Chapter 4

(Summer)

After sending the letter in the morning with the Ministry's owl, Hermione spent the day with her parents, who had taken the day off to be with her. Her mother was making a late lunch while her father took her outside to show her his new motorbike that he had won in a bid. After a while, it started to lightly rain so they went to stand on the porch and watch the rain fall around the garden.

Her father broke the silence, "What is going on in that head of yours, Hemi?"

She looked up at her father, giving nothing away, "Nothing that you should worry about, father."

Charles Granger gave a bitter laugh, "It does concern me. This year was different. I can feel it. A father always knows. You're my only child, I should be concerned with anything that is going on in your life."

Hermione frowned and lost the fake confusion on her face.

Her father was right. But he couldn't do anything about what was going to come. He would only endanger himself as well as her mother. "Dad, things are going to change soon in my world. Things are already changing and I must change with it. There is no other choice."

Her father became still before he cursed, "Why? Why must you do this?"

Hermione glanced down at her hands, "Because of Harry and everybody else. I found out something of importance and it involves him. He's a bother to me. A brother I never had and I won't lose him to this. He has already lost so much."

Father grabbed her arm a bit tightly, "It always came down to him didn't it?"

She nodded, "He's a very important part of my life. As well as the magical world, dad. If it falls I will have nowhere to belong to."

Her father opened his mouth and closed it several times. His eyes showed pain and a good dose of anger. "But what about us? We waited years for you. If something were to happen to you, your mother would lose herself. Not to mention what it would do to me."

Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around her father. "I can only promise that I will try not to get hurt." She couldn't promise anything else. She knew a war was coming. It was only a matter of time before she made a target out of her family. "I want you and mother to leave me."

Her father's arms tighten painfully around her. "Are we that weak?" he asked gruffly.

She shook her head. "I don't want them to use you as bait. If they get a hold of you I would do anything to save you both." Not to mention that her mother wasn't strong enough, wasn't born to change that way. She was already so fragile. A butterfly that would easily crumble under the slightest touch. Her mother called out from the opened kitchen window in that instant, breaking the tense air.

"Lunch is ready!"

Hermione drew away from her father's arms, "We're coming!"

She glanced up and met her father's burning eyes. "Take that vacation you both have wanted to take. Then head to France and stay with Grandmother. I don't know when it will be over but as soon as it is I will come for both of you."

He tipped his head to the side, clearly feeling out of his depth with what she was asking him to do.

"When do you want us to leave."

Hermione glanced outside one more time before looking up into her father's brown eyes.

"Soon, very soon."

Hours later, Hermione sat in her room staring at a picture of her parents and her as a baby. It was one of the few pictures that she always carried with her at all times. She was about to get up and shower when something scratched against the window over her desk. She moved the curtain aside only to see a large brown owl with black feathered tips sitting on her window ledge. It had a rolled up parchment on its clawed foot.

Opening the window she approached it cautiously and reached for the paper. The owl ignored her and stared straight ahead. Hermione opened the crisp piece of parchment paper and held her breath when she noticed the masculine handwriting.

Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at 8pm, 4 nights from today.

Adrian. P

Hermione set the parchment on the table and quickly wrote back to him, agreeing to meet him. She wouldn't tell her parents about it so she would have to take the knight bus without then knowing. Attaching the small note to the disgruntled owl, she watched it fly away and was about to close the window when something outside caught her eye.

Below the street lamp, near the corner of the next street were two figures. One slightly shorter than the other. Both which seemed to be facing her direction. Nobody else was out except them, which sent a chill down her spine.

There was a knock at her door and her mother's voice came through it.

"Hemi?"

Hermione glanced at the door, nerves rubbed raw with what she had seen and forced her voice to sound calm. Controlled.

"Come in."

She turned back towards the window and stiffened. The figures had disappeared. Her mother came in and she turned away from the window. She would make sure her wand was touching her at all times.

Some rules were meant to be broken if it meant saving her parents.

Hermione grabbed her bag and slipped a few of galleons as well as muggle money. She slipped on the necklace her father had given her as an early birthday present since it had arrived a bit earlier than it should have. It was a white gold locket with a lion engraved on the front.

Once opened it, one would see two different pictures. One where she was a baby and her parents looking younger and the other was taken before she had left for her third year. Both were white and black since father had said it made it look older then it really was by using said colors. Her mother had wanted in color but had agreed in the end.

She slipped on a black hooded jacket and put on the boots her mother had said every girl should have. They were comfortable and made her feel extra protected. Which was all that mattered to her in the end?

Turning off the lights in her room, she headed downstairs. She felt like she was sneaking off to do something bad. Which she hoped wasn't the case.

Her parents had gone to a late dinner and were stopping by to watch a movie. They had asked her to come but she had faked a headache and had told them she would head to bed early. Her father had glanced back at her when they had been heading out and his face would forever be etched in her memory.

It was a look a father should never give a daughter. A kind of helpless and fearful look.

She left the house and waited in her driveway with her wand out. A few minutes later a large gust of wind pulled the hood of her jacket back and the knight bus appeared. Stepping down from the stairs was a tall thin man with a toothpick in its mouth. He stared down at her curiously before speaking.

