Chapter Four: Step Three Begins

The ink was beginning to settle on the documents in the Great Hall that would give Lucius Malfoy ownership of Hogwarts. The students (other then the Slytherins) watched in horror as their precious school was being handed over to such a sinister man. They turned to Professor McGonagall for support, but she looked away in embarrassment for turning down the job. Then they turned to the Slytherins and scorned at their happy faces as they impatiently waited for Fudge to officially seal the deal.

Of course, this was what Hermione wanted. She had sent a demon broker to threaten McGonagall, and it unfortunately worked. Now it was time for step four, in which she hoped to seduce Draco Malfoy into either persuading or killing his father to give him possession of Hogwarts. Then it would all go down for Hogwarts, and all go right for Hermione.

"Students, I give you your knew headmaster, Lucius Malfoy!" Shouted Fudge, with an odd tone of worry in his voice. A burst of clapping and whistling filled the hall from the Slytherin table as they stood up at the horrendous news, while all the other table gave them scolding looks, not even wanting to stand up, their legs to weak to believe what was happening.

"I have to go now," Fudge said to Lucius, over all the noise. "Please, try not to make too many changes."

"I'll try," Was the reply, with a disgusting smirk. Fudges face broke out into an unsure expression as he walked out of the hall to attend other matters.

"Slytherins, and the rest of you!" Cried Headmaster Malfoy when he was sure Fudge was out of earshot, "All of your teachers have been fired! Say goodbye to them now, they'll be leaving within the hour. And I'm sorry to say, even the great Severus Snape has turned down my generous offer to stay." He said, as he turned his face to Snape and gave him a disgusted look. He then turned swiftly and out of the hall, and allowed the students to say their goodbyes.

Most of the Hogwarts students went straight to their head of house. In Hermione's case, she ran up to each of her former teachers and gave them an fake hug as ersatz tears dampened her cheeks before running to her dorm. But there was one this she had over-looked: Harry and Ron knew her too well.

They had both stayed in their seats and watched Hermione's every move. By the time she had hugged four teachers, they knew there was something wrong. The usual Hermione would have talked to, or maybe even yelled at Professor McGonagall for turning down the position of headmistress. Or was she just too sad to say anything? No. Hermione almost always put learning in front of emotions, and McGonagall was one of her major sources of learning.

"What should we do about her?" Ron asked, as he looked at the exit of the great hall.

"About who?" Replied Harry, looking in the same direction.

"You know about who."

"Hermione? I dunno. She's acting awfully odd… or maybe she's acting normal. It's hard to tell."

"Maybe we should send her to Madam Pomfery."

"Maybe. I think we should wait a little longer."

"Or we could just talk to her. Did you ever think of that, genius?"

* * *

As Harry and Ron were planning on what to do about Hermione, she was putting the next step in her plans to action. She had changed into the red dress she had awoken with when she awoke from receiving her demon half. All she had to do now was accidentally run into Draco and put on her powers of seduction, then it was time for the part of her plan that included Harry himself.

She walked quickly down the marble steps and waited behind the doors of the great hall. When the students emptied out, she quickly used a shapeshifiting ability to turn herself into Parvati. Then she grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him behind the door, too. When she was sure there was no one left, they came out.

"Make your father give you Hogwarts," she told him, still holding his arm tightly. Draco didn't push away Hermione's hand, since he did like what she was saying.

"What for?" He replied, after careful consideration, a glint of interest in his eyes.

"So that you can have power, of course."

"Why would you want me to have power?"

"Because I'm going to marry you, of course," she seductively answered, before giving him a light kiss on the lips. "Well?"

"I think I'll do it…"

* * *

"Father?" Malfoy asked, in his fathers new office.

"What Malfoy? I'm very busy, and your pathetic little buggerings can't be any farther from my mind. Make it quick," came his fathers sharp reply, without even giving his son the slightest glance. He focus was in complete devotion to the neat stack of papers on his desk. Malfoy was use to it by now.

"I was wondering…. Could you give me control of Hogwarts?" the words didn't come easy, he had nearly choked on them, but he knew he had to be firm when asking for something from his father. The pen on the desk suddenly skidded to the side, causing a long line to appear on the paper Mr. Malfoy was signing. He looked up at his son with great annoyance.

"Excuse me? You? Hogwarts? Impossible. You're a stupid little boy who can't take care of a simple hamster, let alone an entire school. This is what you came to bother me with? Shame on you, Malfoy, you should know better. Leave." Malfoy frowned. His fathers replies hadn't always been that sharp.

Malfoy was hearing a voice now. It was Hermione, she was communicating his telepathically. Fight him, Malfoy… Don't let him talk to you that way! You have great power, feel it surge through your body! Embrace the abilities I have lent you!

"I'm not stupid, and you have no right to treat me like this." Malfoy lifted his arm and with a simple wave of it his father went flying back into the wall. "Hand it over." He said, as he conjured a fireball in his hand and tossed it at his fathers wand. It burned to ashes with in seconds. Lucius Malfoy was helpless.

