PART 2
Ch. 20-TBD
I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER
The new normal at Hogwarts became horrid. Each day a new law was put in place by the ministry that gave professor Umbridge more power. As her reach grew, Harry and the other's pushed back harder. Hermione, together with Ron, had convinced Harry to teach them Defense against the Dark arts in secret. They had named themselves Dumbledore's army and gathered quite a following. Right under Umbridge's nose, the DA practiced and grew more and more confident with every spell Harry taught them.
"Harry, you have to calm yourself." Hermione told him as they walked down to lunch one Sunday morning.
"She's ruined everything! Quidditch was all I had left." George and Fred glided along the hallway behind him.
"It's not all you have left, Harry, but if you don't calm down, all of you, then you won't be able to do much of anything else." She reassured him. "I'm sure in time."
"She banned us for life, Hermione." Fred suggested.
"Should we just take that sitting down." George asked.
"That's exactly what you should do. Even Professor McGonagall said." She told them. Draco walked past them with Rose as always close beside him. They barely looked up as they walked past, in a hurry out of the great hall.
"You ever wonder where they are always running off to?" Harry asked. Hermione had wondered that. Harry could not even find them on the Marauder's map most of the time.
"No." Ron added. "As long as they are away from us." He said and sat down at the table. But Hermione had to admit she was curious.
"The stooge is clever though." Fred told them.
"We tried to slip her a puking pastil, but she found it and snuck it back in our food." George added.
"I would admire her cunning, If I didn't despise the girl so much." Fred told them. Hermione looked out the doors and stood up abruptly.
"I'll catch up to you later." Hermione said, not waiting for them to answer at all. She dashed down the side entrance of the dungeons and towards the familiar hallway. She tickled the pear in the fruit bowl portrait and let herself into the kitchen. "Hello, I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of Dobby." She asked the first house elf she came across. Before the willing elf could point her in the right direction, Dobby appeared before her.
"Hello Miss." Dobby appeared. "What a pleasant surprise!?" He said happily.
"Hello dobby. How are you?" She asked politely, Dobby smiled widely.
"I is good Miss. Working at Hogwarts is fantastic." He said and Hermione smiled.
"It's very good to see you Dobby. I was wondering if we may speak in private." Hermione whispered and Dobby smiled and led her through a small door. It was a sort of broom closet or pantry that was unused. Dobby turned on the light and turned back to her, waiting. "I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor Dobby." She said and he looked up at her curiously.
"A favor Miss?" He asked.
"Yes, you see Draco and Primrose are disappearing often and I'd like to know where." Dobby shook his head.
"Miss." Dobby hesitated. "I don't know." He started to shake, and Hermione knelt beside him.
"It's alright Dobby. I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable doing." She said and Dobby nodded.
"I'm sorry Miss." He spoke. Hermione smiled at him.
"It's alright Dobby. Thank you for your time." She said turning away.
"Oh, Miss is so kind to Dobby. I cannot follow Master Malfoy, but what if I already knew where he went?" Hermione stopped.
"You know where he goes?" Dobby nodded.
"Yes Miss. Into the forest to the left of Mr. Hagrid's hut. They're in the trees." Dobby said and then Dobby's name was being summoned.
"In the trees?" She asked.
"You are very clever Miss. You can find it." He tells her, running back out towards the kitchen. Hermione was confused, but against her better judgement she headed outside. It was nippy now outside in late November. Hermione headed past Hagrid's hut, not many people were in the grounds yet. Still at Breakfast or asleep or as she had planned in the library studying. She allowed herself to go into the forest, a fear of hers for some time. But she saw nothing. After about ten minutes of searching, Hermione heard a rustling of leaves close by and dove behind a big tree for cover. She lost her footing and fell hard.
Hermione could not understand what just happened. In the second that she had fallen, she had gone from chilly autumn morning to cozy loft. She looked up, still on the ground. It was an odd sensation looking at all that she was seeing. She could see the trunk of three on every wall, but it was extended. No longer the shape of an overgrown tree the inside now reminded her more of a two-story flat in London. She stood up slowly. There were soft and warm glowing orbs through out and as she walked further in, she noticed even more detail. A table sat in the far back corner with four seats. There was a couch and a small radio beside it. On the opposite side was a small stove and sink and right in front of her was a wooden staircase that led to a second story she could not see. There were books strown about and papers across the table. A broomstick laid against the wall of the entrance and Hermione looked back to see there was no door. Amazing she thought. She didn't know how long she stared but suddenly she was not alone.
