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Nick7745 – Thank you for the idea provided on the Entrance Hall doors!
This is the first of the 'House of Black' series:
Summary: What would life have been like if Hermione Granger was born a Black? Follow our little heroine as she grows up in the House of Black and becomes Bellatrix Lestrange's right hand girl.
Chapter 24 - Darkness
All she could feel was terror; it was coursing through her very bones. Shockwave after shockwave hit her mind; it was agonizing. The note lay on her bed, the words etched in her brain, her kitten was in trouble. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe. She could only feel the terror.
Then it struck her. Hard and fast like a bludger to the head. A terrifying scream echoed around her mind and pierced her heart, followed by an all-encompassing emptiness. Not knowing what happened or how she ended up in a crater sized hole, her own screams filling the night sky in response to the ones inside her mind.
She had to find her, she had to help her and protect her. The same monologue rolling around her thoughts. Find her. Help her. Protect her. Repeat. Hollow couldn't describe what she felt, a never-ending cycle of fear and pain. Then a clear thought, a destination as clear as the sky filtered through and with a deafening 'crack' she was gone.
Draco was frantic, he had waited in the common room for one of the girls that was in Hermione's dorm. He hadn't seen her at the Halloween feast the night before and had yet to see her this morning. He was starting to get worried.
"Daphne! Oh, thank goodness. Is Hermione still asleep?" Daphne Greengrass looked at Draco and shook her head in the negative. "Do you know where she is?"
"No, sorry Draco, I haven't seen her this morning. Have you gone to check the great hall?" Draco didn't acknowledge her, having already bolted from the common room.
Running through the corridors, he finally came to a stop inside the great hall. His grey eyes searching the room for Hermione's form, finding nothing. He made a hasty retreat and instead headed for the library. Finding it empty as well. Panic began filling his body. Leaving the library and making his way through a different corridor on the second floor, he came to an abrupt halt.
There laying on the stone floor, her wand arm jutting out slightly in front of her frozen body; was Hermione. Her mouth still open in a silent scream, eyes wide with horror. He nearly screamed but kept his mouth shut, he pulled her wand out of her hand and tucked it inside his robe pocket. Then pointing his own wand at her, levitated her. He was going to take her to Madam Pomphrey, when his eyes registered something else.
He saw large writing on the stone wall, written in blood; rivulets still making their way towards the floor below. Not knowing what else to do, he used 'Sonorous' and shouted for help. While he waited, Hermione still floating in the air next to him; he reread the words:
'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware!'
Hermione was hidden behind a medical screen within the infirmary, having been the first victim of petrification. Another student had been found with a camera still in hand and a terrified expression. Draco's temper had become shorter and anyone that mentioned Hermione's name wrong was shot with a stinging hex.
He had been in three detentions since the morning he found Hermione. Harry Potter had somehow managed to cause even more panic within the halls of Hogwarts due to him being a parselmouth. Students and teachers watched him closely, afraid that he might unleash the monster that had somehow petrified two students.
Draco was on his way back down the stairs along with Theo Nott; they had just finished with a lesson with Professor McGonagall when the entrance hall doors suddenly slammed shut. The force in which this happened, rattled the building itself. Seconds later an alarm began wailing causing everyone to slap their hands over their ears, students were then running around in panic and the faculty tried in vain to calm them all.
The Headmaster, within minutes of the alarm sounding, arrived. Not mere metres away from the entrance hall and the doors were blown clean off their hinges. Smashing into the walls opposite, fractured wood pieces showering down from the splintered sections. Draco jumped back in fright and squinted his eyes against the bright sun, spotting the figure that came tearing her way through the doorway, her black apparition smoke still swirling around her dress. He heard the familiar shrieking; he knew that she was aware of Hermione's condition and had come looking for her.
"Get out of my way!" Draco watched along with the other students, as Bellatrix shoved their Headmaster aside rushing through the monstrous foyer, a feral look in her eyes. She looked beyond crazy and Draco couldn't help but feel fearful at her sudden appearance and clearly, he wasn't the only one. Her apparition smoke was still being expelled from the ends of her dress as she ran for the stairs. Many of the gathered students had varying levels of fear upon their faces at the sight of the irate Bellatrix Black.