"Calm down, son," Mr. Malfoy began as he lay on the floor, a small trickle of crimson blood running down his face. "Don't fight me, I'm not the one. These abilities of yours…. They're incredible! With them we can take over!"

"Take over what?"

"The world."

"I don't want the world, I want Hogwarts. Sign the papers now before I have to force you to." Again, Malfoy lifted his arm and waved it, this time throwing a paper and pen at his fathers face.

"Sign them." Mr. Malfoy had no choice. He was finally feeling the threat from his own son. How embarrassing. He would have to sign, and he did, with great reluctance. He finished and threw the pen aside in frustration.

"Thank you." There it was. Betrayal. Malfoy raised his hand, conjured another fireball, and through it directly at his father. Screams of agony came from the burning body. It wasn't enough. More pain. Malfoy needed more pain. But Malfoy didn't get what he wanted because Hermione was taking away his power now that he had completed what she wanted. Now she would let him take over the school, and then from there she would advance in her plan. Everything was going perfectly.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The next morning at breakfast when everyone was in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall stood up with a grim face and coughed loudly.

"Attention, attention! I have a few important announcements to make regarding the position of headmaster. I'm afraid that Lucius Malfoy was mysteriously murdered last night. There were only but his ashy remains in the headmasters office."

Everyone suddenly began to whispers excitedly at the news. A smile broke out across Harry's face, as well as all the other Gryffindors. There was a small tap at the back of his head though which reminded him that Lucius Malfoy was Draco's father. He looked over at the Slytherin table, and to his surprise, Draco was smiling. Surely he wasn't that evil to not care of his own father.

"Settle down, everyone!" McGonagall yelled. "There's more. At the sight, legal documents were found stating who was to be the new headmaster, Mr. Draco Malfoy." A harsh blow suddenly his Harry in the stomach, as he watched Draco stand up and walk up to the staff table.

"Hello. Yes, I am your new Headmaster. Now listen up everyone, there are going to be some changes. You'll all receive lists of these changes in tomorrows morning mail. For today, take the day off. Good day." He then walked away with Professor McGonagall out of the hall.

"Draco, that bloody prat headmaster? Preposterous!" Hermione yelled, keeping her disguise.

"He must've done something to ensure this… I can feel it…" Ron murmured. He looked up at Harry and saw that he was pale. "Harry, you alright?"

"No… I'm afraid. Afraid of the changes Draco will make…"

"Oh, I know what you mean. That's just too much power for someone like him."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Headmaster Malfoy was sitting comfortably in Dumbledore's former seat, twiddling his wand in his fingers with his legs up on the desk. There was suddenly a knock on the door. Draco sighed at the disturbance.

"What is it?" he answered dully.

"Headmaster, I need to have a word with you about something." replied the voice of Professor McGonagall.

"Fine. Come in if you must." The doors creaked as they slid open and allowed Professor McGonagall to walk up to Draco's desk.

"We have a new student, 'sir'." she began.

"Excuse me? New student? Impossible. Students are supposed to show up on the first day."

"Yes, but… She's transferring. She use to go to Beauxbatons, but she got tired of it. She'd be an excellent addition to out school, in my opinion, as well as the other teachers'."

"Fine. Let her come. What's the name?"

"Pandora Halliwell."

"Uhh… it sounds so… Gryffindorish. But let her in, just the same. Just another idiot to torture. What year is she entering?"

"Fifth."

"Even better. She'll be along with Potter and his mud blood friend and that other one, the Weasly boy. Now leave."

"Yes, sir." McGonagall said sadly. She hated being controlled by a student, especially one like this one.

"Stupid Gryffindors…" Draco muttered to himself as he went back to twiddling his wand.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Ok, Pandora, this will be your dormitory." Professor McGonagall said, as she opened the door to the empty fifth year girls dormitory. She turned to look down at the black haired, blue eyed girl.

"Oh… I like it." she spoke, in her soft voice.

"Yes, well, your trunk has already been brought up. That will be your bed over there." McGonagall said, as she raised her arm and pointed to the bed with Pandora's trunk at it's foot. "Your schedule is on your bed, classes will start tomorrow. Good luck then." The professor said before walking off down the stairs.

"Ok, thank you…" Pandora said distantly as she stepped into the dormitory. She sensed something, an evil power. She concentrated and traced it to Hermione's trunk. With caution, she slowly moved her hands to open it.

"Who are you? What ere you doing there?" Hermione snapped. She pressed her hand on the lid and stopped Pandora.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was mine…" Pandora quickly lied.

"Ya, well ok. Your new?"

"Yes…"

"Odd… We never get 'new' kids. Your beds probably that one. It's been empty." Hermione informed, gesturing at the bed McGonagall had.

"Ok, thanks." Pandora said softly, not looking at her. "Could you tell me where the library is?"

"Fifth floor."

"Thanks you…" Pandora said, as she was halfway through the door. Hermione stared at the doorway briefly before convincing herself Pandora was just stupid. She locked the door and then pulled out the Grimorrie and started reading.