The lessons were a relief for Hermione she finally had something to occupy her mind with instead of being filled with dreadful pureblood ideals. Her professor was stern and barely spared her a glance throughout the long days she wasn't sure if the woman could tolerate her presence or the detached attitude was a built in Black safety mechanism.

Much to her chagrin she wasn't allowed her wand even under supervision leaving the lessons to be theory only. First class was charms which her professor could easily dominated Flitwick for his teaching position, the ease and expert precision Andromeda showed amazed her baffled mind.

Second class was potions that she took with her aunt Narcissa who took great delight forcing Hermione to call her professor Malfoy at all times when she slipped calling her aunt the blonde purposely refused to acknowledge her and always with that catty smirk plastered on her pretty face. Turns out her aunt was a qualified potions mistress that never come in use as she married Lucius and became nothing but his broodmare through Hermione kept that spiteful comment to herself.

Third class was the dark arts with her father and uncle which consisted of Hermione browsing over dark art books that while fascinated her like any other book she felt sick to her stomach at the fine details of how such curses work and what it did to ones body and incredible but horrifying images of victims under the most foul curses that gave her nightmares afterwards.

Fourth class was her professor forcing her to run endless laps around the expansive gardens all while hurling curses her way which she had to dodge or more time than not end up on her ass suffering under the woman's curse. This would then turn in to an all out hit Hermione the hardest competition between her mother and Andromeda leaving her bloodied and bruised till Narcissa would come running out shouting furiously at both her sisters.

One night after the painful run Hermione managed to escape to the library for much needed space but instead she stumbled upon a scene that made her heart drop.

The library was freezing cold Hermione could see her breath in the air which was rather strange as her aunt always kept the fire blazing even through out the night.

Tiptoeing around the bookshelves Hermione kept hidden in the shadows, a bone chilling laughter sped down her spine like hot lava crashing out an erupted volcano.

Peeking out from the hiding spot a cloaked figure caught her eye sprawled on their front by the dying fire, her chest tightened she went to step forward but a looming shadow stopped her. Terror seizing her limbs, her lungs burning at her frantic breathing.

Voldemort stood in all his glory before the downed victim, his red slits focused entirely on his prey, a giant snake slivered around his bare skeletal feet. "You have disappointed me for the last time. Did I or did I not ask you to deal with the girl once and for all?" he hissed angrily.

"Please you must understand she is my daughter my lord. I love her".

Hermione felt the panic clawing at her throat at the weak raspy voice of her mother. Tears fell down her cheeks.

"Crucio".

A stomach churning scream tore from her mother's throat, her body seized up contorting in impossible angles, her back arching off the ground, her head colliding harshly against the marble fireplace an almighty crack sounded through the room followed by her mother's fading scream.

Hermione forced her led heavy legs to move, to save her mother but a hand slammed over her mouth, her body pulled flushed up against someone's chest. The shadows once again concealing her from sight. She fought like a trapped wild cat using her nails to scratch her captive, using her legs to try and kick out.

"You need to stay quiet" Andromeda harshly whispered in to her ear. "Stay hidden Bella would not want you in interfere". Hermione could feel the older woman's tears splash on her neck. Her heart dropped she couldn't lose her mother not now not to him. She resumed her fight against the witch to hell with it she would not watch her mother die.

"Crucio" Voldemort all but screamed at Bellatrix. "Your death shall be a waste but I shall not have a traitor amongst my ranks but remember this my sweet Bellatrix I will personally kill your bastard daughter". He cruelly laughed.

Her limp body shook, her limbs cracking under the agonising torture but no sound came from her. Hermione threw her head back forcing her aunt to losen her grip around her waist.

"Nagini finish her". The snake slivered away from its master preparing to strike.

Hermione bit down hard on the hand trapped over her mouth. Andromeda cursed stumbling back against the wall clutching her bleeding hand to her chest. Hermione grabbed the woman's wand and raced towards the snake just as it's razor sharp teeth sank in to her mother's neck.

Hermione closed her eyes and thought back to the dark art books and her father's intense lessons and her eyes sprang back open. "Avada Kedarva" she screamed hoarsely the sickly green killing curse smacked in to the vicious snake. Unearthly black screaming smoke drifted off the dead snake.

The doors of the library were blasted off its hinges Rodolphus, Rabastan and Severus came running in with their wands raised ready to battle. Narcissa, Lucius and Draco right behind them all coming to an abrupt halt at the sight before them.

Hermione shoved the repulsive snake off her mother, tears obscuring her vision as she blindly turned her mother on to her back. Bright red blood coating the fireplace and the carpet beneath them as she fumbled to keep her hands pressed on the woman's torn throat. Her beautiful face now a sickly gray, her unseeing eyes staring off in the distance.

"Please don't leave me please mom" Hermione cried, her small body shaking under her sobs. "I need you... please".

"You are no longer welcome in this house" Narcissa coldly spat boldly bringing her wand to train on the dark lord.

Voldemort sneered furious that his familiar was murdered ignoring the blonde he turned his wand on the distraught girl murderous intent flitting across his unnatural features.

"Stupefy" Andromeda shouted wandlessly.

The curse just missed the dark lord just as Severus and Rodolphus silently conjured up a shield protecting Hermione from harm. Lucius threw up a shield to protect his wife and son.

Rabastan took a stance next to Andromeda his wand shaking as he pointed it at his lord. He knew family came first before anything else.

"You're outnumbered my lord" Severus drawled.

Voldemort sneered "you will all die under my wand you filthy traitors".

Curse after curse smacked in to the shield, weakening it until the next curse the dark lord threw collided straight in to Hermione throwing her back against the fireplace her head smacking marble. She gasped, her chest rattling as blood seeped from her lips. She slumped lifelessly to the ground her eyes never leaving her mother's body.

"NO!".