"Hermione?" Draco's voice came from above her and she looked up to find him. The orbs were bright, and she was unable to make out where he was. "What are you doing here? How did you find this place?" Hermione finally saw him as he descended from the stairs.
"What is this place?" Hermione asked. "What are you doing here? How did you do this?" She asked without a breath. As he approached her, Hermione backed away looking nervously around.
"Please." He begged her and it only took her one second to stare in his eyes to stop her nerves. "Just give me a moment." He told her.
"So much for our protective enchantments." Hermione heard the voice of Primrose Avery, again before she saw her. Her hand automatically wrapped around her wand.
"No!" Draco shouted. "Will you please stop?" He begged Hermione.
"You!" Hermione shouted as Primrose came into view. Draco stared back at Primrose and shook his head.
"Seeing as we're caught, we should just tell her. Otherwise, she may hex us both." Draco said, as Primrose rolled her eyes and sat down at the table at ease.
"Speak for yourself." Primrose sighed and looked at Him. "If you trust her, I trust her." She said defeated.
"Thank you." Draco turned back to Hermione, who eyed them both suspiciously.
"What is this place?" Hermione asked.
"It's sort of our secret bunker." She looked at him quizzically.
"Why do you need a secret bunker?" She asked him.
"Too many prying eyes in the castle." Primrose said from across the room. Hermione eyed her angrily, her wand still gripped.
"Would you give us a chance to explain?" Draco asked. He was so close to her; she could feel the warmth from his body radiating. She hesitated and allowed herself to be led towards the table. She sat down. "Rose is- "Draco began.
"So, it's Rose now?" Hermione asked and Rose smirked.
"Look Hermione, I'm not going to apologize for how I have to act when I'm in the castle. I have something important to do here and to stay here, Umbridge must trust me. If that means I help her with giving out some detentions, I will do so." She said and Hermione grimaced.
"Are you aware of what she's doing to those children during those detentions?" Hermione glowered. "Take a look at Harry's scars." Rose was taken aback.
"What scars?" Draco asked.
"Umbridge has a quill, she spelled it cut whatever the person is writing into their skin." Hermione spoke softly.
"No." Rose told her. "No, she can't be. Is that even allowed?" Rose looked at Draco appalled. "I had no idea." She said sadly.
"Well now you do. So perhaps what you deem important isn't enough to stay here, helping her torture students." She spat at Rose. Draco interrupted.
"Rose lost her mother over the summer." He began and Hermione's furrowed brow, relaxed. "And now she needs to find her father." He told her. Hermione listened.
"What?" She asked.
"My mother met my father while she was a student at Hogwarts. But I've never met him. I don't remember if I had. I'm not even sure he knows I exist, but It's pretty clear she wanted me to find him." Rose said. Hermione glanced back at Draco, who nodded.
"What's your father's name?" She asked her.
"We still don't know that. We believe Professor Snape may know, but he's been avoiding Rose like the plague." Draco added.
"Before we continue, I have to know that you will keep this to yourself." Rose added. "I can't risk anyone finding out what I'm doing and telling my family." She said and Hermione recognized the panic in her eyes. She nodded. "Give me your word." She said each word strongly.
"I promise. You have my word." She told her. Hermione did not understand why she had just given her word. She did not know Rose; she did not owe her any favors. The easy thing to do, would be to report her and dismiss her life, but she did not. Something about the girl made her believe her desperation and as always being near Draco made her week. "I'm listening." She told them.
They showed Hermione the book and explained what they had found out so far. Who her mother's friends were and what they suspected. Hermione showed real strength as she listened.
"May I see it?" She finally asked. "The book and information you've gathered." Rose hesitated and Draco nudged her playfully. She slid the book towards Hermione, who tapped her wand and unlocked up. Hermione flipped through the pages and landed randomly on a page. She skimmed through it. "Do you know who all these people are?" She asked about the list scribbled into the book. Hermione had recognized most of them.
"We think some are in code." Draco offered.
"But others are clear. Like Severus and Alexander. There's a Reginald that's mentioned often too, but we're not sure exactly who that might be." Rose offered.
"And this? Lily, do you know who she is?" Hermione asked.
"There were a few Lily in her year, but as we don't know if the girl was in her year, we're not really sure. None were in her house." Draco mentioned. But Hermione had come across a passage that had struck a nerve. A familiarity came through her, and she could hardly contain herself.
"Perhaps you should try Professor Snape again. It is Sunday after all. He cannot avoid you forever." Hermione said. She closed the book.
"Will you help us?" Draco asked. "There's no one better at doing research then Hermione. She has all the answers." Draco said excitedly.
