"Good morning, Miss Granger." A rather shaky voice of the man at the
Apothecary said as she entered. Ignoring the man, she began to look around
for the last ingredient that she needed to complete her mission - Black
unicorn tears. A very rare ingredient indeed, and expensive. But living
all these centuries, she was able to have money. After all, who would deny
her? In fact, she usually got away with the five-finger discounts. It
would be necessary to try anything to hold them off for some time for
today's events. Her every move was tracked by Voldemort to ensure that his
counterpart didn't do anything that could damage him.
She found what she had been looking for, and grabbed a vial from the shelf. She put it in her pocket, charming it silently without her wand, which she lost about two hundred years ago, and learned to live without. She picked up a few other ingredients that she needed, heading to the counter for payment.
After placing all the ingredients on the counter, the man turned to her, pointing to the pocket where the vial of tears were contained. "You going to pay for that?" Hermione flashed him a look that had made Voldemort flinch once, and the man bagged her items and sent her on her way without payment.
Hermione entered Diagon Alley, looking up as she heard herself being called. "Hermione." A man approached her, his hair the familiar platinum blonde with the pale skin, and the deep blue eyes.
"Artimus Malfoy." She responded. "What do you want?"
"You know what I want." He snapped.
"Careful, Malfoy. I slapped your family around before, I'll do it again." Hermione replied.
"You know the deal, Granger. You cooperate with us or you go back to being the outcast you were." Malfoy replied with an air of arrogance.
"I take it you didn't do so well in history, young one." Hermione replied, using the nickname that he hated so much. "Pop quiz. What happened the last time I was banished? Was it all that effective?"
"That was very early on in the Dark Lord's reign." Malfoy replied. "We've had time to consider how to keep hold of you."
"Consider this." Hermione replied, holding up her middle finger as she walked away.
"Lord Voldemort will hear of this!" He cried out behind her.
~@~
Hermione continued to her house, which was located just on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Dropping the ingredients that she had gotten from the Apothecary, keeping the vial of tears in her robe pocket, she continued to a back room that was virtually undetectable. Virtually because Voldemort had found out about it not long ago. She was allowed to continue her experiments as long as the results were given to Voldemort at the end, and that what she was trying to accomplish was also given to the serpent bastard. 'Right.' She drawled in her mind.
Draping the robe she was wearing on the chair in the corner, she checked on the latest potions she had been working on. She inwardly laughed. That fool actually thought that he had power over her. He couldn't do anything to her. The biggest mistake that he had made was to have another be allowed to be under the Immortus charm. Nobody had done much thorough research on the charm. She had gained powers, or the powers that she did have were developed rapidly throughout her time. She had discovered that she could learn to rely on herself without a wand. When she had lost her wand, Voldemort had followed her personally to make sure that she didn't get a hold of another one. She figured out that she could perform wandless magic only a few days later, but did not let on. Still, she kept up the pretense of trying to obtain another wand. She couldn't be entirely sure, but she didn't think that Voldemort had figured it out yet, considering his seeming dependency on the piece of wood.
Speaking of Voldemort, he should be by soon. Sure enough, Malfoy would go to him and whine about the disrespect he seemed to get from her. She got up and walked to the kitchen to prepare some tea. She made her way down the dark hallway, putting the water on boil with a simple thought. Telekinesis was fun; especially when she had unwanted visitors.
Just as she was pouring the water over the leaves, a familiar presence made itself known in her home. "I was expecting you, Voldie." She said.
Voldemort chuckled, taking a seat, uninvited, at her table. "My dear, one day I will make you sorry for that Gods awful nickname. Hermione turned around, two cups in hand as she made her way to the table, full scowl in place. She expected him, but it didn't mean she wanted him there.
"I just received a visit from the Malfoy heir. Seems that you have been sending him rude gestures." Voldemort said, taking the tea.
"Of course. You expect anything different from me?" Hermione replied, sitting down.
"You should not try my patience, or disrespect my most loyal followers." Voldemort said. "Even now, the most intelligent and talented members of the research committee are attempting to find a way to reverse the charm. Perhaps you would like to get on my good side to prevent me from making use of such a discovery."
"Your most loyal followers have been working on that crap for a long time. Besides, how do you know that their goal is to use that discovery against me?" Hermione asked. "How many of your best researchers are from families that were directly affected by the final battle; that you and your loyal followers tried to exterminate?"
"You will not get to me, woman." Voldemort said, looking slightly angry. "I have made my offers to keep you at my side. I am slowly losing patience over you."
"Not that you can really do anything about it." Hermione replied.
"I am more powerful than you, child. You should not upset me. Show a bit of the famed intelligence that you have." Voldemort said. "Speaking of which, what did you get at the Apothecary today?"
"Why do I have the feeling that you already know?" Hermione said sarcastically.
"Of course I checked with the shop clerk before I came here. If I recall, when I looked over your experiments last time, you made no mention of black unicorn tears for the experiment." Voldemort said. "Now, what are they for?"
