Bellatrix meditated in her cell, full of another bowl of warm broth and toast, and she took advantage of the quiet. Focusing on her breathing, Bellatrix pulled up a memory that set into motion the last several years. The day she and Rayna walked alone through the gardens while Calliope had lessons with her father.

"Tell me of your relationship with your husband," Rayna said.

"If there's a way to get out of it, I would take it in a heartbeat. He is everything I don't want in a lover."

"And what do you want?" Rayna asked.

"I desire someone strong and intelligent. Someone brave. But I desire someone who will love me unconditionally and who will let me do the same. Someone who understands me and has trust in me."

Rayna stopped and turned to her. "Would you kill for Calliope?"

"I would."

Bellatrix blinked at the abruptness of her answer.

"It is strange, yes?" Rayna asked. "To be bound to someone?"

"Very."

"As time goes on, you will see why Fate placed you in her path just as she will see the same. I expect you to treat her as if she is the only thing that matters in the future."

"What about my husband?" she asked.

"The day will come where your husband will fall by the hand of the one he hurt the most, and I can assure you it will not be you."

"How do you know-"

"I know everything that will come and nothing at all," Rayna interrupted. "One day, you will have to make a choice that will cost you more than you can ever be prepared to lose. I cannot tell you the who or the why, but you must give me your word here and now that you will choose her. Regardless of the cost."

"I will."

"You have made your promise, Miss Black. I expect you to keep it."


Dan and Hermione hunched over a notebook, Dan's pen moving rapidly, and Hermione kept up with every line, scratch-out, and circle. When he finished, Dan ripped the page out and passed it to her.

"Follow this, and you will pretty much have success."

Hermione smiled and took the page. She called out, "Pimsy."

The elf appeared just as Dan took a sip of coffee. He choked, and Jean smacked him on the back.

"Yes, Mistress Lady?"

"Take this to Selene, please, only if she is alone. If not, deliver it to Draco."

"Yes, Mistress Lady."

"Oh, and make sure my father takes his potions on time, please."

"Very well, Mistress Lady. Can Pimsy help Mistress Lady with anything else?"

"Not at this moment."

Pimsy bowed and disappeared.

"God. You could've given me a warning," Dan huffed.

"Where would be the fun in that?"

The phone rang. Hermione winked at Dan before she walked to the phone. She cleared her throat and answered, "Granger Residence, this is Hermione speaking. May I ask who is calling?"

"Wotcher Hermione!"

"Tonks?"

"Yeah, one second."

There was a shuffle in the background, and Hermione glanced at her nails. She needed to get them done at some point.

"Mione?"

"Hello, Harry."

"Ron wants to know if he and Ginny can come too."

"One moment. I need to ask my Mum and Dad." Hermione put the call on mute. She counted down to ten before she took off mute and said, "They said yes."

"Awesome! See you then!"

The phone switched back to Tonks. There was the sound of a door shutting, and Tonks sighed, "Mad-Eye found me in Diagon Alley. He volunteered my services to babysit due to some meeting."

"Lovely. Be seeing you."

"Be seeing you."


Luna sucked on a lollipop as she read the letter Hermione sent by way of Pimsy. Pimsy was a sweet elf with a dark streak. Much better than that nuisance that clung to 'the great Harry Potter.'

"Darling, your face will get stuck like that."

Luna glanced at her father. "It will not," she said.

"How do you think I ended up like this?" he asked.

Luna laughed and showed her father the letter.

"You think this will work? My German is a little rusty, but I think I understand enough of it."

Her father looked over the document and scratched at the stubble on his jaw. "Maybe. I won't know for sure unless we visit the town," he said.

"We have to run this by-

"I know, I know. Where is she?"

"Home."

"Home?"

"The other one."

"Let's get lunch and wait until tonight to contact her," he said.


Tom walked the gardens. He ran his finger along with the flowers, a sad smile on his face, and he lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes.

"There you are. I have been looking all over for you," Narcissa huffed.

"I thought you were out with your sister?" he asked.

"Mad-Eye interrupted. I swear the man can use that eye to look through clothes. I felt so exposed," Narcissa said with a shudder.

"Rayna used to say the same thing."

Tom put his hands behind his back and headed in the direction of the manor.

"Are you sure she's ready for this?" Narcissa asked hesitantly.

"I am. She has her mother's spirit."

Narcissa looked down at the ground briefly. She cleared her throat and said, "Lucius has been preparing Draco for similar things. Their talks late at night in his study, Draco's red eyes at the end. I know my husband can be tough, but he loves Draco. He wants his son to succeed, but the Malfoys aren't usually known for their-

"Emotions," Tom finished with a smile.

"Yes."

"I believe our children, and Luna, will be fine. I think they can change this world whether it wants to or not. But I am worried about the Headmaster. He knows how to get to you, he takes what you love, and then when you are at your lowest point, he takes it again. He fights dirtier than any Dark Lord."

