Disclosure Hp belongs to JKR. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
Written for: Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition
a/n Apocalypse is averted, Hermione goes back to the moment where all went wrong.
Back to the Past
This was the end; Hermione no longer cared; most everyone was either caught or dead. What she needed to do was to run and hide. Maybe someone was still alive. She was afraid to close her eyes; death was everywhere.
To think Voldemort wasn't the worst; to think someone she had called a friend was an old wizard glamoured. She gave him her innocence; she gave him everything. In the end, it was Albus's fault. He had Grindenwald stashed away, thinking he could never escape. He had been wrong. Gellert had used everyone and now the end was near.
She no longer knew who to trust. When had that happened? She remembered when Sirius had returned, or the one they believed to be Sirius. Maybe all wasn't lost; she had an idea. Who was still alive; yes, she knew; Bill Weasley had not been caught. A resistance movement, that was it; she wasn't dead; she would go down fighting.
She went by the cottage; she knew of the trap door to the cellar. Nobody was around; she hoped to be right. She wrapped the invisibility cloak tighter around her; no sense in taking any chances.
She entered the Shell Cottage and closed her eyes. The wall was covered with blood and gore; Hermione had heard of Fleur's murder. For a minute she was afraid; fear never stopped. She still thought it was the end, maybe for the entire world.
Hermione lifted the rug, not using magic. The cloak was bad enough; magic sweeps happened all over the place. Uncovering the trap door, she whispered, "Bill if you are there, it is me Hermione. I am coming in." She went down the rickety ladder, lowered the cloak hoping Bill would see her if he were there.
A second later, she felt strong arms going around her, "Thank the gods you are alive." It was Bill. He lit candles. "I am glad I stepped in today, come with me. You must be hungry, now hush. They might hear us from outside."
She walked with him, holding his hand for what seemed a long time. Finally, they arrived at a large cave. She saw several people, Fred, Cormac, Neville, and others she didn't know. Several Slytherins were also there. She was surprised to see Lucius Malfoy, dressed in Muggle clothes; he looked gaunt, feral; not the old Lucius with his very short hair.
Everyone greeted her. They were certain she had been killed. "How many are here?" She looked around; it would seem there were over 30 people there. It made her feel hopeful; maybe they had a chance; perhaps they could stop the apocalypse.
Bill said, "I thought they caught you with Harry and Ron. What happened to them?"
Hermione's eyes filled with tears, "They took Harry; they want to use him to lure Voldemort. Ron was killed trying to protect your mother."
Everyone was quiet. They all had seen too much. Lucius spoke, "I think we should try to find as many as we can. We cannot let Voldemort unite with Grindenwald. I need help to find Fenrir; he is not a werewolf. He hates Grindenwald for killing his sister. My other plan is to go to Azkaban, to free all the ones now prisoners."
Bill didn't agree, "Before we attempt any missions we need to train for a couple of days. We need an organized plan."
Hermione agreed, "The monster is smart and cunning; he has members of many families; he makes sure people follow him, though only a few like him. It is a reign of terror. I saw many dead everywhere. I think if we can free families, we might have a chance. Mr. Malfoy, they have Draco, he is alive."
Lucius asked, "Are you certain, I thought he was dead."
"He is alive, your wife has to obey him, or he will kill Draco." Hermione wouldn't look at him.
Lucius look was hard, "Dobby brings us food; Kreacher still helps; he has asked for you several times."
Hermione asked, "I am dead tired. May I rest for a while. I haven't slept for days; I am too afraid to close my eyes. It is awful; it looks like the end is near. I am exhausted."
Bill took her to a corner; she saw a small cot and blankets. "Lay down; I will keep watch, too many wizards and only one witch. Sleep little one." He touched her face, tenderly,"I am glad you are alive."
Back to the past
Hermione was asleep in seconds. She slept until an alarm went off. She opened her eyes; where was she at? What was happening? She heard Harry, "Wake up, sleepyhead, let's go to see Sirius. Remember, I found a wand for him."
She saw Harry; this happened several years before; the wand, no, that was a mistake. She looked at herself, no tattoos marking her as an enemy; she was in her house, and Harry was a guest. She knew that Harry wouldn't believe her. She believed herself, and that was enough.
Her father told her how her Papa saved the entire family during the Muggle war. Her Papa had woken up the day before they came to take them away, to kill them. After he lived thru the horrors, he was the only survivor; and the day it was his turn to die, he was in time. He didn't waste one minute; he packed the family, his mother, and his young wife. They worked all day and part of the night, once they tied the two who had betrayed. The traitors were left just inside the door.
Most of his money was already at two Swiss banks. He took their pets, servants, everyone. Many had been murdered before when the soldiers came; he would take them all. The borders were still opened; at least the less used ones he knew. A Swiss guard tried to stop them; her Papa gave him a bag with a few gold coins. He bought not only his silence but also his loyalty.
They drove all night, all the cars they had, everyone that could drive, did; his brothers 14 and 15, drove. He collected cars; he had 12. The cars were packed; people held children on their laps. They drove several hours while still dark until they arrived at their chalet in the Swiss Alps. When the German soldiers came to the house near Lake Constance, it was deserted. All the valuables were locked in a place they couldn't find. In the following months, her Papa helped all his relatives escape, some fellow prisoners, those he could remember where they were from.
She knew what to do; she had thought about it many times. She went to her father's hunting locker and grabbed two pistols. She knew how to fire. Her magic would lose against Grindenwald; the pistols were her best bet. She would first look at the scar on his left hand, the one the real Sirius didn't have.
