Chapter 7
"Hermione think of Severus. Use your feelings as a guide. It will tell you what to do. Think only of your love for him and his for you. Let it fill you and bind you both together. You're giving him an anchor to stay in this world. Give it all you have. Pull from your core and his to give you both strength. There is nothing stronger in this universe than love. They will try to stop you, distract you. Stay focused and keep breathing. I will deal with Bellatrix." She was so focused on their love she began to glow. It is a powerful force of nature and not to be denied. Creatures of darkness run from such a light. "Yes Hermione, well done. Stay focused. It will protect you both."
Now to deal with them. It didn't take long to realize the others helping Bellatrix were only there because she had captured them to do her bidding. Once her hold was in question they started to flee Hermione's light. Bellatrix was a black hole in the middle of it. I could hear her deranged kind of laughter. "Mine! Mine! You can't have him back. I will avenge my love, the Dark Lord. The traitor will pay with his woman's life. You can't stop me! She will die slowly, strangling in his hands until the life leaves her eyes. I shall make him watch what he did to her, over and over. He will live in agony until he goes insane." Her laughter again filled my mind.
"Bellatrix." I said softly "Listen to me. You are causing yourself harm holding on to a life that is over. You must let go of your anger and move on. Only then will you find peace."
A shrieking scream that chilled my blood echoed in my mind. "YOU LIE! What do I care for peace. I thirst only for revenge so that I may be worthy of my Lord."
Bellatrix was a strong witch. I could not reach her on this plane. I had to go to her world and show her what to do. After checking on Severus and Hermione I prepared to go to the next level. All things have a soul of sorts. Rocks, tree's, mountains. Everything has an electromagnetic field generated by the atoms that create it. I must pull on that power now to reach her. It is a risk. Those who do, do not always come back. I centered myself and pulled on the core of the earth itself.
I opened my eyes to a hellish landscape of death and destruction. A manifestation of Bellatrix's mind. In front of me was a maelstrom of white light. Behind me was Bellatrix, who promptly struck me in the head and pushed me to the edge of the whirling light. I fell before it dizzy and disoriented, her foul voice in my ear. "I was going to have Severus kill you too. But it's so much better to be able to do it myself you interfering bitch!" She was strong as only the insane can be. I struggled against her but in the end she lifted me as if I were a twig to push me through, when another voice was heard.
"Bellatrix stop. She's not the one you want. I am." It was Hermione. How did she get here?
"Hermione stay back, don't get close to the light."
"It's okay Lydia. Severus has recovered so I followed you."
Bellatrix pushed me to the ground and walked toward her. They began to circle one another. "Yes Bella, I'm the one you want. The mudblood who defied the Dark Lord. The one who destroyed his Horcrux. The one Severus loves."
Bella was drawn to her like a zombie. The terrifying expression on her face would have chilled the soul of a demon. Hermione kept her attention while I recovered. Suddenly they stopped with Hermione in front of the light.
Bella began talking like a baby. "Poor widdle Hermikins. You won't live long enough to birth that brat in your belly." She laughed that obscene cackle. "Sevie will be so sad that he killed his son when you die. I can't wait to tell him. To see the light of reason leave his eyes." She was inching her way toward Hermione, smiling like a viper.
"Bellatrix." I was behind her now, and she turned to meet me. "You were abused beyond tolerance and it has scarred your soul. But you don't have to be in pain anymore. Peace and forgetfulness lie in the light. Those who love you are waiting for you there. They will help you to find the balance you need to move on. Please, forget your past and walk into the light. Let it sooth and heal you." Bella screamed again and moved to come at me with claws and teeth like an animal.
The last thing I heard was her horrible laughter as Hermione grabbed her from behind and jumped through the gate. The concussion wave of their impact caused me to lose my concentration and broke the spell. I found myself on the couch holding Hermione's hands. I looked up to see her fall like a rag doll. There was nothing I could do. Once through the veil you can not be retrieved.
Severus was there and caught her before her lifeless body fell to the floor. He looked to me for answers. "Call to her Severus. Keep calling. Only you can reach her now. Give it all the love in your heart and call for her." I knew it was no use, but I needed to give him hope. To give me hope.
oopOqoo
The smell of books in the air was like perfume. Hermione was sitting in a comfortable chair in the largest library she had ever seen. Long aisles of books, that stretched past where you could see, radiated from the central lobby where she was seated. A gentle light pervaded everything. It was calm and peaceful. She stood to look at the titles, marveling at the sheer number of them.
"Do you want to stay and read them Hermione? You can if you want to." She turned around to see Albus Dumbledore smiling with an open book in his hand. The familiar face and twinkle in his eyes.
"Where am I sir? How did I get here? What happened to Bellatrix?"
He chuckled. "Albus, please. Questions, questions. You really do have to know everything don't you? Well the answers are, One. You are in a library. The biggest library there is. It contains all the knowledge of the universe. Two. You got yourself here, remember? You were so very brave Hermione. I'm proud of you. And three. Bellatrix has gone on to meet her destiny, like all who come through the veil. Anything else?"
"No sir." A sound started to echo through the aisles. Someone was calling her name. A sound so sweet and sad, so compelling. "Do you know who's calling you my dear?" Hermione strained to hear it. "I should, but I don't remember. It's as if my past is fading away." The voice was stronger now. "Such a sad voice. It makes me want to cry. It makes me want to comfort him."
Dumbledore smiled, "Yes. The sadness in their voices makes us want to go to them and try to ease their pain."
The voice grew stronger, now in agony. "Hermione! Please don't leave me. Come back to me. Please come back."
Hermione smiled and closed her eyes as if a warm breeze had surrounded her. "Severus."
"It sounds to me my dear, like you should return. Do you want to return?"
"Hermione! Please come back to me." The voice called out again.
"Yes sir. I want to go back. But how d…."