Chapter 2 - The Letter
Harry stared into the now empty flat. His mind was racing, What just happened? How did he get in? Where had he taken Hermione? What was he planning to do to her? "Harry?" He heard someone calling faintly from behind him. He pulled himself out of the fireplace and turned around.
Ginny was standing by the couch looking at Harry with extreme concern in her features. "Is everything okay? I heard you screaming from all the way up stairs." She knew that something was wrong, Harry doesn't fly off the hinges like that normally. He normally reserved that temper for when he was worried about someone close to him. Someone he didn't want to lose.
Harry went over to Ginny and let out his anxieties for the briefest of moments and hugged her tight. Breathing 1...2...3...4...5… before letting go and looking at his wife. "Lucius Malfoy kidnapped Hermione. I couldn't stop him. He shut down the wards and floo. All I could do was watch as he took my best friend away." He started to get heated again. "Damnit Ginny!" he shouted to her. "What good am I if I can't protect those who mean the most to me?!" He finished his rant looking into her eyes.
Ginny waited for Harry to be finished knowing he needed to let his anger out. If he kept it bottled inside he was going to explode later on and that wouldn't help anyone right now, especially Hermione. "Harry," Ginny said, grabbing his face in her hands making him focus on her. "Tell me exactly what happened," She said. Hermione was her best friend as well and she needed to know how to help. After Harry recounted the events to Ginny she nodded. Seeing him start to calm as he told her. the story, knowing it was helping him process things.
"Ginny, I have to call an emergency meeting. She hasn't been gone long. If we hurry maybe we can find her quickly." Harry said, Ginny nodding at him in agreement. "I'll floo to Mums and have her watch James, I'll be there as soon as I can." With that she gave him a kiss and went upstairs to grab the 1 year old miniature Harry.
Taking a deep breath and finding a happy memory Harry said "Expecto Patronum!", Suddenly a silver stag erupted from the end of his wand. The creature looked around for the threat it thought it was there to distinguish. "Not this time boy," Harry said "I need you to take a message to the team. Emergency Meeting - Meet in the war room" The stag nodded and was off, galping form the room to deliver the message. Harry saw Ginny come down stairs with James and he let himself smile. Going over to her he kissed his son's head and then her lips. "See you soon," He said as he disapperated.
It hadn't even been 20 minutes before the entire team had arrived in the War Room. It had been about 4 years since the battle of Hogwarts and he hadn't seen this much anguish in a while. Here were some of the greatest witches and wizards to know and work with, if they couldn't find her, no one could. Ginny Potter, Ronald Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Draco Malfoy all sat looking toward Harry. Suddenly Luna spoke "Is Hermione still sick? Shouldn't she be here? This seems important." With her questions came a small murmur around the room.
Harry cleared his throat drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Luna, no Hermione is not going to be coming. Actually she is the reason I have asked everyone here." Harry stopped speaking for a moment and everyone stared at him. He was met with faces of anticipation. He took a deep breath, "She has been kidnapped." Silence followed Harry's statement for the briefest of moments before everyone spouted questions.
"What?" Ron yelled.
"How?" Draco said at the same time.
"When?" Neville piped in.
"By whom?" Pansy followed.
"How do you know?" Blaise asked.
Then a sudden booming voice from the Minister Of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, was heard "Silence!" Immediately the group went quiet. Kingsley turned to Harry, "Potter please explain?" He asked. Harry nodded and began to tell the story of Lucius and the kidnapping. As he finished the story of Hermione's abduction, a tired looking brown owl landed on the table. It held out it's leg to Harry and he noticed the familiar handwriting of Hermione on the outside of the letter.
To: Harry James Potter
From: Hermione Jean Granger
Harry untied the letter from the owl's leg and it flew off. Harry looked at the letter unsure of what to do with it for a moment. Then with shaking hands he held the letter at arm's length and muttered detection spells under his breath. There was nothing in the letter that would harm them so, With a deep breath and trembling fingers Harry opened the letter and read it aloud.