They arrived at Grimmauld; it was precisely as she remembered. Hermione heard the call; the one she ignored the first time, "Pst, pst, Miss Granger, he is not my son, not a Black,"
Wallburga said, her face was softer, desperate.
Harry said, "Nasty which, he is a Black; he is your son."
Hermione turned around and winked at Wallburga, "I hear you, I do. Kreacher's help would be welcomed to do something about it. With his help, I will get rid of him." She grinned; Wallburga nodded and blew her a kiss. Hermione blinked; who was standing behind Wallburga? No, oh, dear. Maybe she was wrong, maybe no, he looked straight at her, and Hermione blinked.
Harry chuckled, "You like to egg her on."
"You are right." She stuck her hands in her jacket pocket, ready to act.
Sirius sat waiting for them, "Good you are here; did you find me a wand?" He scratched his forehead, and Hermione saw the star-shaped scar. The one the real Sirius didn't have. She saw Sirius' hand after the monster killed him. The monster had kept Sirius prisoner, learning all about him. He killed Sirius the day Hermione found him.
The fake Sirius looked at Hermione with lust in his eyes. His eyes roamed her body; Hermione smiled but was sick inside remembering his touches. He called her my Witch-Wizard. In a few days, she would be on his bed. He liked young males and witches, he liked them all. He was a user with big appetites.
As Harry approached him, Kreacher appeared and pushed Harry out the way, "You is a half blood, leave nows." Kreacher pushed Harry out the way.
Sirius took his eyes from her; long enough to pull both pistols. With Harry out the way, she fired two rounds. The shots sounded all over the house. The bullets went one in his chest and another in the middle of his eyes. She had charmed them to do exactly that, her only chance.
Sirius fell dead. Before Harry could hurt her, looking like a mad animal, Hermione screamed, "Look again."
Harry saw an old wizard lay dead in place of Sirius.
"Who was that?" Harry was shaking.
"Grindenwald, let me tell you an old story while we get rid of his body." Soon his associates would come, looking for him.
Kreacher said, "Miss Grangy, Mrs. Black said she knew you be helping. She said Miss Grangy was back. I is helping, I gets rid of the rubbish." He pointed a finger, and Grindenwald turned to ashes.
When Hermione finished her tale, Harry held her. "What else you know?" He believed her.
She told him; maybe they could change everything. Grindenwald had shown himself when Bellatrix tried to push Sirius into the Veil; he killed her, but he also killed others. He Obliviated those left, tough Hermione remembered. He had lied, but she had seen his face.
"First, let's wait for Sirius; he will be here tonight. While they waited they had a Floo call. It was Lucius Malfoy.
"Miss Granger, you will think me mad. I woke," Lucius stopped when she raised her hand.
"Up this morning." Lucius said.
"You saw me last night at," she waited for him.
"The cave," Lucius continued. "You came with Bill Weasley," Lucius went on.
"The tattoo marking," Hermione said.
"Us as enemies," Lucius showed her his wrist.
"Is gone," Hermione finished.
They hugged each other, both had tears rolling down their face; they were survivors. They had seen too much. They had seen Apocalypse and wished it never came to pass.. Harry knew they were telling the truth and was afraid.
"I think we are relatives. Are you related to L´Argent from Germany, by Constance? There are strange stories about the L'Argent; I hope they are not true. I do worry, my dear young witch." Lucius told her.
"Yes, I am. My parents are magical but haven't practiced for generations. Dumbledore found us because I had accidental magic since I was young. My parents came to England to study and stayed here. The monster killer them. " Her eyes filled with tears, remembering the horrible future. The end of the Magical world as they knew it, an apocalyptic future.
"I didn't know where to find you, but a portrait told me to look at the Blacks. I want to stop the coming war. Voldemort turned my wife into the bastard; he had a harem. Voldemort is mad; he stinks of death. No more deaths, so let's join forces. Neither Bellatrix nor he will stay at my home." Lucius told them. "We will not wait; together we will do all that needs to be done."
When Sirius arrived, he was afraid to find them there. Lucius greeted him, and Sirius rubbed his eyes. They told him what had happened. Hermione told him Gellert had people helping him already. They recommended Gellert to be Sirius, not knowing Sirius had escaped. Gellert's associates would come later that night; but the four of them would be ready.
Hermione was glad; at least she saved Sirius and maybe many more. With Lucius help, they might be able to stop the coming horrors. Lucius hugged her again asking her to be careful, to stay away from Dumbledore.
Hermione was happy, wondering if her Papa was right about who they were. He said it was the only way. He worried because she was the only female in hundreds of years, and it was discussed in the Old Book. She hoped not; she liked plain Hermione. However, the figure behind Wallburga made it so, hmm, so maybe. Had she seen dark wings behind the dark figure? Chills ran down her back. Nah, her imagination. But tomorrow she would go to the hidden-phone and call her Papa, best to check.
Wallburga smiled; her lover stood behind her, "I wish that nasty picture could go."
"Best that way, nobody will see your beauty; I am selfish. You are the one for me, nobody else's, only mine." Her lover answered.
"Your great-grandchild is a beauty. Too bad my son is a little old for her," Wallburga sighed.
"No, my dear, my young beauty is already spoken for; she will get my pardon. He has seen her and said she is the one. The problem will be when she finds out. The blond will not like it either, and he is part of the deal. Be glad, we were able to save her and your son. The bastard who used her is dead; it was part of the deal. It has taken many savings to get my beauty here, 200 years of changing outcomes. She is the only female in hundreds of years, but I think she saw me. That means that nobody is like her. Now, kiss me; it is time for love." The dark figure told Wally.
He closed the window. Wally had been saved but could never come back. He said it; he was selfish.