A month passed and Chandra and Hermione stood in the crowd room of requirement with the rest of Dumbledore's army. Chandra was watching Harry and his friends, while standing quietly behind Hermione. They had gotten good. Chandra slowly rubbed her forearm and bit her ring as she watched Harry coach the young witches and wizards.
Hermione looked back at her cousin. A he wasn't hiding when she left from her anymore but she didn't like to be asked questions, like she would tell her anyway. Hermione knew her cousin had always been private with her life and just resigned herself to believing she had her own things to do. But she seemed different lately.
Earlier that week Chandra came back from one of her routine disappearances twitching and limping. Besides being in obvious pain she gave Hermione a genuine smile and hugged her before going to the Hufflepuff common room that night. Hermione had shrugged it off then but today she was worried. Chandra had been just leaning against the wall and watching everyone train, completely focused on everyone around her.
Hermione went to speak to her but when she got to her the room shook. The two girls looked at each other for a moment before the quake happened once more. At this point Harry and the others had gone quiet, everyone looked around the room. Hermione gave Harry a look as a third happened.
With the third good quake the mirrored plating broke and fell from the wall behind Chandra. She backed away from it, stumbling a bit. Harry and the others inched closer and looked through a wide crack that formed in the wall. Chandra stood, listening closely.
"I'll make short work of this. Bombard Max-"
This is all Chandra had to hear before she grabbed Hermione by the collar of her shirt, practically throwing her across the room. Hermione stumbled and fell, sliding across the room as the others ran away from the wall. She looked back to see Chandra start moving just as the wall exploded.
Huge chunks of the wall struck Chandra in the back, making her fall to the ground. The debris falling on and around her. Hermione screamed and Harry ran to the pile of stone and rubble, throwing the pieces aside until Chandra was free. He looked up to see Umbridge along with Filch and Draco, who held Cho by the robes.
Chandra groaned and tried to push herself up but her vision went black and she fell hard to the floor. When she opened her eyes she was in the hospital wing. She rolled her eyes and sat up, instantly regretting it as her back erupted with pain. She groaned and gripped the blanket. Her breath went shaky and she gritted her teeth. The cold air hit her shoulder and she noticed how bad the impact was.
She looked down and saw that she had her entire torso wrapped. She could see the edge of the bloodstain that went across her back from her side. She shook her head and pushed herself out of bed. She was about to grab her shirt before she heard a voice.
"Aunt Bella wouldn't like that you got injured, you're supposed to be doing a job."
She looked at Draco with anger radiating through her body.
"Yeah like you did a good job with your part you stuck up British snob!"
"I can't control Umbridge."
She scoffed as she tried to put the shirt on, to no avail, her arms refused to function right. She could feel her shoulder blades pressing at the inflamed muscles. She threw it on the bed and carefully put her robe on over the bandages while coldy scolding Draco.
"You're a perfect example of what I like to call a follower, Draco."
He let a small blush come over him as he grew angry with the older girl. Before he could say anything a small voice came from behind him.
"Chandra, are you okay?"
They looked over to see Hermione standing in the doorway. Chandra looked at her and smiled lightly.
"I'm completely fine mione, you okay? How long was out?"
She fixed her robe and situated herself as she waited for Hermione's answer. When it didn't come she looked at her. Hermione was looking down rubbing the back of her hand. Chandra, getting worried, walked over, stopping in front of her.
"Hermione?"
"Well.. your injuries were bad. Madam Pomfrey and Umbridge saw it best to keep you under...for three days."
Chandra kept staring at Hermione's hand as she spoke. Eventually she snatched the girl's wrist and brought the hand into view. Her eyes grew dark as she saw the remnants of faint letters etched into the hand. Suddenly her spine went cold, now she knew why Draco had mentioned Bella not being happy.
"That bitch is going to die."
"Chandra you can't.
"Then go to Dumbledore.
"He's gone, when she caught us he took all responsibility. Umbridge is the Headmistress now…"
Chandra let her go and stepped back, rubbing her jaw. Hermione could see that she was flipping out. She had never been the calm type and with her unknown responsibilities, Hermione didn't know if Chandra could keep together.
"You need to calm down Chandra."
"That's cheap for you to say."
"What is that supposed to mean?
Draco watched as the girls stared at each other, Chandra glaring at the calm Hermione. She was obviously worried that Bellatrix knew she didn't stop what happened, but it wasn't Draco's place to say anything. The two continued their little match until a loud crash broke their concentration, it was followed shortly with the sound of shattering glass.
Before they knew it, the three of them were running down the stairs. As they came to a stop they saw a very dirty and distressed Umbridge cowering among the shattered remains of her decrees. The three students didn't have time to laugh. There was a huge cheering outside.
They made it outside in time to see Fred and George screaming in victory as they flew off. They watched as the students cheered and clapped. Chandra mumbled to Hermione.
"It looks like we missed something good."
