Disclosure Hp belongs to Jkr. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
a/n we are arriving at the end...one more chapter or so. if there is no interest I will go on to my writing...much love
At the center
The shock of hearing his wife and others were alive was too much, and Gellert fainted.
Fenrir panicked, "Help; we need a healer."
Tom heard the commotion. He came with Hermione. "Who is he?"
"Your great-grandfather, Grindenwald," Tom explained.
"But he doesn't look very old. Is he sick?" She asked.
"No, just overexcited, hearing about my wife, who I thought dead. You are a beautiful child, indeed." Gellert reached to caress her cheek.
"Thanks," she put her hand over his, pressing it, he sighed. "We will try to send the demon away," Hermione told him.
"No, there is an easier way, I didn't want to say it around Albus since it requires blood magic, maybe not easier, but less dangerous. First, tell me what you were going to do."
Tom explained it to him.
"Ah, similar; but we have a victim of the demon's doings. My dear, you are one of the victims, having to hide who you are." Gellert told Hermione.
Fenrir said, "A youth waiting to help, is another victim. I made him into a werewolf when I was full of anger and hate before Ermi came. He has a pure heart."
"Can you get a few drops of his blood?" Gellert asked Hermione.
"No, I will do it. It is time to face my old crimes." Fenrir said.
Fenrir and Hermione stepped in the room where the Hogwarts' students waited.
"Remus, could I have a word with you," Fenrir asked.
Remus could smell wolves all over the place. He was apprehensive, "Remus, it is okay, come," Hermione called him.
Remus came, and they went into the next room. "Son, I am Fenrir, but don't be scared. Years ago, I saw the murder of many of my kin, several pregnant females and children, all died. The demon was behind it. He influenced Dumbledore, who told lies to the Muggle army. That made me into who I was, but the werewolf wasn't who I really am. I can make you like me, watch."
Remus was pale, not a word; he was both angry and scared. When he saw the wolf in front of him, and back to the man, "Will the werewolf change be gone?" Remus seemed interested.
"Yes, you can go back and forth, nobody would be the wiser. You must know, we lost so many of our young ones, so I want you to be with us. You will live for hundreds of years unless you get killed." Fenrir added.
"Yes, I want it. What do you need?" Remus asked.
"A few drops of your blood, and a few of mine. Though, I would also be grateful if we can have a few more drops. Ermi will also donate some of her blood. It will help us to send the demon back. But if you don't want to offer more, it makes no difference. The gift has no strings attached or not many. I am the ruler, and I will be yours." Fenrir added. He wanted Remus to know the facts.
"No, you may have what you need. When?" He sounded anxious. Remus was young and forgiving.
"Now, we will do it right away; let's go," Fenrir said.
Lucius came into the room, "I will also go wherever she goes. I don't want something bad to happen to Ermi."
Fenrir sighed, "Come my young one, the more, the merrier."
They went into an adjacent room, a potions lab, where Tom and Grindenwald waited. They stood around a table full of bottles, vials, knives, and other items.
Fenrir explained what he wanted to do. He would offer the same to the Malfoy, and to whoever Ermi wished. Gellert pricked Remus finger with a sharp dagger, collecting the blood in a tube. Then, he did the same with Fenrir. Drops of Remus went into Fenrir's vial. Fenrir added drops from a bottle that appeared over the table and passed his hand over it. Serge flew above, and a stream of light went in.
"What is that?" Fenrir asked, and Hermione grinned.
"Something good, I expect," Hermione said, Serge screeched agreeing.
The vial changed colors from light red to a light blue. Fenrir opened the bottle and emptied half into his mouth; the rest, he passed to Remus. The others in the room saw two wolves, both with a silver stripe, one younger. Then, it was over.
Fenrir had tears running down his cheeks, of happiness and peace. "Thanks, Serge, you are welcome to stay with me."
Serge screeched, flew by Fenrir, and pecked his ear, lightly. "I guess that is a no." They all chuckled.
