Hermione sat against her wall and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
"Please don't go!"
Her eyes glazed over as she lost herself in the memories.
"I am sorry, my love, but I need to go."
"Daddy, please don't leave me!"
"I will be back. I promise, Calliope. I will be back."
"Can I come in?"
Hermione blinked and turned to the door. Jean waved, and Hermione nodded. Jean came in and sat down on the bed. She twisted so that they faced each other.
"You barely ate at dinner. Dan and I were worried."
"Wasn't that hungry, I guess."
"Is this about Tom?"
"Don't-
"Andy sent me a letter, asking me to check on you. Cissy as well."
"Why do I have so many intrusive Aunts?"
"Because your mother threatened us with bodily harm if we ever let something happen to you or if we ignored warning signs like not eating dinner or coming home smelling like weed. I like to think that threat goes beyond the grave."
Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "I smoked one time, and you refuse to let it go."
"Don't change the subject. You're very much so not okay. At least admit that out loud. You don't have to tell me if it's about Tom or Raven, but please, for both of our sakes, admit you're not okay."
"Of course I'm not! My father is alive again. And all I ask from you guys is one fucking weekend to let me work through this, but no. I keep getting pushed and prodded and examined. I'm angry, okay? Tom left me. He chose revenge over me. Why is no one understanding that?"
"It isn't a lack of understanding, Calliope," Jean said, using her real name for emphasis.
"Then what is it?"
"Do you even know why he was there in the first place?"
"To kill Lily and James."
"No. Your father went there that night because Lily was your godmother."
"What? No, Apolline is my godmother."
Jean chuckled humorlessly and said, "She wasn't originally. Lily was Rayna's first choice. Despite me, Severus, and Lucius saying it was a bad idea, your mother did it anyway. Lily was the only other person who knew you existed outside of the family, so your father went there that night for answers. We later discovered Lily told James, who told Sirius, and the rest you can figure out. Your father only wanted to know why she would break Rayna's trust. He had always planned on coming back."
Hermione clenched her jaw and looked down. She didn't know how to respond. Lily was her godmother? Why? Jean patted her leg before she stood.
"I know that was a lot to take in, so I will leave you to it. But I want you to know that sometimes, you get so caught up in the fact you lost your mother that you forget I lost my sister, and your Dad lost a wife. He lost his best friend, and he made a mistake out of desperation. He needed to know why it happened, just like I did. But instead of screaming at God for a year, your father went to the one person he felt knew the truth, and it cost him his life for almost a decade. I get why you're angry. We all do. But be angry for the right reasons."
Hermione felt her eyes burn as the door closed behind Jean's exit. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She stared again at her reflection, and the image blurred until she couldn't recognize herself anymore.
Draco finished pouring the tea before he realized he and Luna weren't alone. Luna spread honey and cinnamon on his toast without ever lifting her head, but he knew she was aware of their visitor.
"Uh, hi?" he greeted.
"Hello."
"I didn't hear you come in."
"That was the point."
Draco gestured to the kettle. "Tea?" he offered.
"No. I need a bath. A real bath."
"Your room has been cleaned, and I filled your closet," Luna said. "And I brought a new bottle of lavender for you. It's in your bathroom."
"Thank you."
Luna nodded. Hermione smiled tiredly at Draco before she left the kitchen. He turned to Luna and narrowed his eyes.
"You knew she was coming."
"I did."
"Does she know there's a meeting happening at the moment?"
"I would assume so. If not, she will soon enough."
Hermione jogged up the stairs, ignoring the conversations coming from the living room, and made her way to her bedroom. She closed, locked, and warded the door. She stripped out of her clothes and left them outside of her bathroom. Hermione flicked her wrist at the tub, and it began to fill with water. She added the lavender, and the scent spread into the room. Once the tub was full, Hermione turned off the water and stepped inside. Something heavy settled in the back of her mind, and she channeled her magic. She ducked under the water and found herself in Azkaban, where she noticed Bellatrix in the corner. Hermione knelt down in her astral state and grimaced at the cold concrete on her knees.
"Raven?" she called out softly.
Bellatrix lifted her head, and Hermione smiled as Bellatrix crawled toward her. She tried not to look at the bones protruding from her body or the paleness of her skin. She instead focused on Bellatrix's eyes. The same eyes that shone no matter how weak the body became.
"You're here," Bellatrix said weakly.
"Of course. You called for me."
"I didn't think you would come."
"No matter where I am, I will always come to you," Hermione said.
