A/n: So again I have not got round to messaging anyone, basically life is crazy right now. Also anyone reading this when they get to the end won't give a damn about what I say. There will be two more chapters coming and I'll be updating earlier, this story should be finished by next weekend. My advice don't let the ending put you off, stick with the story otherwise you'll regret it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any recognisable characters and no money has been made from this.
Enjoy...
Chapter Twenty Eight
"Rothstein." Hermione growls.
"Alas it is me,"
"Mrs Semira Rothstein," Mia's mother, Mrs Rothstein. "I should have guessed."
Semira smiles, linking her fingers together in front of her, she stares at Hermione in puzzlement. As though seeing something impossible, Bella shifts next to Hermione. Glancing around the room marking all the exits, the possible ways out.
"You have barely aged," Semira says stepping forward. "Truly brilliant, almost flawless skin."
"Couldn't be said for you." Hermione hisses.
"It seems Bellatrix has rubbed off on you… Well look here, Bellatrix you haven't aged a single day now how is this possible?"
"I have a better question, why are we here?" Hermione demands.
"Because you chose to come here,"
"We were picked."
"Yes, what happened to Skeeta she wasn't meant to leave?" Semira says.
"Her usefulness expired." Bella replies.
"Well that is unfortunate, the same said for Bracher and Thongs?"
"Bystanders, they didn't give us the information we wanted." Hermione answers.
"Yes, it seems we are all hunting Pandora, my best source was Ronald, he knew not what information he held. Like a lost sheep, he didn't know what power he wielded by just being aware of Pandora."
"What is Pandora?" Bella asks playing along.
"Oh come now, you cannot possibly think I am that stupid?" Semira says sweetly. "I have spent too long, too many years playing these games. You know of Pandora or you have it."
She doesn't know. Hermione has some hope surge. "It was destroyed at the Ministry."
"It could not have been destroyed - Pandora is still here."
"It was destroyed, we destroyed it. Pandora is no more."
"Lies! All of it lies."
"The project Pandora was destroyed, destroyed in the firefight, the Unspeakables tried to defend it but they failed. It's gone." Hermione reasons.
"Fitz died for this; he died of a broken heart because of you!" Semira accuses stepping towards them. "Mia never came home! She never came home to us. It killed her father, Fitz never gave up hope. What did you do to her? What did you do?"
"Nothing," Hermione answers. "She went to live in the muggle world."
"Filthy lies! From such filth!"
"It's true Semira, Mia didn't want to live in the wizarding world she left to become a muggle. It's what she told me at least."
"My daughter would never! Never! Become such filth!" Semira shouts, crazed. "You did something to her didn't you, turned her against us."
"You did that yourself."
"Filthy no good mudblood!" Semira hisses. "I should have killed you; I should have killed you in that bathroom. You would have made a good slave!"
A growl escapes Bella's lips, neck clicking, and a knife sliding into one hand a wand sliding into another. Semira pauses glancing to Bellatrix before looking back to Hermione, she turns her nose up at them both. The two guards next to her shuffling ready for a fight.
"You worked Pandora that is why you killed Ronald?" Semira states.
"I found him in my room, going through my personal effects, we argued, he let slip he was selling secrets about Pandora."
"So you killed him?" Semira questions.
"I did." Hermione confirms she would do it again. "He was a fool, risking everything but it was too late. His death sealed the deal. Pandora closed down, the experiments drawn to a stop. How did you find Ron?"
"He found one of us, at Ministry told them what he found, so we approached him, offered him more money a lot more money. For information, he would not tell us where he was getting it from but I suppose that would be you."
"My notes, I would bring them home to study. It's why the house had to go, so no one else could cause damage."
"So all this was planned?" Semira asks. "Here I was thinking I had brought you to a trap, but this is my trap isn't it?"
Hermione smiles, the little terrifying smile that she reserves for her enemies. It sets even Bella's nerves alight with fear she shuffles unsure next to Hermione. It would explain how Ron could afford to pay for all the new equipment he brought, all the holidays, the lad's nights out he went on. She never gave it much thought, just thought he was working through his fund from the Ministry for saving the world. Obviously, she was wrong.
"What of Miss Black's involvement?" Semira asks. "Was she privy to all this information?"
"Bella is a different case entirely, something that has been running much longer than Pandora."
This earns her a glance from the witch next to her even Semira looks puzzled. "You should be dead child, I never expected you to live."
