Chapter 5

(Summer before 4th year)

Her mind went blank. The roaring in her ears became louder as she stared at her mother's body.

Lifeless.

She rushed forward and fell to her knees as a loud sob tore from her throat. Her mother's eyes were open, glazed over with death. Her hand trembled as she closed her mother's eyes. Her anguish became so great that her magic started to crackle around her, something that hadn't happened since she was a child. She slowly got up and ignored Pucey as she walked around her mother and towards the foot that was peeking around the corner near the living room. She sobbed harshly as she neared her father's body. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her father's glazed eyes staring back at her. Not wanting to believe it, but it was true. They were gone. Really gone. She had known that something like this would happen but she hadn't thought that it would happen so soon.

Kneeling down, she opened her eyes and gave a heart-wrenching sob that made her chest hurt from the force of it. Her father was turned to the side and had his arm outstretched towards his wife. Lifting her hand, she ran it through his hair slowly. Her magic began to build inside of her until she couldn't hold it in anymore. With a loud scream, she released it.

For a moment nothing happened.

But then a harsh wind ripped through the house and made the front door burst outward and the windows shatter in a rain of sharp, jagged pieces. The shards of glass went everywhere, cutting her face and neck as she leaned down towards her father's chest. She rested her head there and almost flinched when Pucey's voice spoke from above her.

"Let's go. The muggles will be here any second. Let them take care of this."

He reached down and slowly pried her from her father's corpse. She knew he was right, and yet she didn't want to go. He lifted her up and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Grab only what you need and your school stuff."

She numbly glanced up at him and he raised a gentle hand to her face. "I'm sorry."

Hermione nodded before she slipped from his embrace and didn't glance down at her mother's body as she went up the stairs. Pucey followed her silently, something that before tonight would have made her uneasy. But at that moment it didn't matter that he was a Slytherin and a Pureblood.

Her body was moving automatically to do as she was told but her mind was screaming and her heart was breaking all over again. Her first thought was to run to Harry or even Ron but they would only alert Dumbledore. His attention wasn't something she wanted or needed not when he was playing a deadly game of chess using real pieces. No, she wouldn't let him use this against her.

Walking into her room, she noticed Crookshanks on the bed. He had his back raised in anger in a way only a feline could ever do. He calmed down when he saw her and slinked down onto the floor before brushing up against her with a loud and comforting purr. He tensed again when he saw Pucey come in behind her. Pucey ignored her cat and handed her his wand. She grabbed it and numbly moved it around and silently watched as her trunk repacked itself. She frowned when she felt her magic crackle with a dark intensity. Her magic felt unstable even as she used Pucey's wand. Hermione stared at the wand and watched as a spark of magic dance across her hand.

Once her trunk was packed she took out another large bag and threw in her father's shirts and her mother's old jumper in it. She also grabbed the bundle of books and box she had taken from Dumbledore. Pucey glanced down at them and she shrugged.

"I'm done."

Pucey stared down at her with a muted emotion in his eyes.

"Nemis," he said quietly and a moment later a small elf appeared with a crack.

"Yes, sir?"

He nodded towards the trunk and Crookshanks. "Take them to my room."

The elf walked over to Crookshanks, who sniffed at her before jumping up into her arms and with a crack disappeared along with Hermione's trunk. Hermione raised a hand to her neck and fingered the teardrop locket hanging from the chain. She knew they were gone but...

She stared numbly at the floor, magic dancing across her skin almost as if it were alive. Pucey grabbed the other bag on the bed with her extra clothes and slipped an arm around her waist. She didn't understand why she was letting him touch her and handle her stuff. But she didn't question it. She wasn't thinking right at the moment. With a loud crack, he apparated them out of her parent's house just as loud sirens could be heard approaching the house at a rapid speed.

The landed in a large room with muted light orbs dancing in the ceiling. She stared at them blankly. If she had seen them before this night she would have marveled at the display of magic but at the moment it only made her aware of the fact that being magical had murdered her parents. She knew it wasn't her fault but at that moment it didn't matter as anger and agony whirling inside of her. Pucey let go of her slowly before moving across the room with the bag in his hand. Her trunk was on one side of the large bed. She didn't look around the room like she would have. She didn't question the fact that she had willingly left with a Slytherin pureblood.