At this point everyone was wondering why the Headmaster was attempting to forcibly remove her from the castle. Watching as Albus was once again shoved aside by Bellatrix as she ascended the moving staircase, and this time she shot a nasty spell in his direction, blowing a section of the stairs apart. Her mind whirling with the need to find her mate; unable to comprehend or rationalize with anything or anyone.
"Bellatrix please. You are frightening the children." Albus was desperately trying to get to Bellatrix but she was having none of it, another spell flew from her wand, intercepted by Albus' hastily drawn shield.
"HERMIONE!" Her screams filled the entire entrance hall, bouncing off the walls in an echo of her pain filled cry. Those within the vicinity could almost feel her desperation. She pursued her course along the stairs, stopping on the second floor for a mere moment before running off again. Her destination was now within sight.
She pushed her way into the infirmary, scaring Madam Pomphrey in her wake. Her eyes frantically searching out her bond mate. Madam Pomphrey was already making her way over to the wild woman that stood breathing heavily in the doorway. Bellatrix at this point, spotted Hermione's prone form through the reflection of a glass cabinet.
The medi-witch watched as tears filled the dark orbs, a heart wrenching sob breaking free as she ran towards the hidden bed. Poppy Pomphrey stood watching as the curly haired witch grabbed at Hermione's body, her hands running over her curls; ghosting over her body before being placed on either side of Hermione's face.
Bellatrix was leaning over Hermione's prone form, her face twisted in pain as the tears fell from her eyes. Her lips trembling as she slowly came back to herself. Whispering to the young girl, between her sobs. Madam Pomphrey couldn't hear what was being said as the Bellatrix cried over the girls petrified state.
Turning away from the sight in front of her, feeling as though she was witnessing something private, she came face to face with Albus Dumbledore's angry form. He pushed his way passed her, his wand raised and ready to fire a spell. When he saw Bellatrix and how she was hovering around Hermione, he gave a momentary pause and lowered his arm slowly.
"Bellatrix, I would appreciate your departure from the school grounds. You have no right to be on the premises uninvited."
"I have every right to be here you old coot. Sod off!" Albus glared at her.
"You do not have the right and I will ask you only once more before I remove you myself." Bellatrix tore away from Hermione and held her wand in front of her. Eyes flashing with warning.
"You try it old man and I will kill you where you stand! No one has more right to be here than I do!" Bellatrix was now standing protectively in front of Hermione, her stance screamed that she wouldn't hesitate to action her threat.
"I am giving you your last warning Bellatrix, leave." Albus by now had his wand pointed at Bellatrix.
"Headmaster, it would be unwise to continue threatening Ms Black. She has more right to be here than you can imagine." Severus Snape strode through the same doors as his counterparts and came to a stop just next to Bellatrix, pushing her wand arm down. "Ms Black is the soul mate to Miss Black, we cannot force her to leave." Albus was shocked, a soul mate; they were nearly unheard of.
"What proof do you have?" He said in disbelief. Bellatrix growled and shoved the sleeve of her dress up and then did the same with Hermione's. There on their forearms he saw their identical marks. He walked closer to inspect them, but Bellatrix glared at him.
"Not another step old man. I'm warning you." Severus stepped in between the two and with a pleading look at Albus turned to face Bellatrix.
"We will not harm her, I promise you. We are just waiting for the mandrakes to reach maturity before I can brew the potion that will bring Miss Black back to us." Albus watched with bated breath as Bellatrix deliberated over the words spoken.
"I want her home with me, I will tend to her and when the potion is ready, I will return with her and you may administer it." Severus nodded and faced Albus once more. Thinking about it, he could see no harm in allowing her to return home. She was petrified after all. His blue eyes looked passed Severus and to Bellatrix.
"Yes, I suppose that will be alright. You may take her home." Bellatrix chanced a glance at Severus, he was deep in thought. Madam Pomphrey came into view and gave her softer smile.
"You may use my office to depart from the castle Ms Black. Severus will advise you when we have the potion sorted. You have my word." Guiding her and Hermione toward the fireplace in her office, she held out her small pot of floo powder. "I promise, Bellatrix." With a final nod, the floor powder was thrown into the hearth and the two disappeared in the green flames.