The smile on Bellatrix's face grew. Hermione reached out her hand, placing it against Bellatrix's chest, and she poured as much love as she could into her magic, knowing Bellatrix would feel it.
"Please hold on a little longer," she whispered.
Bellatrix gave a small smile, and Hermione felt her magic fade. She opened her eyes under the water, and her mirror cracked as she screamed in frustration. She rose out of the water and took several deep breaths. She reigned in her magic before washing away what was left of Hogwarts. When she finished, she exited the bathroom, halfheartedly waving her hand at the mirror to repair it. She padded through her room and opened her closet. Her eyes landed on a familiar dress.
Downstairs, Tom, in full Voldemort attire, lifted his head. His heart raced when he recognized his daughter's magic. He smiled to himself and returned his attention to the meeting. His daughter would make an appearance soon enough. Everyone was under the impression he was the one to worry about, but the real threat lay with his daughter.
Calliope - Hermione – whichever name she chose was more dangerous than people knew. She had plans for the Wizarding World, plans that were eerily like his wife's, and he knew she would take the throne once the time was right, and that was fine by him. Tom prepared himself as her magic grew closer. Suddenly, the front doors swung open. All conversations ceased.
Hermione looked every bit of a Dark Lady. In fact, she looked liked Bellatrix, minus the corset. The black dress brushed against the floor as her heels echoed in the room. She'd put her curls in a high ponytail with dramatic red lipstick that made her red eyes shine even brighter. He swallowed as she got closer. Tom was no fool. He knew his daughter was angry with him, but she simply stopped at his chair and waited. Tom got the hint and rose from his seat. He pulled it out for her and waited until she sat down. Lucius offered his seat. Tom muttered thanks as he sat, and Lucius took place behind him. Hermione sighed as she got comfortable. The doors opened again, and Draco entered the room with Luna in tow. Draco stood on Hermione's left while Luna stood by Draco. The spot at Hermione's right was glaringly open, and he knew who it was reserved for.
"Who the hell are you?" Fenrir scowled.
Hermione turned to Fenrir and said, "You can call me Mommy if you want. I'll even milk you."
Lucius groaned behind him, and Tom pursed his lips. When Draco and Cissy warned him that his daughter had a way with words, he assumed something completely different.
"Do werewolves milk?" Draco faux-whispered.
"We can always find out," Luna snickered.
"The fuck is going on here? I don't like games!" Fenrir shouted.
"Not even fetch? No matter. My name is Calliope Gauthier, and I will be your new leader. Give or take a few weeks."
As expected, several men exploded in anger. The women were hesitant but amused. Tom flicked his wrist and silenced those still screaming. His daughter inclined her head in thanks before she stood.
"I will make this quick as I have little patience to deal with your fragile masculinities today," she said. "A healthy majority of you will leave here today with your heart beating in your chest."
"Just who the fuck do you think you are bitch?" Fenrir spat.
"My, my. You are quite aggressive today. Have you eaten?"
"I didn't sign up to follow no woman into war," he growled. "And I sure as hell ain't doing so now."
"You should really learn to not interrupt. Regardless, this makes my next statement a lot easier to understand. Fenrir, I no longer require you or your services."
"What, you gonna kill me?" he growled.
"Of course." Hermione pointed her finger at the werewolf. "Levicorpus."
Fenrir rose from the ground until his back hit the ceiling of Malfoy manor.
"Put me down, you bitch!" he roared.
"If you insist."
Tom watched with wide eyes as his Fenrir fell and hit the floor face first. He knew the werewolf couldn't die from the impact, but it would hurt. Fenrir groaned in pain and got to his feet. Hermione pointed at him again, and Fenrir rose back to the ceiling. She placed a sticking charm on him.
"Enjoying the view?" she teased.
All eyes looked at the werewolf as blood dripped onto the tablecloth. Tom had no idea where she was going, but he was curious. And impressed. Once it seemed Hermione was satisfied with Fenrir's positioning, his daughter put her hands on her hips.
"Pimsy?" she called out.
The elf appeared and bowed, her floppy ears brushing against the floor. "Yes, Mistress Lady?"
"I need three silver knives. Make sure they are extremely sharp."
Pimsy snapped her fingers, and a set of knives appeared on the table. Fenrir roared something intelligible and tried to shift while on the ceiling. Hermione looked up in exasperation. She waved her hand, and he went silent.
"Honestly. I am in the middle of a conversation."
Tom could not fathom that the little girl that used to scream at the sight of spiders had become a teenager with the same sanity as Bellatrix. Then again, it makes sense in context.