Hermione raised her hand and grabbed the teardrop locket again. It was ironic that it was called a teardrop, it reminded her of the lack of tears at that moment. She fingered the cold shape of it as she watched Pucey talk to his elf. Which should have bothered her but it didn't, at least not then.

She numbly watched him walk around the bed and push the bed covers down. He looked up at her. "You can stay in my room for tonight. I have to find out a couple of things about what happened tonight."

She nodded blankly as she moved towards the bed with stiff steps. Without even looking at him she took off her hooded sweater and her boots. She slid in and almost jumped when something brushed up against her. Raising the covers she saw Crookshanks crawl up lazily from the bottom of the bed. Pucey waved his wand towards the light orbs and they dimmed almost to nothing. He was about to walk out when she spoke.

"Thank you."

He paused with his hand on the doorknob. He didn't turn back but instead nodded once and walked out. She pulled the covers up and buried her face in Crookshanks. Her chest started to fill with painful sobs and she curled up into a fetal position as agony began to rip through her. She didn't know how long she cried, how long she pleaded silently for it all to be a dream.

All she knew was that she faded into a dreamless sleep deep into the night with dried tear trails on her face.

Hermione woke up with a stiff arm and realized that she hadn't moved from the fetal position she had been in since she had laid down. Crookshanks wasn't beside her. She glanced around the room as she pushed the covers away from her heated body. She stiffened when she realized that she wasn't in her room. She wasn't in her house. Her parents were dead. Gone forever from her life because she had painted a target on their backs for what she was.

She was about to get up and look for Pucey when a small pop sounded and a small elf appeared at her side. The elf was a different one from the one that she had seen last night. This one seemed a lot younger and had a long black dress on, almost like a maid.

"Miss, would you like breakfast in bed or will you have it with Master's?"

Hermione rubbed her eyes as she responded back, "I'll take it with them. I'll just freshen up first. What is your name?"

The little elf seemed startled at being asked that. "I am called Sunmi by the Master's."

Moving towards the side of the bed, she leaned down and stared into Sunmi's eyes. "I'm Hermione Granger."

She extended her hand towards Sunmi's much smaller one. Sunmi became wide-eyed as she stared from her hand to her face. She slowly raised her hand towards her and shook it gently. Hermione noticed that she didn't flinch like most elves would have. She wasn't mistreated, that was for sure. Sunmi moved away and smiled lightly before snapping her fingers and with a pop was gone.

Hermione got off of the bed and opened her bag and pulled out some dark jeans and a green long-sleeved shirt. She changed quickly and glanced around the room. She hadn't really looked at it the night before but now she noticed how big it was. It was almost three times the size of her old room. A sharp slice of pain ripped through her body as she thought of her house. Her parent's house.

Ignoring the bit of the emotional pain, she went about using healing charms for the cuts she had forgotten about until that instant. After she was done, she casually glanced to the side was two doors seemed to lead outside. She moved the silver curtains to the side to peek outside. There was a small balcony outside with two chairs and a large flower pot with a...Venomous Tentacula! She jumped back as it moved and snapped its large mouth at the air, tasting it to see if there was any prey nearby. Why would they have…

She moved away from the balcony doors and slipped on her boots before heading towards the door. As she passed the bed she grabbed her bag containing the lion engraved box. She opened the door and stopped when she saw a tall lady with long straight brown hair that ended at her waist. Hermione looked up and her eyes met pearl colored ones. She must have appeared startled because the lady smiled slightly.

"Yes, the eyes take a little getting used to. No, I'm not blind. I was just born with this colored eyes."

Hermione nodded, "Sorry for staring…"

The lady cocked her head, "I'm Zephrine Pucey. I'm Adrian's mother."

Hermione locked her hands together as she held onto the box. She introduced herself. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'm sorry for intruding in your home."

Lady Pucey shook her head. "I understand why you are here. I'm sorry for your loss, darling."

She raised her hand towards Hermione and set it on her shoulder without hesitation. Hermione closed her eyes at her touch. It made her feel slightly better but the hole that her parent's death had created would never be the same again, they might have never understood her but nevertheless, they had loved her as much as they could. So had she. It only fueled the need to start doing what she should have done earlier instead of crying the night away.

Lady Zephrine must have seen the change in her eyes for she stepped away from her.

"Come. The others are waiting."

The others? She frowned as she followed Lady Zephrine down a long hallway before taking her downstairs. The house seemed endless and when they got to the bottom floor she saw what she had meant by others. Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey were standing to one side of the foyer while another older man was looking through a folder.