"And my sister?" she asked.

"Your sister holds more than my daughter's heart in her hands. She is powerful, and the two of them together scare me in a good way. A simple stunner from either of them at full power could be as lethal as the Avada."

"You think so?"

"Indeed."

Narcissa brushed off her robes and clasped her hands in front of her. She asked, "How are you today?"

"Tis but another day."

Narcissa got the hint and changed the subject. "Have you any thoughts on what you want for lunch?" she asked.

"I have a craving for red meat and potatoes," he said. "With a slice of pie and ice cream for dessert."

"You will have a steak salad with mashed sweet potatoes and a fruit tart for dessert."

"As you wish, Cissy."

They smiled and continued their walk in silence.


Hermione rested her head against the bathroom mirror and exhaled softly. She could hear Harry, Ron, and Ginny downstairs laughing. Tonks was a welcome relief, but her cousin could only do so much without giving anything away. Hermione Granger wasn't supposed to be close to anyone but Harry and Ron. They were the Golden Trio. Hermione was a bookish know-it-all with wild hair and an obsession with following the rules without the two of them. "Doing the right thing" was her thing, even if the "right thing" was sometimes wrong. Hermione Granger was the source for all things research. Still, when it came down to the fighting, she should step back and let Harry Fucking Potter take over because he was the godforsaken Chosen One.

If all it took to be the Chosen One was to lose a parent or two, then she, Neville, and Luna were all fucking candidates. Hermione dug her nails into her palm. There was a knock on the door.

"Hermione?" Jean called out.

"Come in."

Jean opened the door and entered the bathroom. She closed it behind her and sighed, "I forgot too."

"Every year, it brings with it a different emotion. But, this is the first where all I feel is numb," Hermione said.

"She never liked celebrating her birthday anyway."

"No, but she loved the gifts."

Jean chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "I would disinfect your cuts before you come down. I'll buy you a few minutes," she said.

"Thank you."

Jean nodded and exited the bathroom. Hermione washed the blood from her hands and bent down. She rummaged through the cabinet for the rubbing alcohol and poured the bottle over her hands. The sting was a welcome distraction from her thoughts. Hermione watched the pink swirl down the drain before she collected herself and dried her hands. She opened the door just as Tonks appeared in the hall.

"You alright?" she asked.

"All good."

"Okay. They want to go to the park."

Hermione nodded and followed Tonks into the living room. Her cousin squeezed her arm.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Tis but another day."


Luna and her father strolled hand-in-hand down Diagon Alley, full of food and butterbeer. They garnered strange looks as usual, but Luna couldn't figure out if it was because her father had on mix-matched shoes or because she wore bottlecap earrings. It could've easily been both.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Ah. You know. Nothing but another day."

"You were like that once upon a time."

"I still am."

Her father hummed and twirled her around. Luna let herself smile.

"How are you and that boy doing?"

"Please stop calling him that," she laughed. "He has a name."

"Can't say it out loud, now can I?"

"We're good. More than good."

Her father scrunched his face. "I hope you mean that in a non-intimate sense. I should warn you I've been practicing the "talk.""

"I know the rules and regulations."

"Oh, good. I was afraid you would be confused where things go."

Luna giggled and poked him in the side. "Come on, let's head back and sketch everything out," she said.


He snuck through the yard carefully. He was there to place the wards, nothing more, nothing less. Ensure the Order can monitor who enters and who leaves, monitor magical signatures, and record them. They were muggles, unsuspecting. In and Out. It's why Harry and the others were there. That was the plan the entire time. They were a distraction. Get Hermione out of the house. Keep her busy. Simple. It worked better than they thought. He walked out onto the grass and made his way along the back, but before he could put anything down, he noticed a strange red stone hidden in the bushes. He got closer to it, and it started to glow. His eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh fuck," he muttered.

A bolt of red lightning struck him in the chest, and he collapsed. Paralyzed. A pair of brown sandals exited the house and hurried toward him. A warm hand was placed on his back, then his neck, and someone clicked their teeth.

"You should have never come here," they whispered.


Dan was grateful for the trees around their house as he picked up the redheaded stranger in his backyard. When Jean felt the stone activate, his first thought was grabbing his gun, but Jean reassured him that the magic would work. Moments later, his wife came back into the house with a frustrated look on her face.

"Redhead. Freckles. Must be a Weasley," she murmured.

"I'll go get him," Dan said.

And so he did. Dan carried the body into the house and shut the door.

"I get the feeling this playdate wasn't so random," she said.

"Same. But can you-

"Pimsy," Jean called out.

The elf appeared and looked around before she bowed at Jean. "Hello, Lady Jeanie," she greeted.

"Hi, Pimsy. I'm sorry to bother you, but can you take this body to the dungeons? He was sneaking around, and we don't want anyone knowing we found him. So please tell the others that he is there."