"Your family stole the power of the time turners from the dragons didn't they? They killed them for the power they wield."
"How could you possibly know this?"
"A little birdy told me. Your ancestors hunted them, took the power for themselves."
"All the time turners were created from three dragons, one got away though before the process could be complete. At the time, humans and dragons lived side by side, but my family saw the power those beasts wielded we took it. Revolutionised it, wielded the power like never before. Two families created the time turner; we discovered how to go back, the other discovered how to travel forward in time." Semira draws her wand. "Now you destroyed the last time turner. The last of the creations lost to filth like you."
The door opens reinforcements. "I must warn you this endeavour of yours will end in your death. I have only been beaten once before."
"Well it's a day for revelations," Hermione comments grasping Bella's arms. "I think you should learn just what you created."
"Kill them." Semira answers.
Hermione's hand flexes, time stops leaving just Bella and Hermione remaining. "Bella right now I know you're angry but once this is over I swear on my life I will tell you everything."
"I'll hold you to that." Bella whispers, pulling Hermione into a kiss.
It is fleeting almost a kiss goodbye; Hermione rests her head against Bella's placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She smiles, pushing Bella to war.
"Go do what you do best."
"With pleasure."
Moving like a wolf, Bella stalked the paralysed people, dagger in one hand, wand in the other, she makes quick work of the unmoving forces. A spell striking one, a slash of a wand to another, Hermione turns her attention to the two frozen guards at the stairs. Striking them both with a septumsepra, this all ends tonight.
Time resumes with a jolt, cries of pain echoing in the room, blood squirts in every direction. Spells hitting targets making them fly backwards crashing into walls. Whimpers from the fallen, heavy feet running towards them. Semira stares around in shock staring at her fallen soldiers.
"Just us two." Hermione says stepping forward. "This time I'm not a child you can bully."
"Come back you bastards!" Bella calls throwing hexes at the retreating soldiers, chasing them with mad laughter. "CRUCIO!"
Hermione winces as screaming echoes in the building, she supposes it's her fault she did let Bella loose. Bella restrained in Azkaban is not a safe Bella; in fact, it makes Bellatrix slightly crazy if the laughing is anything to go by. The haunting laugh as spells and explosions rock the building.
With a slash of her wand, Semira starts the duel. Two suits of armour spring to life, charging Hermione with swords. She narrowly avoids the steel, it cuts inches from the base of her hair, she ducks another swing, a stupefy hits one shattering it into pieces. The second is harder, it moves with speed an empty suit should never be able to wield. A bombarda finishes the suit destroying it.
Hermione recollects the witch has a passion for using her surroundings, always using anything in the vicinity. Two can play at this, she sends a love seat flying at the witch, throwing curse after curse. The air cracks with the intensity, each spell hit aside, the love seat hitting the fireplace and erupting into flames.
The flames morph like a serpent it crawls from the fireplace heading towards Hermione, alive and hissing. She casts a confrigo at Semira before dodging the fiery snake. Her side burns from the heat she rolls away.
She throws up a silver shield the fire snake bouncing off, anger burning through her veins she draws on her energy. Sensing the water in the building with a cry of anger, the pipes in the building burst through the walls, surrounding her, she casts it straight at the snake. A cry of fear from Semira as she strikes out drawing her own shield, she throws multiple curses at Hermione, who deflects them.
With a spin, Hermione lashes out multicolour spells dancing through the air hitting the charm in place. They break apart, staring at one another, the room destroyed.
"Der Brand!" Semira shouts.
"Protego."
A ball of heat hits Hermione's shield, she pushes against the shield striking back at the witch. Absorbing the energy of the spell manipulating it with her own energy.
"Reducto!"
Hermione's spell destroys her own shield slicing through Semira's spell the witch dives aside. Summoning her power, she harnesses it, driving the anger through her wand, directing it straight at the witch. The room shakes, the plastering ripples falling from the walls as two powerful spells clash. The ground bows under the pressure the heat intensifying a pure scream erupts from Semira's lips using all her energy in the fight.
"You stole that power from us!" Semira screams
"It was never yours to begin with!" Hermione shouts over the roar.
An explosion echoes down stairs, the building shaking both witches losing concentration dropping the duel as they try to find their footing. The ground wobbles, Hermione stumbles to her knees a crack appearing in the ceiling above them. Eventually the shaking stills, both witches noticing the balls of smoke passing the window. It would seem Bellatrix is too excited.
