happen; her hair darkened and her body stretched a few inches. It was quite ironic, Hermione supposed, that Voldemort's most loyal servant had given them the means to obtain a part of his soul and so paved the way to his demise.

Gritting her teeth, she secured the walnut wand in the holster – it felt tainted and wrong – and readjusted the hideous, black dress. It was something of a catch-22 that she had to become her torturer in order to defeat her, Hermione thought.

She couldn't help the stabbing pain in her chest when she heard her voice sounding exactly like Bellatrix's low timbre, and seeing Ron flinch slightly as she addressed him. Soon he was transfigured into Dragomir Despard, envoy from Transylvania.

"Come on, let's rob a bank!" Harry exclaimed and offered her his arm. Griphook clung tightly to his back, and the look he threw Hermione made her shudder. Ron, barely recognisable beneath the glamour, took Hermione's other arm.

Things might go wrong, but they were as ready as they could be, ready for the trouble and danger ahead.

Together, they disapparated.


*Written for the Houses Competition, Year 2 - Round 9*

House: Ravenclaw

Category: Drabble

Prompt: "What could go wrong?" He/She/They asked, and (character)/I knew they/we were all in trouble now

W/C: 331