The older gentleman was the spitting image of Adrian Pucey. Same dirty blond hair and when he glanced over at them, same sky blue eyes. The elder man moved towards his wife as he glanced towards Hermione with blank eyes. The same eyes that his younger son had cast upon her the first time. She looked past the couple in front of her and towards Pucey and Flint.

She waited until the couple pulled away from each other and glanced up into Lord Pucey's eyes. He wasn't showing much emotion if any at all, he stared back at her for a moment before speaking.

"I think we should have breakfast before anything is discussed."

That said he set his arm out towards his wife and led her to the side of the staircase and further to the left.

Pucey and Flint came up behind her and waited until she accepted both of their forearms. They took her to a large dining room with an oval table that had steaming food on it. Lord Pucey sat his wife to his left and Flint moved to his right and Pucey slid out a chair directly across from his father for her.

Once everybody was sitting they all began to eat. She grabbed a blueberry muffin and poured orange juice while everybody else went for much warmer food. She tuned out when they started to talk about school. She was thinking of far more darker things, that probably became obvious since Flint and Pucey kept glancing at her from time to time.

Hermione leaned back in the chair as she nibbled on the muffin. Her mind wandered to last night. She hadn't recognized the voices that had been speaking. She was sure there had been at least two of them if not more. Her mother must have heard them last or she probably opened the door for them since the door wasn't blasted open or even kicked.

She glanced down at the bag in her lap. It held the time-turner that had to be built with magic. All she had to do was ask for Pucey's wand and she could make it function.

So lost in her thoughts, she missed the throat clearing and looked up to see everybody else staring at her. She flushed and sat the half-eaten muffin down. Lady Zephrine was staring at her questionably.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking of something so I wasn't paying attention."

Lady Zephrine smiled, "It's okay. I understand under the circumstances one would be a little lost."

Hermione shook her head. "Not lost. I was thinking if it was okay to trust you two as well since I have already spoken with your son and Flint."

Lady Zephrine laughed lightly as her husband raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

"I don't think anybody else other than other Lords have ever been so blunt," said Lord Pucey as he set his fork down and wiped his mouth with such elegance that it almost seemed fake. He snapped his fingers and everything on the table disappeared. He leaned back as he stared back at Hermione with a bit of amusement or at least what seemed to be open amusement.

"What exactly were you thinking, Miss Granger?"

Hermione didn't reply as she put her bag on the table and pulled out the box that contained the very thing that could bring her parents back. She opened it with one of the feathers and pulled the two small pouches and the journal containing the instructions.

Setting them on the table she looked at Lord Pucey straight in the eyes. "Do you support Tom Riddle?"

Lord Pucey stiffened as he watched her with a newfound awareness. "I did support him at one time. I had never actually believed that muggleborns were lower than elves but the fact that they didn't stay in the wizarding world after leaving Hogwarts."

Hermione glanced at his wife, who had been listening attentively.

Lady Zephrine stared at Hermione with a thoughtful gaze. "I was raised to believe that every living being had a purpose in life. Whether it was an elf or a pureblood. I never disliked muggleborns. I married Dimitry not because I believed the rubbish he said about purebloods, but because he chased me for years until I finally gave in. Our beliefs have always been different. Fear not what I believe, Miss Granger. I never once liked the fact that he joined the Death Eaters."

Hermione nodded, "I understand. I am led to believe that Riddle will rise once again and soon. I don't know exactly when but I am sure Lord Pucey has heard such rumors."

Lord Pucey gave her a startled look before changing it to one of suspicion. "How did you come by that information?"

Hermione shrugged, "Not everybody is loyal anymore. Dumbledore has plans set in place already. Harry, who by the way is my best friend, is in the center of it and by default so am I. As well as Ron Weasley." she paused as she glanced to her side and lifted her hand towards Pucey.

"Can I borrow your wand once more?"

Pucey didn't say anything but did hand her his wand. They missed the telling glance his mother shot them and the raised eyebrows of his father. Not that it meant anything.

She opened the pouch containing the hourglass, rings, and the chain and set them separately on the table. She opened the little journal and did as it instructed to do. Everybody at the table watched in muted silence and interest. Once she was done with the first three steps she grabbed a knife that was lying on the table and nicked her finger and watched as her blood welled up and spilled onto the necklace engraved words.