Arriving inside the Manor, Bellatrix was met with darkness. The Manor was empty, not a soul breathed within its walls, not even the house elves. Going around igniting the stone fireplace within Hermione's bedroom, Bellatrix got to work. Hermione's hair was cleaned, her robes removed and banished to the laundry room. Bellatrix cleaned her body before dressing her in her silk pajamas. Brushing out her now clean hair, she set to braiding it and then resting it over the younger's shoulder.
She crossed over to the seating area of the bay window. Bellatrix sat with her knees drawn to her chest, chin resting atop them. Watching over Hermione's death-like state, she couldn't help the burning anger in her belly. Her mind a buzz of noisy angry thoughts, still struggling to come to terms with the situation Hermione had found herself in.
"Stupid. Tactless. Thoughtless. Idiotic. Foolishness!" She growled between clenched teeth while watching over the younger witch. "Didn't even spare a thought for me and what I would feel!" Still grumbling between her teeth. She jumped to her feet, trying to get rid of the excess build-up of energy.
"You didn't care did you! No! I bet you just merely waltzed around the bloody castle like some dumb Gryffindor mudblood!" Screaming at nothing in particular. "Did you even think that I was aware of the danger you were in! Probably not! Didn't even cross your brilliant mind, did I?!" Pacing around the now darkened room, the fire having been extinguished when she'd blown out the window screaming the last part of her rant.
Launching into a tirade, Bellatrix destroyed the bedroom; leaving only the bed that housed her bond mate. She had blow apart the bathroom, the walls both internal and external and put a gaping hole into the ceiling above her. Her piercing screams only interrupted by the savage cackling that was her laughter. Spell fire was the only light that was seen within the Manor, Bellatrix's lunacy was now in full swing.
"Mudbloods. Blood traitors. Filthy scum of the earth!" Bellatrix swung her arm around in an arc screaming her next spell. "Bombarda Maxima!" The entire upper floor creaked and groaned, then exploded outwards, an array of debris littering the back gardens.
"Bellatrix Alexia Black! What in the name of Morgana are you doing?!" A voice eerily like that of her mother filtered through the haze in her mind. Twisting her body towards to the voice she saw a scary sight. Her Aunt stood on what was left of the landing, rage billowing out of her body with fervor. Bellatrix felt a cold wash over her, as if she'd been dumped with a bucket of water.
Cassiopeia was beyond livid; she flicked her wand in rapid motion, her home beginning to repair itself. When she was satisfied with the repairing Manor, she turned her sights back on her niece. Eyes began to widen as realization dawned on her and when she saw Cassiopeia's eyes boring holes into her very being it was too late.
"Crucio!" The red beam of light struck her, ripping screams from her body as she collapsed to the floor. Her nails digging into the floorboards, back arching. Her eyes teared as the pain coursed through her like a thousand white hot knives. The pain stopped and she gasped for breath, laying with her cheek against the floor as tears blurred her vision.
"Explain yourself this instant or you'll get another round." The deadly calm voice pierced through her pain induced mind. Still panting for breath and not answering fast enough for her raging aunt. "Crucio!" Pain filled her body once again and her screams filled the Manor again, slowly the screams changed in pitch until she was howling with laughter. Her body curled inwards as she cackled under her aunt's torturing.
"Explain." She looked up and finally began her monologue, explaining what had happened, how she had somehow managed to tear through the anti-apparition wards around Hogwarts; her screaming at Hermione about her carelessness and finally on her destruction. Throughout the entire explanation, she had managed to drag her body toward Cassiopeia.
"Aunt Cassi, I was scared." Her words were then accompanied by her tears once more. She had disgraced herself inside Hogwarts, allowed children and teachers to see her broken and desperate. Not realizing that she'd said the last part allowed, Cassiopeia, in a rare show of emotion pulled her up and allowed her to lean heavily into her for comfort.
"They will fear you more so, you showed them another part of you, and I am willing to bet that they are going to fear your unpredictable nature. Of course, this does not excuse your destruction of my Manor, but I understand why you did it." After releasing her hold on her niece after she'd cried. She moved her now slumbering form to Hermione's bed and set her down next to her granddaughter.
Bellatrix lay next to Hermione, exhausted after her ordeal over the last twenty-four hours. With the last of her energy she moved her arm to rest across Hermione's waist in a partially protective hold. Falling into a deeper sleep soon after, happy in the knowledge that she had her next to her.