"I have a theory." Hermione said.
"Enlighten me."
"A simple healing draught that could protect against the imperio curse."
Voldemort shook his head. "And why would I want you to do that? It's a powerful weapon of mine. One that I, as well as yourself, unfortunately, am immune to."
"Just busy work." Hermione replied. "Besides, with all the lovely freedom that you give me, I need something to do."
"Well, I'm sure you'll be delighted to know that I will not allow such an experiment to run. Therefore, you will give me the tears that you took, and I will be on my way. I have a world to run after all."
"What makes you think that I will give them over willingly?" Hermione asked. "It's not like you can threaten to take away anyone I care about. I only venture out to pick up ingredients. Quite frankly, if it breaths, I'd rather not be associated with it."
"Ah. But you forget. I did allow some of your old friends family lines to continue." Voldemort said.
"The ones who vowed absolute loyalty to you. You honestly think I care?" Hermione asked.
"True. But I believe you know of Sientum Weasley?" Voldemort said. The expression on Hermione's face did not change, despite the fact that she was thinking 'shit!' Sientum was a small child who was already displaying behaviour that would border on traitorous to Voldemort and his death eaters. Not wanting to, she had met the energetic six year old, and felt protective of him. She didn't think that she had shown any of that feeling outwardly however. "I wouldn't want to do anything to the poor child. But I will if I have to."
Not willing to allow the death of a small child to be put on her head, she got up from the table and stalked to the room in the back. Voldemort followed behind her. She reached for the cupboards when Voldemort entered the room. "Somehow, my dear, I doubt that you've removed the vial from your robes." He said, pointing to the robes she had draped over the chair. She stalked over to the corner.
"Silly me. I usually put things away as soon as I get home." She got to the coat, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a vial. Handing it to Voldemort, he nodded and placed the vial in his own robes.
"Much appreciated." Voldemort said before appaparating out. Hermione was left looking in the spot that he had left from. She reached for the robes again, reaching into another pocket, and pulling out another vial, this one with the actual black unicorn tears in it. The one's she had handed Voldemort was the white unicorn tears. Any unicorn tears would need some experiments to actually determine whether they were from a white or black unicorn. Now, she was a bit rushed. It would only be a few hours until they would figure out the deception.
She approached the caldron at the side of the room. She muttered an unfreezing spell to it, and continued with her experiments. Mixing the tears with the concoction, she checked the consistency, colour, and odor. Happy with the result, she went back over the parchment that she had been working on for centuries. The potion would have to boil until it became a thick gas. She put a shield around the caldron to prevent losing any of the vapour, and spent the day practicing the incantations that she would need to articulate correctly in order for it all to work. She was working against the clock now.
~@~
It was now close to midnight. Hermione had finished practicing the necessary incantations to accompany the potion vapours she would inhale while doing so. Looking over the cloud one last time to ensure that the vapours were the right consistency and colour, she went to the bathroom to do the last thing she needed to do before going through with it. To make sure that the vapours worked to the fullest extent, she had to forcefully empty her stomach. She kneeled in front of the bowl, holding her hair out the way, and induced vomiting. She continued doing this until she was absolutely sure that her stomach was completely empty. Once she began to get the acid feeling in her throat and mouth, she splashed water on her face, and cleaned herself up. Going to her bedroom, she changed into a set of clothing that was 100% silk. It was the only material she was absolutely certain would not react with any of the components of the potion. Taking a deep breath, she entered the bubble around the caldron.
She began the incantation, "Levart emit fo seddog, Tiresias." She began. The door to her home, she heard was busted down. The whole house shook with the impact of whatever hit it. She knew that she might be cutting this in close. Hearing the shouts of the intruders, she continued with the incantation. "Gnorw dlo na xif ot. Aelp ym raeh."
"You will not succeed, Granger!" She heard yelled. Looking over, she saw Malfoy and Voldemort enter the room. Breathing deeply to get more of the vapour to enter her blood stream, she continued.
"Eno live eht yortsed ot."
"Hermione!" She heard the voice of a young child. Looking over, she saw that Voldemort was holding the Weasley child against him. He looked up at her, pleading. It broke her heart to do so, but to save the wizarding world, she turned away, and finished the spell.
"Ecneloiv eht ot dne na tup ot." She said, eyes closing as she could make out the green light that surely sped towards the small child as she showed her defiance. Flashes of purple light appeared around her, and she could hear someone scream out 'NO!' as she disappeared.
~@~
There was dead silence in the place Hermione was in. She opened her eyes, realizing that she was lying on the ground. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed that she was in the middle of the forest. Apparently, the construction around Hogsmeade had not yet started. Getting up, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness come to her. Leaning against a tree, she took a couple of deep breaths, wondering when she was placed. She would be off her target by a few years, which would be good to help to prepare for the final face off. When she felt that she had regained her bearings, she let go of the tree, and began to walk in the direction of the village.