"Where are you heading to, kid?"

Kid? She was probably closer to his age than he thought. The darkness of the night hid her better than she thought it would.

"Leaky Cauldron, how much?"

He spat out the toothpick before answering, "Three galleo's" She took out the proper amount before handing him the money. He put into a small box strapped to his waist and a yellow ticket popped out. He handed it to her as he moved aside for her to pass. Once inside the man yelled out, "Leaky Cauldron, Ernie!"

A disturbing dark little head yelled out the same order and the old man driving didn't even glance back as he shifted gears and with a loud bang, the bus jerked forward.

It was the first time she had been on it and it took her breath away. It zoomed by other cars at a speed no other car could ever hope to reach. Several times her breath caught as the bus zipped by cars a little too close. The man or boy didn't flinch or even seem to notice. He was reading the Daily Prophet, an older one since it had come out several weeks ago.

The bus came to a sudden jerking stop in front of the Leaky Cauldron. She got up and headed towards the doorway when the boy spoke up, "Ye, be careful."

She glanced up at him and nodded slightly, "You, too."

She got off and watched it disappear with a loud pop. She turned around and headed into the pub. It was low lit and many warlocks occupied the back tables with their loud laughter. Two women sat near them, flirting shamelessly.

Hermione avoided them as she walked up to the bar. She was a few minutes early since she had wanted to enjoy a bit of time alone, happy to be in the magical world; even for a short while. Tom came by and asked her what she wanted to drink. She asked for a butterbeer and watched as he prepared it. She dropped two galleons on the counter and sipped the foam from the top of the drink. It was warm and she took comfort from the fuzzy feeling it made her feel. Keeping the hood of her sweater up, she glanced at around but didn't see anybody come in yet.

Almost halfway done with her drink, she felt somebody brush up behind her, making her almost drop her drink as she shifted away from the unfamiliar gesture.

"Sorry."

She went still and looked up sharply. It was Adrian Pucey and Marcus Flint. Both who had on slacks and large black jumpers.

It was summer but it didn't feel like it. It tended to get chilly after the sunset so she wasn't surprised at their attire. Though theirs looked a bit on the higher end compared to others in the pub. Pucey sat down on her right while Flint, who was glaring at the warlocks in the back, sat to her left.

"What did you want to talk about, Granger?" asked Puecy.

Hermione looked away from his blank eyes and glanced down at her drink. She wasn't sure how she was going to talk about it. Especially in a very open place.

She glanced to her side at Flint. Pucey noticed, "He wouldn't leave me alone."

Ah, that explained so much. Not. Shifting slightly so that she faced Pucey she asked, "Can you make it so that nobody can hear us? If you can't, I can do it."

Pucey didn't change expression but he did take his wand out with and let it hang from his fingertips. She was surprised that he didn't question her and had even given her his wand without hesitation.

Flint cleared his throat loudly but didn't comment. Although, he did move in closer to her side. As if she would do anything to Pucey. She hadn't asked to meet him just so that she could hex him with his own wand. She stood up and waited for them to get up and followed her to the back away from the rowdy warlocks and sat at a corner table that was shrouded in shadows.

She slid in and both boys slid on either side of her again. She waited a bit before lifting the wand, with a circular movement she said, "Silencius Masium."

Pucey raised an eyebrow at her, "What exactly does that do?"

Hermione glanced up at Flint who was also waiting for her answer with a large scowl on his face. "It provides a bit of privacy. But only in the radius we sit in. If somebody were to walk up to us they would be able to hear us but it doesn't last long."

Pucey nodded as he tapped the table with his forefinger, "What is this about, Granger? Why all the secrecy?"

She handed his wand back, it had barely complied with her own magical core so it had taken a bit out of her since it wasn't her wand. She leaned back and placed her bag on her lap.

"I have found out a few disturbing things this past couple of weeks. Things that will come to be," She glanced from one to the other. "Things that will involve the whole magical world. I'm not exactly sure when but something big is going to happen. I can't and won't let Harry know about it just yet so I couldn't exactly talk to him about it. I'm sending my parents away for their safety since sooner or later they will be targeted. I don't have many friends that I can actually speak with seriously. Not yet at least. I can't trust Dumbledore either."

Pucey frowned, "You can't trust Dumbledore?"

Flint leaned forward, placing his large forearms on the table. He had lost the frown and was now staring intently at her.

Hermione swallowed hard, "I can't. If you don't believe me read this first."

She pulled out the rolled up parchment from her bag. "I took this from his office without him knowing. It's only a copy. But I know for a fact that he's planning something that will affect everybody. He will blame the purebloods as well as anybody associated with HIM."

Both of them read the parchment, expressions darkening with anger. Once they were through they sat back with grim expressions mixed with grabbed the parchment and folded it up again. Flint spoke up first, "What if we had been on HIS side? Why risk asking Pucey of all people?"

She glanced at Pucey, who was also staring at her, waiting for her to answer.

"I had to risk it. I had no choice. I can't exactly go up to the Weasley, who have devoted followers of the light, to question Dumbledore's plans and to stray away from him. I want to give Harry a bit more time. I would have gone to Snape but he…would never listen to me. I was thinking of going to Sirius Black but he doesn't need this. He's finally free so I want to give him as much time as possible to be with Harry."