A green light emerges heading straight to Hermione, fear rockets through her body she throws her hand up. Her veins pulsing, time stops around the killing curse stopping it from striking her. She holds it in place Semira stares in horror at the display of power. With flick, Hermione sends the curse hurtling backwards causing the witch to jump aside.
"You're going to need to do better than that." Hermione states.
Bomabarda. The spell strikes the staircase next to Semira making the witch hit the floor, as she scrambles to her feet, Hermione lashes out with a body bind. A shield emerges the spell flying out through the window disappearing.
"Heute abend sie sterben." Semira hisses.
Two spells clash once more, neither witch giving in. Hermione wants nothing more than to arrest the witch however; she knows that tonight she will not be able to achieve this. Another blast shakes the building the room lurches, Hermione prevents this from affecting her.
She moves with speed inching closer to Semira, her spell increasing. She flicks her wrist the duel exploding in the room rocketing Semira backwards. She hits the floor with a bang catching her wrist under her body. Hermione wastes no time, she fires an expelliarmus catching the flying wand in her outstretched hand.
Semira remains undisturbed she pulls a dagger rearing on Hermione. Diving through the air, Semira tackles Hermione knocking the air from her as she collapses on the floor. Hermione grabs the wrist holding the dagger, preventing it from striking her. Sharp teeth pierce Hermione's neck as Semira bites her, tearing a scream from Hermione's lips. She knees the older woman in the stomach stopping the bite.
Blood trickles down Hermione's neck as they fight for the dagger, breaking free Hermione delivers a punch straight to the witch. Semira hits the floor cradling her jaw, as Hermione jumps to her feet blood dripping down her neck. Pain explodes in her side; she glances down to see the dagger in her side. A glint of madness in Semira's eyes, clutching the daggers hilt, Hermione tugs it free. Throwing it to the side.
"You're powerless now." Hermione warns, stepping forward.
"You have nothing on me filth."
A smile graces Hermione's lips even as Semira attacks once more pressing her hand against Hermione's wound. Pain rockets through her body but she ignores it, instead pressing her hand against the witch's cheek.
"Taste what you created." Hermione hisses.
Her hand glows a strange amber filling the room, a sharp scream erupting from Semira's lips as inch-by-inch Semira begins to age. Her skin cracking and wrinkling. Before her eyes, Hermione watches the witch wither and age, the eyes become a dull grey as the life leaves. The skin crumpling, the heart beating to the stop she ends a life. Releasing the witch she crumples to the floor as Hermione stumbles backwards. Panting. She grasps her wound looking around the destroyed room in wonder.
A fire has started somewhere in the building there's shouting in the distance she can see people evacuating the building running through the fields. Clutching her side, Hermione heads for the door, she must find Bella.
She trips over one of the dead bodies, one burnt from Semira's fiendfyre. Stumbling out the doorway, Hermione grabs the wall for support, tripping over her own feet. Blood is pumping from her wound; her hand is shaking her wand held limp in one hand.
"BELLA!" Hermione shouts her voice echoing in the building.
There's smoke everywhere, a part of the building has collapsed, cries for help in the distance. Stumbling into the stairs, Hermione looks over the bannister people running for help. Something moves behind her, drawing her wand Hermione turns – no one is there still she cannot shake the feeling of someone watching her.
"Bella!" Hermione shouts again tripping down the stairs.
Perhaps she is already gone. On the other hand, something has happened to her, no Hermione will not consider that opportunity. Fails to consider the impossible. Bella will be fine, she must be fine or everything she has done will be for nothing. She could not lose Bella not again.
Blood seeps through her fingers as she stumbles on to the next landing looking through the black smoke hoping to see her love. She calls out again as the building rocks something collapses in the distance. The roof groans as the building shifts the heat becoming impossible to navigate. A crack appears running along the ceiling above her; behind her parts of the stairs give way.
"Bella!" Hermione shouts.
Something grabs her arm she turns ready to strike. "It's me!" Bella shouts above the roaring of the building. "It's me, shit your side."
"Hurts." Hermione hisses crumpling to her knees, Bella following her to the floor.
"Let me see." Bella demands pulling the clothes aside to look. A green tinge decorates the outside of her wound.
Leaning heavily against a pillar, Hermione stares at the wound, the unnatural markings decorating the cut. It's not infected it looks almost like poison.
"It's poison." Bella whispers as though reading Hermione's thoughts. "Damn that bitch."