"Is this all, Mistress Lady?" Pimsy asked.
"Will you make me one of your sandwiches? The one with honey and bacon?"
"Of course, Mistress Lady."
"Thank you. You may go now."
Pimsy vanished from the room, and Hermione gestured to the knives on the table.
"Anyone up for a game of toss?" she asked.
"You have a plan for the wolves then?" Tom asked.
"Clearly."
Tom winced at the tone and rose from his seat. He grabbed a knife. Lucius and Draco grabbed the other two. Many Death Eaters were silent, torn between fear and confusion, and Hermione ran her finger down the edge of the knife. She licked away the blood on her finger and threw the knife upward without looking. It embedded itself in Fenrir's stomach, and the werewolf cried out. Lucius's knife ended up in Fenrir's shoulder, and Draco aimed for the neck. Fenrir choked on his blood, and Hermione formed a gun with her fingers and pretended to shoot him. Fenrir's body crashed to the floor. And if he wasn't dead from the knives, Tom believed he was most certainly dead after that.
Hermione sniffed at Fenrir's body and looked at the Death Eaters. She glanced at Tom before she waved her hand. The eyes of the Death Eaters glazed over, and Hermione ducked behind Lucius. Tom knew it was his turn again, and he snapped his fingers impatiently. The Death Eaters returned to life and glanced around.
"Why are you all still here?" Tom huffed.
They scrambled to their feet in confusion.
"Leave me!"
One by one, they apparated out of the manor. Hermione watched her father as he removed his glamour. The snake-like appearance transformed into a semi-healthy middle-aged man. His red eyes were the only thing he couldn't change. Hermione stepped up to him and glared at him.
"Tom," she greeted.
"Hermione," he said warily.
"I hate you."
Tom nodded. "I know," he said.
"Good." Hermione threw her arms around him and exhaled. "But I missed you," she whispered.
Tom kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm so sorry."
"Later," she murmured.
Hermione squeezed his waist and pulled away. Tom and Hermione faced the table where Severus remained as he was unaffected by Hermione's spell.
"Are you alright, Uncle Sev?"
"I seem to crave the stability Bellatrix brings to these meetings," he mused.
"Let no one say you have no sense of humor," Lucius said.
"Hey! Bella is sane," Hermione said defensively. "Sort of," she added.
"After that display, I would imagine Bellatrix is not the one we should worry about," Severus said.
"She never has been," Luna said wryly.
"Can I ask why you obliviated them?" Draco asked.
"I do not trust any of them not to run and tell someone what they saw."
Narcissa chose that time to enter the room with Andromeda, Ted, and Tonks. The four glanced at the floor in unison. Hermione winced, already prepared for what's to come.
"Hermione!" Narcissa hissed. "Or Calliope, whatever name you are going by in this moment, why is there a dead werewolf on my carpet?"
"I was hoping to have it cleaned up before you got here."
"Fix. It. Now."
Hermione pointed at the body, and within seconds, Fenrir's body was gone, and the room was spotless once more.
"Dare I ask where you sent him?" Lucius sighed.
"The Burrow."
"Such a lovely and thoughtful present," Luna said.
"Thank you." Hermione rubbed her stomach. "I hope that sandwich is done," she said.
"You wouldn't be talking about a bacon and honey sandwich, would you?" Tonks asked hesitantly.
Hermione blinked and exclaimed, "You motherfucker!"
"Language," Narcissa sighed.
"Mom and Dad had a piece too!" Tonks blurted.
"Traitor," Andromeda huffed.
Hermione threw her arms into the air. "I cannot believe this! You know I only eat those when I am home!" she exclaimed.
"I didn't know you were here! You said you weren't coming this weekend."
Hermione cast a stinging hex at Tonks. Tonks sent one back but hit Draco instead. Draco glared at Tonks, who held up her hands.
"Now, hold on. That was a mistake, cousin."
"Yes, but mine won't be," Draco seethed, pulling out his wand.
Luna clapped and said, "Oh, I love it when we duel. What are the rules?"
"No illegals, no permanent damage, everything else goes?" Hermione suggested.
"I thought we were going to have a nice family lunch?" Tom asked.
"Normal is overrated. Plus, this happens all the time," Hermione said dismissively.
Tom glanced at Lucius and Narcissa, who both nodded, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sat down while Lucius walked away. The other four joined him when Lucius returned with a tray full of glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey. Hermione, Draco, and Luna ran after Tonks, and there was shouting throughout the house. The adults sat in silence, drinking and waiting for the duel to end.