"As you wish, Lady Jeanie."

Pimsy put her hand on the body, and both she and the redhead disappeared into thin air. Jean opened the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of whisky. She smiled a little and shook her head.

"She is not going to be happy."


While they were in the park, Hermione sat with Ginny at the bench while Harry and Ron chased each other through the grass. Tonks was somewhere around. Hermione couldn't shake that they were trying to delay her. Each time she mentioned going somewhere else, Harry or Ron would quickly tell her they wanted to stay in the park.

"Okay. Enough. What's going on?" Hermione asked Ginny. "Why are you guys really here?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, nervous.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, and Ginny chewed on her lip before she deflated.

"At first, we thought it was a regular playdate, but we overheard my Mom talking to our Dad and Professor McGonagall. There's been a growing belief that the Death Eaters would come after all of us. Since you refused to come to the Burrow this summer, the Order had used this time to give you a sort of security system at your house," she confessed.

Hermione blinked once, then twice, and finally, she said, "What do you mean by security system?"

"Monitoring wards and whatnot," Ginny muttered.

Hermione twitched under the table and said, "You cannot be serious."

"Harry and Ron were actually okay with the plan, but I told them you would be upset! I knew you'd see through it," Ginny huffed.

"Upset is an understatement," Hermione hissed. "My parents are muggle. I try hard to keep that life and this life separate. So whose idea was it?"

"Um. Mostly the adults, it sounds like. Snape seemed to be the only one against it."

"Did Tonks know?"

"No. She was only supposed to bring us here."

"I see."

Ginny lunged forward and grabbed her wrist. "Please don't be upset. It was for your protection," she said.

Hermione knew Ginny believed that but also knew that someone in that group did more than put monitoring wards around her home. Then Hermione remembered the stone in her backyard. She cursed under her breath. But before she could think too much about it, Tonks appeared out of nowhere, phone in hand.

"Sorry to interrupt," Tonks said. "But your Dad just called. So we need to go back."

Hermione, under the belief of panic, ran ahead of the others. Harry, Ginny, and Ron shouted for her to stop, but she couldn't and wouldn't. Tonks easily caught up with her. When they got to the house, Hermione kicked open the door. She went for her wand, and a spell was on the tip of her tongue, but Tonks lowered her arm and kept her from hurting Dan. Dan smiled apologetically at her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sound so urgent over the phone," he said.

"Dad?" she panted. "What's the emergency?"

"It is a family situation," he said, emphasizing the word family.

Hermione stiffed and glanced at Tonks. The moment ended with Ginny, Harry, and Ron caught up.

"Bloody hell, Hermione. When'd you learn to run so fast?" Ron panted.

Tonks cleared her throat and said, "Sorry, guys. But the playdate is over."

"What? No!" Harry exclaimed, nervous. "We have to stay!"

Hermione ignored him and said, "I already know about the damn security system."

"Ginny!" Ron scolded.

"Do not be upset with her, Ronald. I told you all I did not want it," she hissed. Hermione collected herself and added, "But we can talk about it later. There is a family situation that I need to take care of, so you guys should go."

Harry, Ginny, and Ron groaned but agreed. Hermione gave them all hugs, and Tonks led them out the front door. Hermione waited until they were down the street before she turned to Dan expectantly.

"We have a problem," he said.

Hermione frowned.


Tom and Lucius stood side by side in the dungeon. When Pimsy arrived and told them that she'd placed a body in the dungeon, Tom was confused. His confusion grew when he and Lucius came down to find none other than Bill Weasley unconscious on the ground. They had him stripped down to his underwear and chained to the floor by his ankles. The duo turned in unison as Hermione stomped down the stairs with blazing red eyes and her wand in hand. Tom and Lucius backed away as she stopped in front of the cell.

"Jean and Dan are in the guest wing. They will be staying here for the foreseeable future."

"Understood. What do you want to do about-"

Hermione shot a stream of water at Bill, cutting off Tom's question. Bill woke with a gasp and scrambled to his feet but couldn't go far because of the chain. Bill looked down, then looked up, and he froze in fear and shock as he noticed Hermione. Or the real version of her. Tom and Lucius remained in the shadows.

"W-who are you?" he stammered.

Hermione flicked open the cell and paced in slow circles. Finally, she smiled and said, "Hello, Bill. So nice to see you again after all this time."

"I d-don't- who are you!"

"Ah. Right. I forgot."

Hermione waved her free hand over her face. Bill paled once her glamour settled into place, and she did a little curtsy. Then, a Bellatrix-Esque cackle left her lips, and she removed the glamour again. Bill moved back whenever she moved closer, and Hermione tsk-ed.

"I will ask you this question only once, and it will determine how I return your body to your mother." Hermione raised her wand and scowled. "Why the hell were you really at my house?"