Mrs Rothstein may have won after all, Hermione considers bitterly as the building shakes once more. Clutching Bella's arm the ex-Death Eater pulls her to her feet, they stagger together just as the stairs collapse behind them.
"We can't apparate out, the splinch could kill you." Bella warns glancing around. "It will also spread the poison quicker."
Groaning, Hermione leans heavily on the witch, her eyes becoming heavy the ceiling is shaking. You are dying child. This is it; she knows death is here, can see it watching her in the smoke, she glance to the witch holding her. There is hope for Bella yet, except she will not give up not just yet. Still hope they can try to escape.
Stepping forward, Bella tugs her to another exit, looking for a way of the floor. A cut decorates the witch's face her eyes alive with excitement. This is how Hermione wants to remember her. Her beautiful Bella forever known in history. She pulls the witch to a quick kiss.
"This isn't the end." Bella interrupts shaking Hermione from her thoughts. "We're getting out."
Fate has other ideas. An almighty roar erupts, the ceiling groaning, a loud bang as dust erupts blowing in their faces. Tick tock, tick tock. She sees it coming before Bella does the column is coming down. With all her effort, she shoves Bella sending the witch as far from her as possible. Moving herself, she tries to get out the way.
Bang.
The column hits.
A startles scream erupts her mouth as the column comes crashing down on top of her. Pain erupts; her left side trapped underneath the solid concrete column her breath stolen from her. Tears erupt from her eyes, as two soft hands grasp her cheeks.
"Hermione." Bella whispers eyeing the column trapping her. "I'll move it, don't move."
"NO!" Hermione shouts, grasping the witch's arm. "Moving it will cause more damage."
"I won't leave you here!" Bella growls. "I won't."
"Bella."
"We'll apparate straight to ST Mungo's."
"Bella go."
"No!" Bella thunders. "I. will. Not leave you."
"You'll die if you stay." Hermione says softly clutching the witch's hand.
"I won't leave you."
"I love you." Hermione whispers.
She cannot move, cannot feel her left hand side just imaginable pain that so strong it numbs her whole body. She feels relief at that. The smoke so thick she knows that will kill her before the column has a chance too. Shadows in the distance debris falling, the ceiling still coming down. Hermione still has her wand its reassuring sitting in her hand; she clutches it.
"I love you too." Bella murmurs pressing a kiss to Hermione's lips. "I'll get you out."
"I'm so sorry." Hermione says. "For everything."
"I forgive you."
"Good, I hope you'll forgive me for this. Stupefy."
The spell hits the witch smack in the chest, sending hurtling backwards smashing through a window and into the night's air. Confused, Bella sees the land rushing to meet she fumbles for her wand she casts Arresto momentum before she hits the grassy hill. She splutters inhaling fresh air, chocking on the smoke in her lungs. Breathless she stares around confused before catching on.
Turning wild eyes back to the building behind she goes to rise when a wand presses to her neck forcing her back to her knees, a hand snatching her wand. She does not move though too paralysed to move, too distraught to consider fighting.
"You're under arrest!" Potter barks next to her, Aurors rushing around her. "Where's Hermione?"
"Gone." Bella breathes.
"What do you mean gone? Gone where?" harry demands.
With a cold shaking finger, Bella limply points to the building collapsing in the distance. It starts of slow the west wing collapsing, then like a domino effect the whole building follows the roof collapsing inwards. Bricks and mortar collapsing to the ground in a barrage of dust blowing their way. A fire engulfing the whole thing. She is gone this time. Tears slip from her eyes, as she slumps staring at the destruction. If the building did not crush her then the poison will. Hermione.
Cold numbness washes through her as Potter stares at the building. The arrest forgotten they share their moment watching the dust cover the grass as smoke billows upwards towards the heavens. Hermione. She breaks, gut wrenching screams tearing from her mouth, rising to go charging in as Potter body binds her; she collapses like a heap on the wet grass. Screaming into the dirt, a sharp stabbing pain in her chest. HERMIONE.
Indescribable guilt rippling through her body, even the Aurors do not approach her. They let her scream out; let her lie in the damp grass until she became boneless. Lifeless.
A/n: #coughs# Soo again two more chapters to come, we're still not done guys. If anyone cannot wait for the next chapter and demands to know what's happened, you can message PM or you leave a note in a review and I'll PM you. Again guys I know we're going through craziness here, but the ending will be worth it - trust me. Till next time.