"I'm afraid I don't have the time. Between SPEW and the OWLS and My prefect Duties, I just don't know if I have the time, but I wish you both the best and promise to keep it a secret." She said and stood up. Draco and Rose exchanged a look.
"Why are you acting so squirrely?" rose asked standing up. "Did you see something in the book? "She asked her, and Hermione shook her head.
"No, I didn't. She spoke.
"Rose." Draco stood too.
"No, she knows something. I can see it." Rose took a step.
"I didn't." Hermione said, gripping her wand at her side.
"Rose, calm down." Draco tried.
"Look at her, so eager to leave. Tell me what you saw." Rose told her, holding her own wand at her side. When Hermione did not answer. "Accio book." The book flew to her, and Rose tapped her wand on it again, the pages flipped through on their own.
"Please." Hermione begged.
"On a day like no other, during a holiday from school, Lily convinced me to go with her to see a concert. We danced all night at the local pub. It was the wildest thing I'd done in a while. No one in my family would ever be caught dead in a place like this and it exhilarated me to now end. The only thing that made it feel more perfect was the sudden arrival of Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. It was a night I'll never forget." Rose read from the passage. "Which part?" Anger flared in the girl and Hermione shook her head.
"I can't." She spoke. "I'm sorry." She begged but Rose crossed her arms.
"Hermione, if you know something that can help." Draco commenced.
"I don't know what you want from me." Hermione told them strongly. "I thought I recognized something, but when you just read it again, I realized I was wrong." She spoke. Draco stared at her; his eyes transfixed in hers. Rose continued to cross her arms. "But if you let me, I can try to help. May I?" Rose hesitated to pass her the book again.
"Read out loud." Rose told her, passing her the book after a few seconds of silence.
"Thank you." Hermione said. "In the late hour of my return, I had not expected anyone to be waiting for me. But of course, Alex was." Hermione spoke.
FLASHBACK
"You scared me." Amelia whispered. "Why are you awake at this hour?" She asked him, making her way across the dimly lit study. She did not receive an answer and turned towards him. His face was cloaked, and his eyes remained stuck to the burning fire. "Alexander?" She took a step towards him.
"Have you any Idea what father will do? Have you any Idea what people will think?" He said and she shrugged.
"I don't know what you're speaking about." She said to him.
"Didn't I warn you about your friendship with the mud blood?" He asked her, finally meeting her gaze.
"Don't call her that." Amelia spoke up now.
"Do you know what will happen to her when father finds out?" He asked her.
"He won't find out." She assured him.
"I did." He told her and stood up, but then leaned on the side of the desk and turned back to the fire. "What a happy accident to run into my sister at that place. Filled with all the blood traitors and mud bloods alike. Imagine my surprise when I find my sister there and with them of all people." He says through his teeth.
"Stop it, Alex."
"I saw you with him." He told her. "I saw you when you left with him. Do you know what will happen when father finds out?" He said, but his eyes were not menacing now, they held true fear.
"You haven't told him?" She asked him.
"Of course not!" He argued. "You are playing with fire Amelia." He said and she flinched back.
"Am I, Alexander?" She asked. He stood up then and closed the gap between them.
"Do you remember what mother told us? Do you remember what she made us promise?" Amelia nodded. "Lia, you are my sister, my blood, my family and what you are doing is dangerous for all of us, but especially for you." He told her. "Are they worth it? Is he worth losing your entire family, your bloodline, your legacy over? Because that is what will happen. That and maybe worse could happen. I can't lose you like that." He told her and she remembered them how much she loved her brother. Even though they were twins, Alex would always protect her. He would always defend her against their father's brutality and help her when she needed it. He was her best friend and family. She hugged him tightly.
"You won't lose me, Alex. I know what's important." She reassured him.
"Then End it, Lia. End all of it. Remember your place in this world. Because I will do anything to protect you from ending up that way. Even if you hate me for it later, I will always keep you safe." He told her and then the menace returned.
"What are you saying Alex?" She asked him and he pulled away from her.
"If I have to end one blood traitor boy and a mud blood girl, took keep you safe, I will do so proudly." He did not let her argue, he was finished with the conversation. Amelia stood there crying for a few minutes, until she finally left the room and ran to her bedroom.