To My Team, My Friends, My Family -
As you are most likely aware I was taken from my home. My abductor has granted me the privilege of writing a letter to say my goodbyes, Guess there is some decency left in the world, hey Harry. Harry you are my best friend, my first friend, and I will never forget the times we shared. Remember you may not have all the answers but you are smarter than you realize. Your heart and instincts are your best weapon and don't ever forget that. Luna, you are brilliant, don't forget to keep your friends close or you may lose your spark. I am keeping the narggles at bay with the love I have been shown by you. Ron, we have had many adventures together, whether good or bad I will miss them. Keep your spirits high. Ginny, keep looking forward no matter what the world throws at you. Keep your courage up and be the fierce person that believes in good as you always have. Hug James for me and be the rock Harry and he will need. Neville, you have grown so much since the boy with the toad to the person you are today. Continue to be true to yourself and continue to do good. Your Gran would have been very proud of you. Minister Shacklebolt, Kingsley, It has been a pleasure fighting beside you all these years. Please continue to make the world a better place. Pansy, Blaise, we have had our good and bad times that's for sure. But I wanted to thank you for becoming my friends. We came from different origins but our goals have become the same. I wouldn't have been able to do what I had done without your help. Draco, you have changed so much and I couldn't be prouder. I will always be grateful for the knowledge that you have given me. I will never, ever admit this aloud but you were right Silver, Green, Gold, Red, Blue, and Yellow Can mix in unity. Keep teaching everyone that your past doesn't define you, but your actions shape your being. Thank you all for being my family. Helping me to grow and live life to the fullest. Please remember that whatever may happen, this is no-one's fault. Make sure you all keep fighting and keep living. Goodbye!
With all of my heart,
Love,
Hermione Jean Granger
~Hermione's POV~
Hermione awoke in a strange yet very familiar place. The more she looked around the room the more familiar it became. The broken chandelier that Dobby sent hurling to the ground was still on the floor in shambles. The two tall doors leading into the dining room had many holes from the curses that had been thrown at them. And As she looked at the floor she noticed a stain. Not just any stain, but a blood stain. This was her blood stain that she had been forced to make a few years ago. She was staring at the spot where Bellatrix had pinned her to the floor and called her a dirty mudblood. Hermione was starting to hyperventilate, she hadn't been in this house since the night of her escape. Her breath quickened as she was pulled into the nightmares she had worked so hard to forget.
*Flashback*
"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix said in a blood thirsty scream.
"We weren't in the vault we found the sword, it's a fake, it's a fake!" Hermione screamed tears in her eyes.
Bellatrix pinned Hermione to the ground and took out a very lethal looking dagger. She began to cut into Hermione's arm. The pain was unbearable and Hermione cried out loudly. After many long minutes Bellatrix removed herself from Hermione. Written on her arm was the word Mudblood.
"Now everyone will know what filth you are." Bellatrix said raising her wand pointing it at Hermione "Crucio!"
*End Flashback*
Hermione was taking deep breaths and rubbing her arm where the scar still remained, left by Bellatrix. When the doors from the Dining room opened.
"Aw, you're awake." A figure said, they stood standing in a dark corner where Hermione wasn't able to see them. "What do you want from me?, Why am I here?" Hermione asked. "You," The figure said as they stepped out of the shadows. Hermione's jaw hit the floor, Lucius Malfoy. "have caused me a great deal of trouble. Potter wouldn't have defeated the Dark Lord if you hadn't helped him. As to why you are here, that is because for my plan you are required." Lucius finished.
Hermione was worried. What could he possibly want with her? "First I want you to write a letter to Potter and all your friends. In this letter you will tell them goodbye, and if they do find you it will be a reminder to them of their failure." He threw parchment and a quill at her. "Now write".
When she had finished Lucius took the letter and read it. His eyes turned cold. "My son has been filling your head with dribble, we are not unified and never will be. It is a bit sentimental for my liking but I think it will do nicely for all intended purposes." With that Lucius sent the letter off with an owl and turned to her. "Curico!". Hermione felt herself fall back into the place of nightmares then it stopped and Lucius was gone. She was very exhausted and lay on the floor breathing deeply. She pulled the pendent out from the inside of her shirt and looked at it. It was glowing green. She smiled and whispered " you're safe," before the darkness of unconscious overtook her