Beware: This is a dark story about losing the war. Death Eater aren't nice people. My warning inclues: Rape, Violence, all forms of Abuse, Major Character Death. Read at your own discretion.
Hermione was trembling. Fear, despair, anger and above all shame rocked her body. Where had it gone wrong? Only yesterday she had fought alongside Harry on the battlefield outside Hogwarts - and today she stood naked in the Malfoys' mansion. All around her, Death Eaters who no longer felt the need to hide their faces.
To her right was Harry, to her left Ron; both were naked, as were all the other students and professors who had fallen into the clutches of the Death Eaters. Only one professor was not among them: Severus Snape was in the ranks of the enemy. With an expressionless face he examined his former colleagues, let his gaze wander again and again over the exposed bodies of Hermione and her friends. But there was no time to be upset by his final betrayal, for it was at this moment that Lord Voldemort entered the great banquet hall.
Hermione felt Harry tense beside her, and suddenly she realised that they would all die within seconds. Her despair was palpable, and the question came up again: Why? What had gone wrong? Why were they standing here?
"My dear friends," the Dark Lord now spoke, "what a beautiful day it is today! Before us stands, imprisoned and humbled, the Chosen One, the hope of all Mudbloods and Muggle lovers - Harry Potter!"
Cheers broke out under the black robes, scornful shouts and insults echoed from the walls of the great hall. Only two figures seemed to remain untouched: Severus Snape did not move, only an unfathomable twitch around the corners of his mouth. And next to him, almost stiff, with a petrified expression, stood Lucius Malfoy.
But again, Hermione's attention was distracted by Voldemort's speech. "Victory is now ours! At last we can build a world as it should have existed a long time ago! Finally, no more hiding from the Muggles! From now on, they will know us! Henceforth, we, the pureblood wizards, will rule the world!"
Again, cheering was on the rise and this time a grin appeared on the face of Lucius Malfoy.
"But first, let me thank a faithful servant! Goyle, step forward!"
The massive figure of the young Goyle broke away from the crowd. His face shone with pride, in his hand he held - the wand of Harry.
"Our good Goyle, in an unseen moment, struck Potter with his own weapons! A well-aimed Expelliarmus made Goyle victor over the Chosen One," explained Voldemort. A superior, contemptuous grin appeared on his lips. "You don't know how great your service was! Thanks to you, I will soon be able to kill Potter!"
A murmur went through the room. Hermione noticed Harry clenching his fists. Did Voldemort know? Her eyes fell on Snape, whose expression had darkened considerably. Mortal fear and anxiety for her best friend were spreading. It was over. If Voldemort had found out, then Harry would die. Despairing, she looked back at Voldemort and Goyle, whose proud grin showed that he understood nothing.
"Dear Goyle, rest assured your name will go down in history. Goyle, the man who gave me, Lord Voldemort, the power to kill the Chosen One - by giving his life," announced Voldemort, pausing artfully to let his words sink in. Silence fell over the hall as everyone understood what was about to happen - everyone except Goyle himself.
"I see, Goyle, your trust in me is infinite. I am honoured by your loyalty," Lord Voldemort continued, "who would have thought that there is such a good servant in my ranks. Anyone here can take a leaf out of your book. And it is precisely because you are so loyal that I am sure you will not hold it against me for what I now intend to do, indeed, must do!
Once again, the Dark Lord paused in his speech and now there was a slight confusion on Goyle's face. But before he fully understood the meaning of his master's words, it was already too late.
"Avada Kedavra."
Lifeless, the big man sank to the ground. It was deathly quiet in the great ballroom, none of those present understood why this murder had been necessary - none except Hermione, Harry and Severus Snape. The young witch struggled with tears. It was obvious that Voldemort was not thinking of sparing Harry's life, and why should he? He had won, and the only thing missing from his final victory was the murder of his worst enemy.