Setting her bag aside, she pushed her hood back, "I need help in order to bring HIM down before he rises to power. I want to believe that not all of the Slytherins are evil so I took the chance with you both."

Pucey leaned towards. "What do we gain from this?"

Hermione stared directly into his eyes. "Anything."

Flint gave a harsh laugh. "We were placed in Slytherin for a reason Granger. Careful with your words."

She shrugged. "I'm willing to give up anything in order to prevent deaths, destruction and what not. But even if another war starts, I want to have the advantages that Dumbledore and the rest have."

"But you're going to be in Hogwarts for four more years. You can't simply stop goingoing to school. Especially you, brightest witch and whatnot. You won't be able to do magic until you turn seventeen." Pucey stated as he began tapping the table once again.

"I'm actually turning seventeen next year. I will be turning sixteen in September. I was already twelve when I started school. The time turner made me age another year so I'm currently fifteen." She said as she stared at Pucey than at Flint.

Flint leaned back as he peered into her eyes. "I thought so. You don't look like any of the little third years."

"Back to the topic, I am willing to do anything. Name your price."

Pucey shrugged. "When I think of what I want, I'll let you. For now, I can say that you are right about HIM coming back. And soon. There is already talks within the pureblood families about HIM coming back into power soon. No, I don't want anything to do with HIM but I must follow my father if I want to learn anything useful for you."

"You are willing to spy on them for me?"

"I'm doing it so that I don't have to murder or rape muggles. I'm going to do it because I don't think he will succeed in getting power. Not this time since the 'light' side has had over twenty years to get connections and more followers over time. If there is one thing I have learned is that inspiring fear in one's followers doesn't gain loyalty. If he gains power than he will destroy the Ministry and put his own reign of power in place. My father spoke of the things he had to do in the first war. Even till this day they haunt him and makes my mother fear for me since Lucius Malfoy has sent out letters to all past followers to get ready."

Shite, she had forgotten about the Malfoy family. Draco must be in the center of it as well. His father had put Tom Riddle's Diary in Ginny's books two years ago. Which she still didn't understand as why even till this day.

Flint spoke up. "My mother said that HE had killed two of her brothers for not murdering Longbottom family. She doesn't want him in power but father idolizes him so she doesn't speak up about it with him around."

So both of them had reason to help her. Even if they both wanted something in exchange for it.

"Soon enough HE will realize that he can't get to Harry so he will go after those around him. Especially me, I stand for the very thing he seeks to wipe out of existence. Ron's family for being blood traitors and anybody else that stands between him and Harry. I can't let him get to Harry." They both nodded, "I have to do few things first right after we get back at Hogwarts. Do you both trust Snape?"

Flint shrugged. "He's not somebody one gets close to. But Adrian here is much closer to him as well as Draco since Snape is his godfather."

That last bit of information was interesting. If only Malfoy wasn't such a prick and daddy follower would she want to include him too? There was also the fact that he hated her blood.

They sat in silence before Pucey spoke in a low tone. "I'll speak with my father about HIM and try to find out more."

Hermione nodded and stood up and waited for them to stand up before all three headed outside. It was windy and it had started to rain. She pushed her hair into her hoodie and glanced around the dark street.

"Where do you live?" asked Pucey as they watched Flint apparate away without a word.

She frowned. "Even if I told you where; you wouldn't be able to apparate us there. Unless you know Legilimency."

Pucey stared down at her blankly, "I do. Father made sure I knew how to use it. As well as Occlumency."

"Oh, okay. Go ahead."

Pucey frowned. "You're too trusting Granger."

He didn't warn her as he suddenly pointed his wand at her and whispered. "Legilimens."

All of a sudden she wasn't alone in her head. It felt wrong yet right. The mixed emotions made it hard to show him the picture she was trying to form in her mind. He brushed against her mind, which unsettled her to no end all of a sudden.

He dropped the spell and she was alone again in her head. He stared down at her before grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. His body heat radiated off him in waves.

"Ready?"

She nodded against his shoulder and with a crack felt herself apparate for the first time ever. It was like being pulled through a tube too small for both of them before it was over in the next instant. They landed behind the large bush beside her house. She pulled away from him and pulled her hood back, the travel had flung it over head.

"Thank you."

He nodded as he looked around. She was about to head inside the house when a shout rang from inside the house, she stiffened in shock, that had sounded like her mother's voice. She was about to bolt inside when Pucey lurched forward and grabbed her around the waist. His other hand covered her mouth. He pulled her back and against the wall of her house. They could hear faint whispers coming from inside; none of which sounded like her parents.

"The girl isn't here…"

"HE said she would be here…"

"Let's go, she is obviously staying with…"

Three large cracks sounded and she pushed Pucey away as she ran inside her house. Once she stepped inside she froze. Laying in front of her was her mother's body. Frozen with her eyes wide and unseeing.

Dead.

Hermione staggered before letting out a scream of anguish.

...o0o0o0

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Thank you for reading.

Vanee