Remus just stood there, then went to Fenrir and hugged him, "Thanks, I saw a little of what happened here. I forgive you, and thanks again." Fenrir held him, grateful for the forgiveness. He hadn't said something else, the enchantment he used had bond him to Remus, making Fenrir his kin.
Hermione hugged Remus and kissed his cheek. He blushed and touched his cheek in wonderment. Lucius harrumphed, "I think we will have him after you, for life." Remus just stood there, touching his cheek.
Abraxas and Cygnus just arrived, saw it. Abraxas wished for the same, to be given such a gift. When Hermione's blood was mixed with Remus', in a small bowl, Gellert moved his wand over it. It turned into a silvery substance. Then, he conjured an arrow and dipped the tip in the mixture.
From what was left, he put a few drops in a vial he carried, they poured the rest in a wide mouth bottle and gave it to Hermione, "While you repeat the words you learned, you will need to be close enough to the net to empty its contents. It has to be done with your hand," Gellert said.
Tom was going to protest, but stopped, he would be by her, ready to act. Lucius seemed anguished, but said nothing; he knew better.
They all went back into the room, where the others waited.
"Sending the entity back will take but a few minutes," Tom explained to everyone, most in shock to see Tom Riddle; but they knew he wanted peace. "Have your wands ready. Ermi will need to get closer to the net, when she does, point your wands towards the net, repeating the words. Lucius, you stand by Ermi. Most of all, don't listen to the demon, or, whatever it is. It will lie and make promises and will try to take over you. Wish him gone, remember things and people you love." Tom added.
Lucius said, "Think about Ermi, that should do it."
To the older group's amusement, every one of 'the court,' nodded agreeing, rather eagerly. Lucius rolled his eyes, and Hermione grinned. Tom and Fenrir chuckled. Abraxas suspected one or two would try to join Lucius and Ermi later, in a triad. But Lucius was terrible at sharing, though he had changed much. Time would tell.
The group, Tom, Fenrir, Cygnus, Abraxas, Grindenwald, and the younger ones, walked into a room where the entity was being held behind a large glowing net. Everyone could see a shadowy figure. In front of it, there were several tall men, dressed in dark clothes, armed to the teeth with daggers, arches, quivers, swords, and odd-looking cylinders, the later pointed at the net. They all sat on the ground, concentrating.
Everyone was a little afraid and concerned. Cygnus squeezed Abraxas' arm, reassuringly, knowing of his concern over Lucius. Both stood behind Lucius, ready to do whatever was needed. Tom stood behind his daughter, his left hand on her shoulder.
The net was darker at some points, "That is where the net is weakening," Fenrir told them.
Tom had Hermione, Lucius, the marauders, Rabastan, Severus, and Zecke Greyback stand behind the wolves. They stood pointing their wands. Tom and Abraxas stood behind Hermione and Lucius, to defend them. Fenrir and Gellert moved in front of them. Then Hermione moved up front with Gellert, Lucius followed her. Tom and Abraxas went after them.
The entity was pulsing, reaching for whoever it could, but it was blocked. A wall of those things it disliked, surrounded the group. Love and friendship was the wall. The center was a powerful female that it wouldn't do to take her. It memorized her. Sooner or later, it would return if sent back. A female like her would be a prize to be had.
Gellert pulled a vial out of their pocket, conjuring a bow.
"Now, Ermi, do it; everyone must repeat the words you were taught, close your minds, do as you were told, now!"
Hermione moved nearly next to the net. She could feel it, calling her. Showing her the future, a changed one, with Draco, somewhat forgotten. She closed her mind, repeating the words, pouring the vial contents over the net. The Hogwarts' students did their part.
While Hermione looking straight and collected, pointed her wand at the net; right at the place where she had dropped the vial, with Remus and her blood, everyone else did their part. The area in the net looked like a star. Gellert Grindenwald said words aloud, in a foreign language, throwing the contents of the vial he had mixed, on the net, right in the same place. "Now, the star pulsates, to work like a magnet." He explained.