Upon her return to school, a bundle of Primrose appeared at her desk in potions, and she knew exactly where to look when she saw them, but today she did not. Her brother had struck true fear in her during their encounter and even though she had not answered him in that night, she remembered her mother's words very well. She made them promise to always hold family at the utmost highest esteem. She made them promise to always protect each other and most importantly to love one another. Amelia had no wish to see her brother hurt, nor could she stand to see her friends or the boy she had grown up loving to be hurt either. She took the flowers and slid them across the table. As Lily entered the room, she walked up to Professor Slughorn and asked him to work alone at the empty desk in the back of the room. He agreed, but as Lily arrived at their shared table, her face fell for a moment. Amelia grabbed her things and headed to the back of the classroom.
"Today we will be brewing a very strong memory potion, please turn to the next chapter in your books and begin. You will have two hours and fifteen minutes exactly." Professor Slughorn said. Amelia turned to the page requested when both Snape and Alex joined her.
"Why are you back here today?" Severus asked, but her eyes met Alex.
"Because I want to be alone, so if you'll excuse me." She said, pulling out ingredients. Alex only smiled and walked away from her. About thirty minutes into the lesson, as Professor Slughorn made his rounds, a note fell in front of her face. She knew exactly who had sent it and knew her brother would be watching. Using her wand, she cast a return to sender and continued to work. She felt her heart ache and could barely focus on the book, when someone else stood beside her.
"Are you alright?" Lily had come to check on her friend, but Amelia could not put her in any more danger.
"I'm fine, Lily. Please leave me alone." She told her.
"Lia- "She tried to plead.
"I said, leave me alone." She said every word slowly and through her teeth. Lily stared at her and nodded.
"Fine." She told her and returned to her desk. Amelia watched as Snape had joined Lily. She only had to make it a little more time and she could escape. She had a free period and would hide in her room if she had to, she just had to make it to the end of class, but she made a lethal mistake. Her eyes met with his and his were so desperate for answers, they cut right through her. She looked away a second too late and stirred in her final ingredients. As she finished the potion, she raised her hand and Professor Slughorn approached her.
"Finished already?" He asked her.
"Yes, Professor. I was able to skip a few steps because I keep my ingredients ready and cut." She told him. He inspected the golden liquid before him.
"Very good Ms. Avery, Very good indeed." He spoke.
"Thank you, Professor. I'm not feeling well, Professor. Might I be excused to go to Madam Pomfrey."
"Of course, dear. Do you need any assistance?" He asked her, but she had already gathered her things and packed them away.
"No, I think I will manage." She told him and fled towards the door. She knew that he would check with Madam Pomfrey later, so she headed up the stairs, what she had not expected was that he would follow her. His arm reached out in the dark staircase leading out of the dungeon.
"What's wrong?" He asked her. He was not one to beat around the bush.
"Please leave me alone." She tried to move past him, but he blocked her. His hair fell into his eyes, and she watched him as he pulled it behind his ears.
"No." he told her. "What did I do?" He asked her. She let fresh tears fall.
"Nothing, but you have to leave me alone." She told him, making it up a few steps.
"Amelia, are you insane? Do you truly believe I am capable of simply leaving you alone?" He said and stood in her way again.
"You must." She spoke.
"No." he told her.
"Move out of my way, or I will make you." To that comment he smiled.
"Are we to duel for your heart?" He laughed, but she did not. He took a cautious step towards her and was so close she could feel his breath on her lips. "Don't you know just how much I love you?" He spoke. "Can't you feel it?" He took her hand and placed it over his chest, his new tattoo on his hand showing. "It beats only for you." He told her. "Tell me what I've done, tell me what's happened, and I promise to fix it." He whispered. Amelia looked away from him and to her hand on his chest. He lifted her chin with his free hand and kissed her softly.
"We can't." She cried. "I can't." She told him. But he was not the type of person to give up easily. He was a stubborn boy, who'd she'd known most of her life.
"Will you tell me something honestly? Of course, you will, you've never lied to me." He said, taking both hands and looking into her eyes. "Do you still love me?" She smiled and so did he.
"With all my heart." She spoke. And just like that, her worries faded for the moment, and she kissed him again. In the seconds that they kissed; the fear struck in her again. She pulled away. "But I won't risk hurting you." She pushed past him and ran up the stairs to the hospital wing.
Hermione finished the passage and Rose stared at Draco for a moment. Hermione gulped. Her suspicions were growing more intense, and she felt uneasy before them. She slid the book over to Draco and he flipped the page. He held cleared his throat.
"The dark lord had become stronger; his followers grew every night and those of us who had yet to graduate from Hogwarts feared the worse for when we joined the real world…" Draco stared at the words and shook his head. "Many old wizarding families like mine gave him support and even worse soldiers." He said, Draco took a deep breath. "As an heir to the pure house of Avery, there were certain expectations to uphold." Draco's voice trembled and they both stared at him.