A moment passed and nothing happened. Seconds later she shivered as she watched it click once then twice before flashing with bright light. Magic began to thrum through the chain and hourglass, it tickled her still chaotic magic. It had settled over the night but still occasionally crackled.

She waited for the light to die down before lifting it and putting it on. She looked up and saw several different types of expressions on each of their faces.

Lord Pucey glanced down at it before meeting her eyes. "Was the blood necessary?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, it gives it life in a way. It is different from other time turners. It is Dumbledore's own making and no other exists like it. Although, this isn't the original one. I copied it using a special spell that will last as long as I don't release it." She used Pucey's wand and vanished the journal and box, leaving out the three books and rolled up parchment. Hermione wouldn't need the journal anymore since she retained everything she had ever read.

She gave Pucey his wand back before she unrolled the parchment in her lap. "Do both of you practice Occlumency and Legilimency?"

Lady Zephrine leaned forward. "I am more inclined to Legilimency but my dear husband is better at it than I am. Now, Occlumency is something I practice more."

Her husband broke character as he grabbed his wife's hand. "More like naturally gifted in it."

Hermione gave them a soft smile that disappeared the next instance. Her parents had the same relationship and it surprised her that even purebloods could have that type of relationship. She had much to learn.

"I need you both to teach me. I can read it and learn from that as well. I know I am asking for a lot. I only want to forge my own plan without being an extra piece in Dumbledore's game. This parchment I'm holding has something that nobody probably knows except for Dumbledore and your son as well as Flint since I told them about it yesterday."

She sighed, "I had always been part of the chess. I was told by somebody close to Dumbledore that since Harry rarely listens to people he was most likely to listen to me. Especially since I have been gaining the title of 'The brightest witch of my age' so he probably thought that I would always be at Harry's side. Until Dumbledore needed him alone."

She rubbed her eyes, suddenly tired. "I don't know the extent of his plan but he did give me a time turner so that I could take as many classes as possible this year. I had asked them previously if I could take all the classes and according to Dumbledore, I had gotten permission to use the time-turner in order to take all the classes. But it seemed like his plan had been to prepare me for the upcoming year since I skipped half of the year and learned half of the material for the next year."

By her own choice that is.

Lady Zephrine looked worried as she glanced at her husband before turning towards Hermione, "How old are you? If you used the time turner for the whole year then that makes you older than your peers."

Hermione moved everything back into her bag. "I started school a year late. I would have been a year above Harry's but since my birthday landed two weeks in September I had to wait. So I was already twelve when I started. I had turned fourteen at the start of this past year but the time turner made it so that I'm closer to sixteen. It's awful since I'm going to be sixteen and in my fourth year."

Lord Pucey cocked his head, "He gave a child a deadly weapon and didn't even ask the Ministry did he?"

She nodded and watched as he glanced at his wife. Hermione looked at Pucey Jr and noticed the way he was gripping his wand. She hesitated before laying her hand on his.

"It's fine."

He shook his head but lost his tight hold. Flint gave a harsh laugh. "So that makes you a year younger than us. Graham and us two have to return for another year since we skipped many classes to practice."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at that. "I said that didn't I. I might have only studied halfway to through fourth-year material but I am sure I know more things than you do."

Flint snorted and leaned back in his chair. "That I wouldn't doubt. So what is your plan, I assume you have a plan."

Hermione nodded as she glanced at Lord Pucey who seemed to be talking to his wife silently. "I do have a plan but right now I need to go back," she lifted the chain around her neck, "and save my parents. From the notes I have read, Dumbledore lied to me. He had said I could only go back a certain amount of time but in reality, I could go back a whole year if I wished. For now, I will go back and find out who killed my parents and save them before they kill them."

Lord Pucey had seemed to finish talking to his wife and turned back to Hermione. "I'll go back with you. Since your parents are muggles they can't remain known to the public and must go into hiding. I'll help with that last part. I just want one thing in return."

Hermione nodded warily. She was asking him to betray the darkest wizard to ever live aside from Grindelwald. She would give him anything in her power.

"Save my family if I'm ever discovered. I knew the moment that I met him he would bring destruction and death. I just didn't know how far he would go. But it is too late for me but not them."

His eyes burned as they gazed into hers as he talked. They showed a different desperation that somehow spoke to her. Made him more human than she had thought him capable of being.

"I promise."

...0o0o0

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Thank you for reading!

Vanee