"You are certainly asking yourselves now why I killed the brave Goyle," cried Voldemort over the heads of those present, "The answer to that is complicated, but so as not to stand there as a monster, I will gladly explain it to you! In my hands I hold the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand this world has ever seen. Because of an ancient magic, I was never able to kill Harry. My wand was connected to his, but I could not harm him with other wands either. Only the Elder Wand, more powerful than any other, can kill Harry Potter. But the wand only reveals its true power when you become its true owner. It has taken me a long time to fully understand the mechanism. Only my faithful servant Severus Snape gave me the answer yesterday!"
Hermione's eyes sprang up to the man he was talking to. In fact, the former headmaster nodded grimly and bowed just before his master. So that had been the trigger for this evil.
"Dumbledore had been the owner of the Elder Wand for a long time, and I thought it would be enough to remove this staff from his corpse. But I could not harness its power fully. Since Severus had killed Dumbledore a year ago, I assumed that he was the new, true owner and I could bring the wand under my control by his death. But he proved me wrong. He explained that the new owner would not be the killer of the original owner, but his conqueror. And who was it that challenged Dumbledore on top of the Astronomy Tower?"
The rhetorical question did not remain unanswered for long, for of course all Death Eaters knew the story of how Draco Malfoy had confronted Dumbledore but had not killed him.
"Exactly, young Malfoy did it! Thus, he was the new, true owner, though unaware of the existence of the Elder Wand. And fate treated me unkindly! When Harry Potter and his friends were held prisoner in this very mansion, they managed to free themselves - and Potter became the new owner through his Expelliarmus spell against Draco. When Snape disclosed this to me, I almost exploded with rage at the ungracious fate. But then came Goyle. He defeated Harry, became the new owner - and by defeating him, by his death, I am finally the ruler of the Elder Wand!"
Hermione looked around. The professors of Hogwarts and a few Death Eaters nodded, but most of those present did obviously not understood what the Dark Lord explained to them. But it did not matter, it was enough for them to know that by killing Goyle, their master would finally be able to kill Harry. Hateful glances were directed at Snape, who was not only a traitor, but had given vital information to the enemy. Severus Snape had sealed the end of Harry Potter. Everyone was aware of this, especially Hermione, who fought against tears. She was desperately looking for a way out, but she knew there was none. Harry beside her seemed calm, composed, almost serene.
"Mione," he whispered softly, "even if I die, it's not over. You can't stop fighting. As long as one of us lives, you must fight."
She nodded, but Hermione was sure that she too would not live to see the next day. Every single member of the order would die today, for then there were no more serious opponents for Voldemort.
"Harry Potter," the Dark Lord said to his arch-enemy, "you fought bravely, but you never had a chance. Dumbledore failed you with his death. You've always been cannon fodder for him. Come here, I'll save you from the misery of your life."
"Harry, no!" cried Ron and wanted to reach for his best friend, but the binding spells that surrounded them all immobilized him. Only Harry was free to go and so he stepped forward.
"My death won't change anything, Tom," Harry hurled at Voldemort, "Just like Dumbledore's death didn't change anything. There will always be those who condemn your dark world and want you dead. One day, you will fall forever."
A high, mad laugh wrenched its way down the Dark Lord's throat. "So brave to the end! Alas, you'll have no chance to test your own words!"
Hermione closed her eyes and let her tears flow. It seemed as if the whole hall held its breath while the two enemies stared at each other. The tension built up until it was almost unbearable. Seconds passed and still the death curse had not been spoken. Carefully, Hermione opened her eyes again, hoping that a miracle had happened in the meantime.
"Avada Kedavra," Voldemort's cold voice resounded, and for the second time within minutes a lifeless body fell to the ground. The Dark Lord's icy eyes burned into Hermione's tear-filled eyes. It seemed as if he was just waiting for her to look ahead again. Mockery and contempt were in his gaze and met hatred and despair in Hermione's.
Now it was really over. No matter what Harry had said, Lord Voldemort would now kill all those who might still be dangerous to him. Her, Ron, the others of the Order. Their fate was sealed, and there was nothing more they could do.