They heard A chilling-angry scream. At once, every one of them could hear offers of riches, fame, power, revenge, of everything they desired and hated. But they stayed steadfast, blocking the demon. The love for Hermione united the younger ones, and others as well. She was at the center of this brave fest. The love for their people, their king, and for Hermione, who was one of them, united the wolves. Love was a potent weapon against the evil Albus had brought to the magical world.
Gellert went on one knee. He could hear the demon, offering him what he used to crave for before, power. The same went for Tom. They didn't listen. The beast roared angrily, inside the net they could see loved ones, all lies, they knew it; though it was getting harder for them to resist.
Gellert pointed the arrow, "Go back to where you came from!" He fired the arrow, which, guided by the ongoing enchantment, went straight into the trapped demon.
When the arrow hit, the thing seemed to explode, then turned into a funnel. The air stunk. A fetid smell made everyone cough, then the funnel went up in the air and just disappeared.
The feeling of peace, was felt by all. The air became clean and fresh. The net shrunk; whatever, was there before. it was gone. Fenrir's men all lowered their heads, exhausted. Many hours had passed since they had trapped the demon.
"Where did it go? Did it escape?" Hermione asked. They all wanted to know.
"It is gone, back to where it came from. But there are others like him; they come thru portals weakened by hate, wars, and whatnot. Humankind has many weaknesses, but we should only be aware; we cannot worry about it. It is over for now. Tom and I can finish the job." He didn't add that Albus would be called back, and do the ritual by the gate again. It was needed since he had worked with the demon.
"Now, you all go back to Hogwarts," Fenrir said, "but first, let us have some refreshments. It is time for a celebration."
The event had altered the lives of everyone, but in particular of the young, forever. The knowledge there were things worse than trolls, dark lords, and monsters, was a life changer. Hermione's court would always stay on the straight and the narrow road, making a formidable force; all united in their love for Hermione. The future was changed, only a few more things needed to happen to ensured it remained so.
Hermione hugged everyone of her friends, now hopeful everything would be well.
Lucius basked in the love he felt for Ermi; she had changed him and many around him, "Father, it is early enough, let us have the wedding today."
"I agree," Sirius interjected, followed by others agreeing.
Sirius kept looking at Remus, no scars, they were gone. He stared at Remus who went to walk by the stranger who seemed to be in charge here. James thought the same, both shook their heads wondering, and wanting to knows where 'here' was.
This place was like nothing Sirius, or any of them, had ever seen. It was a castle, whoever the man was, must be a king. He was dying to ask Remus who seemed to have a new hero. Hmm, not a hero, it was more than that. James was thinking the same. "Bloody hell," James whispered when Remus held Fenrir's hand, what was up? Even stranger, how the warrior men were greeting Remus, why was that?
Whatever, for now all was well. Sirius couldn't wait for the time that he could be dancing with Ermi, he wished that he was the one marrying her. He had an idea, maybe like Cygnus and Abraxas they could share. Perhaps, but he would have to wait some years, that was a plan. Sirius had seen them together, Abraxas kissing Druella while Cygnus watched; yes, he would wait.
Sirius wasn't the only one with those thoughts, maybe Lucius' concerns were accurate. Tom knew it and had to smile. Gellert also smiled, he noticed how the young wizards were in love with Hermione. Fenrir didn't know, but Amelia had another love; the three were together for a few years, until the massacre where he died trying to protect his family, or so he thought.
Abraxas was exhausted, but Lucius looked so much in love, and the only people there would be the ones here plus Cygnus and Druella. The chapel was in a separate building so that Bella wouldn't be aware. Though she was changed, he didn't want to tempt fate.
"Yes, let's do it tonight, if it is okay with everyone." Abraxas meant with Tom. No disclosures until the peace agreement was signed.
Lucius stopped walking, took Hermione in his arms, and kissed her long and hard.
Both Tom and Fenrir, knitted their eyebrows. "Wait until you are married," Fenrir admonished.
"Fat chance," Severus said, making everyone laugh. Then he mumbled, "I wish I was old enough to marry Ermi."
From Hermione's, only Rabastan didn't agree; he already had someone waiting for him. Abraxas and Gellert chuckled, feeling sorry for Lucius.
Next: the wedding and a short epilogue.