As she finished talking, she heard a small harsh voice in the back of her head growl out 'get here now.' Chandra shook her head and blinked. She came back to her senses and witnessed Hermione helping Harry to his feet.
"Sirius, Hermione. They got Sirius."
Hermione looked back at Chandra and Draco. Draco looked at her with an odd look that made Hermione's stomach flip, he looked like he was trying to tell her something. Before she could place it Harry grabbed her arm, leading her away.
Draco and Chandra looked at each other for a moment before Chandra started sprinting off of the school grounds, trying her best to ignore the pain in her back. She had to get to where she could disapparate without being seen. She entered the forest and slowed to a stop when she found her normal resting spot. She took a few deep breaths and quickly disapparated.
When she could finally feel her stomach again she was grabbed by the hair. She looked up to see Rodolphus staring at her, with wild eyes.
"Let go of me you meatbag!"
"Shut it you muggle loving bitch! You're going to tell me all about this wonderful item I found in my home."
He pulled out the prophecy and watched as Chandra went rigid, never losing her angry expression.
Department of mysteries
Lucius watched from the shadows, waiting for Potter to show up while Bellatrix stood a few feet behind him, looking at her nails. She was growing agitated. Chandra should have been here by now.
A few minutes later he saw them, the group walked down the center of the room, reading the numbers on the shelves. Lucius nudged Bella as he moved to the isle where Harry stopped. Bellatrix was so deep in her thoughts that she jumped at the touch and slowly followed him, not even noticing that the other group had arrived.
As they neared the group Lucius stopped just out of view and watched. Harry looked around, confused.
"He should be here…"
He stood there trying to figure out what was going on when Neville called his name.
"Harry, it's got your name."
The boy walked over to his friend, looking skeptically at the shining orb with his name.
He picked it up slowly and it instantly began to speak.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...and the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not... For neither can live while the other survives..."
As Harry started to sort the prophecy out Lucius stepped out of the shadows.
"You should learn the difference between dreams and reality. You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see."
Harry looked at him and he spoke once more.
"Now, hand me the prophecy…"
"No."
A loud cackle rang out as Bellatrix came into view.
"Oh he knows how to play! Itty...bitty...baby...potter…"
Hermione who was at the back of the group swallowed hard and started trying to slowly back into the darkness behind her. But as Bellatrix stepped out her eyes met hermiones, making her stop and look down, not wanting to look the woman in her face.
Bellatrix went silent as she stared down the young witch. She could hear Lucius talking but it all just jumbled together. She was glaring at the young witch in silence. She could feel her head getting cloudy and could see its effect on Hermione. She silently called out to Chandra once more as the pain started.
The two women tried to stay calm but the fact that Hermione still ended up her after she had been given so many warnings, was running through Bellatrix mind. Her pain gradually grew as she thought. Is she helping Potter? Was she dragged here? Where was Chandra? Her thoughts were cut off my screaming and grunting.
The two equally confused groups looked toward the noise coming from the darkness. The sound seemed to go quiet before something stumbled into the light making everyone step back.
Hermiones eyes went wide as she saw Chandra and Rodolphus. Chandra was on his back, legs wrapped around him, desperately trying to stay on the man as her arm slowly tightened around his airway. Both of them were covered in blood, Rodolphus having gashes on his face, probably from the spiked bracelets that were wrapped tightly around Chandras knuckles.
Hermione and Bellatrix froze as they spotted the blue orb he held tightly in his hand. He fell to his knees and with a quick jerk Chandra snapped his neck, making Hermione sick to her stomach. When she let go his body fell to the floor, the prophecy rolling out of his hand, stopping when it hit Hermiones shoe. She looked down at it and back at Bellatrix who lightly shook her head. Chandra stood straight up and staggered, almost falling. Blood dripped down her back from where he ripped open her wounds. She looked at the two groups and smiled widely.
"Hey guys…"
With that her eyes rolled back and she fell forward, landing half ontop of him as she lost consciousness.
Harry checked if she was breathing. After he nodded toward Hermione he looked down at her feet, seeing the prophecy.
"Whos is that? It seemed to be important to him."
Hermione could feel Bella's eyes on her. She shook her head lightly.
"I don't know harry."
"Alright, well get it out of the way, we have to deal with them."
He watched as Hermione stood still. He gave her a questioning look before she spoke up.
"I can still barely move after Chandra threw me the other day…"
Harry narrowed her eyes at her. Luna looked at her with her usual blissful smile.
"I'll get it for you Hermione."
She went to walk over to Hermione and Harry grabbed her arm, never losing eye contact with the brunette.
"Theres something else going on here. I looked past you being close to Malfoy, but then you canceled on Christmas plans, then that brutish cousin of yours shows up."
Hermione looked at him, she started to worry but tried not to let it be obvious to him. He glared at her and gestured with his wand to the prophecy.
"Pick it up, mione."