I am not JK Rowling, blah blah.

On a windswept hill, an old, crumbling manor stood. Hammered by wind and rain, the house is in a state of disrepair and many of the inhabitants of a small village less than a mile away believe that the house is haunted.

This of course is not the case.

Just as Dumbledore is inspecting the carnage on the Hogwarts Express, several sharp cracks occurred. First to arrive was Hermione, Draco and Harry. Immediately, Harry and Draco took a step back from Hermione, like bodyguards. Hermione stepped towards the house, which no longer looked old and ruined, but rather, the sprawling mass of a very impressive manor.

"This is perfect Harry! And the muggles can't see anything?" said Hermione.

"Or wizards unless I tell them. This is Potter Manor, my grandparents house. Over the summer, Gringotts contacted me and told me about it. As the sole heir of the Potters, it's mine. It's got Unplottable charms on it, muggle-repelling charms, wards to prevent Dark magic from getting in, although from what I understand, once inside you can use Dark magic." said Harry, on Hermione's left. Beside him and to Hermione's right, Draco said, "Bloody hell Potter! This place would make Malfoy Manor look like a London flat! "

Hermione led the way up to the manor, a little over a hundred others following. As they climbed the wide porch steps, Harry raised his right hand and said, " I am Harry James Potter, heir to the Potters. "

The double carved wooden doors flared bright gold before swinging open. Harry, having been told how to open the doors by a goblin at Gringotts, stepped through first. Hermione followed, but when Draco tried to walk in, the open doors flared bright red and Malfoy couldn't move an inch.

"Oh! Draco Malfoy is my guest and welcome. " said Harry. The red light faded slowly, as if doubting Malfoy's presence. Draco crossed the threshold and said, "What was that about Potter? "

"The Potters and the Malfoys have been enemies for centuries, starting with Icarus Malfoy and Covington Potter. " Harry and Draco spun around to see a Ravenclaw 7th year entering the manor. Although Harry recognized her, he didn't know her name.

The girl smiled and said, "Amelia Talbot, I'm sort of a cousin to the Malfoys. I've studied the family tree. "

Hermione, who had drifted to an enormous staircase covered in heavy red carpet during the exchange, climbed to the third step and turned back to the entryway of Potter Manor. By now, all of those who accompanied her from the train had entered and the door behind them closed of its own accord. Harry and Draco climbed to the second steps, standing to her right and left respectivly. By unspoken consent, they were staking themselves as Hermione's number twos. At the fore of the former students, Neville and Luna turned, facing the students.

Hermione surveyed everyone, then said, "Welcome. Many of you know my name, as well as Harry and Draco. Tonight is the first time all of us meet each other. I have been, through mediators, in contact with you all over the summer. You have joined us because you wish to stand with neither Dumbledore nor Lord Voldemort. Your reasons for doing so, are yours and yours alone. Dumbledore wishes to "Protect us" from Voldemort, but remains passive as Voldemort and the Death Eaters kill. Voldemort wishes for dominion over wizard kind, and slaughter muggles and Muggleborns. Neither of them have YOUR best interests. We will, in brief, show evidence of Dumbledore smuggling Muggleborns, sometimes forcibly, out of the country. We will show you evidence of the atrocities of Death Eaters. But, should any of you wish to leave after we have shown our evidence, you may leave, but we would have to modify your memory of the events on the train, and the location of this house." Hermione paused in her speech, then said, "We are neither Light nor Dark, we are Grey. Our spells are Dark or light as needed, and all that refuse us, who will fight us, will be enemies and cut down as such. If you stay, you will be trained in defense and war. You will train hard, and taught to be merciless in battle. Again, any who wish to leave, you may. But if you stay, you stay. "

For a moment after Hermione finished speaking, there was silence. Then, slowly, like a great beast awakening, applause broke the silence. Soon everyone was cheering. Hermione smiled, observing the beginning of what would become the most unstoppable army in the world.

†*

The next morning, the Daily Prophet had the story of the massacre on the front page.

STUDENTS MASSACRED ON HOGWARTS EXPRESS

Yesterday, on September 1st, students bound for Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry borded the Hogwarts Express. The train would have echoed with the sounds of young witches and wizards returning to school, or going for the first time. But those sounds of happiness and excitement would change to the screams of terror.

It is this reporter's sad burden to inform you that at some point during the train's historic journey, an unknown group of people borded the train with ill intent, killing many of the passengers. We at the Daily Prophet do not at this time know who was responsable for this heinous act, although our foremost suspect would be the followers of He-who-must-not-be-named. Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school, refused comment to the Prophet, but an anonymous source claimed that many of the victims were sympathetic to the Dark Lord.

At this time, the Wizarding World remains in shock of this attack, and urges anyone with information to come forward. The names of those who were murdered will be released sometime later today.

Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet

From his base of operations at Malfoy Manor, Voldemort read the article for the third time. He was just one nudge away from exploding with rage. That the Wizarding World would believe that he was behind the attack was absurd! Voldemort had hatred for muggles, and Muggleborns were not much better, but his faithful servant Severus had informed him that many of the students killed had been sympathetic to him, including a number of Slytherins who were children of his inner circle. Voldemort rose from his chair and paced, thinking. Clearly, someone wanted the blame to fall on him for this, but he knew not who it could be, unless the old fool had decided to frame him to garner sympathy.

As Voldemort was pacing, there was a loud crack. Voldemort ceased pacing then. Only himself or a member of the Malfoy family could apparate into the house. A moment later, Lucius's son entered the drawing room. He approached the Dark Lord and kneeled.

"My Lord..." said Draco.

Voldemort looked down at him.

"Draco! Should you not be at Hogwarts? You have a task to do after all. "

"My Lord, I apologise. I felt the need to report... I was on the train when it happened... My Lord, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy... They struck like ghosts! Slaughter, chaos. " said Draco, appearing quite shaken.

Voldemort felt no pity however, only that creeping instinct of something else. Without Draco's knowledge, Voldemort used Legilimency to read his mind, but found only scenes of terror. What he found interesting, was the group that attacked wore royal purple robes and red masks. Who they were, Voldemort could only speculate, but the power of their spells was undeniably dark, and powerful. Some he didn't even recognize bought vowed to discover.

Looking down at the young Malfoy, he said, "You did right young Draco, bringing this to me. Return to Hogwarts, tell your story, tell them, and use shame, that you panicked and apparated prematurely, which is how you survived the attack. Keep me informed of your task. "

Draco stood up, praising Hermione's brilliance at creating the false memory of the attack, and bowed to the Dark Lord.

"Yes, my Lord. " he said before disapparating to the gates of Hogwarts.

A/N

I don't usually post notes in my fics to avoid clutter, so I'll keep this short.

If there is any doubt, this story is a Dark Hermione story. Harry will be involved, and at times other characters will appear, but this Hermione's story. Just wanted to clarify.

Second, at this moment, I am unsure as what to call Hermione and her new group. Hermione is going to get darker soon and I want a name that reflects that, like Voldemort's name is his name. And what to call her followers? Voldemort has Death Eaters, Grindelwald had, Reapers or Reavers, I can't remember. I'm posting this late at night. But if you have suggestions for a name for Hermione or her followers, send me a PM. Until next time, Hasta luego.