"Don't move." She heard a familiar silky voice come up behind her. She could feel the end of a wand against her back. Turning around, she could almost make out the form of the billowing robes. The voice struck her, and she immediately knew whom this was. Snape.
As calmly as she possibly could, she took a breath. "I suggest, sir, that you remove your wand from my person immediately."
Snape laughed lightly. "I don't think so." He said. "I will not have Voldemorts spies coming after me. What do I have to do to prove my loyalty to you fuckers?"
Hermione ignored him, turning back around and beginning to make her way to the village. A few steps, and an arm came around, grasping her around the shoulder, and restraining her against him. "I told you not to move." He said, wand once again put at her back.
She grasped his arm with both her hands, leaned back slightly, and used all the force she could muster to flip him over her. She pointed her right index finger at him. "Petrificus totalus!" She muttered. Snape looked wide-eyed at her while she approached him. She knelt down and looked at him.
"And I suggested that you remove your wand." She replied. "Finite Incantatem."
Snape rolled away from the spot he was stuck in, and stood up quickly. "Miss Granger?" He asked, looking disbelieving. "What in Merlin are you doing out here, stupid girl?"
"I need to get to Professor Dumbledore." She replied, ignoring his question.
Snape nodded. "I suppose that will be necessary for your expulsion." He replied with a sneer. He was slightly surprised when she began to laugh.
"I don't think so Professor." She spat out. She had harboured a grudge for him all these years, and it wasn't about to suddenly lift. "Can you just get me to the school?" She asked impatiently.
"Do not take that tone with me, Miss Granger." Snape said. "And you at the school would be the best course of action at the moment. You can tell me what the hell is going on."
"Perhaps." She replied, following behind him as they made their way to the village.
A/N:
is where I got the name for the goddess (it's actually a god, but oh well.) Tiresias - blind seer from Thebes
She found what she had been looking for, and grabbed a vial from the shelf. She put it in her pocket, charming it silently without her wand, which she lost about two hundred years ago, and learned to live without. She picked up a few other ingredients that she needed, heading to the counter for payment.
After placing all the ingredients on the counter, the man turned to her, pointing to the pocket where the vial of tears were contained. "You going to pay for that?" Hermione flashed him a look that had made Voldemort flinch once, and the man bagged her items and sent her on her way without payment.
Hermione entered Diagon Alley, looking up as she heard herself being called. "Hermione." A man approached her, his hair the familiar platinum blonde with the pale skin, and the deep blue eyes.
"Artimus Malfoy." She responded. "What do you want?"
"You know what I want." He snapped.
"Careful, Malfoy. I slapped your family around before, I'll do it again." Hermione replied.
"You know the deal, Granger. You cooperate with us or you go back to being the outcast you were." Malfoy replied with an air of arrogance.
"I take it you didn't do so well in history, young one." Hermione replied, using the nickname that he hated so much. "Pop quiz. What happened the last time I was banished? Was it all that effective?"
"That was very early on in the Dark Lord's reign." Malfoy replied. "We've had time to consider how to keep hold of you."
"Consider this." Hermione replied, holding up her middle finger as she walked away.
"Lord Voldemort will hear of this!" He cried out behind her.
~@~
Hermione continued to her house, which was located just on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Dropping the ingredients that she had gotten from the Apothecary, keeping the vial of tears in her robe pocket, she continued to a back room that was virtually undetectable. Virtually because Voldemort had found out about it not long ago. She was allowed to continue her experiments as long as the results were given to Voldemort at the end, and that what she was trying to accomplish was also given to the serpent bastard. 'Right.' She drawled in her mind.
Draping the robe she was wearing on the chair in the corner, she checked on the latest potions she had been working on. She inwardly laughed. That fool actually thought that he had power over her. He couldn't do anything to her. The biggest mistake that he had made was to have another be allowed to be under the Immortus charm. Nobody had done much thorough research on the charm. She had gained powers, or the powers that she did have were developed rapidly throughout her time. She had discovered that she could learn to rely on herself without a wand. When she had lost her wand, Voldemort had followed her personally to make sure that she didn't get a hold of another one. She figured out that she could perform wandless magic only a few days later, but did not let on. Still, she kept up the pretense of trying to obtain another wand. She couldn't be entirely sure, but she didn't think that Voldemort had figured it out yet, considering his seeming dependency on the piece of wood.
Speaking of Voldemort, he should be by soon. Sure enough, Malfoy would go to him and whine about the disrespect he seemed to get from her. She got up and walked to the kitchen to prepare some tea. She made her way down the dark hallway, putting the water on boil with a simple thought. Telekinesis was fun; especially when she had unwanted visitors.
Just as she was pouring the water over the leaves, a familiar presence made itself known in her home. "I was expecting you, Voldie." She said.
Voldemort chuckled, taking a seat, uninvited, at her table. "My dear, one day I will make you sorry for that Gods awful nickname. Hermione turned around, two cups in hand as she made her way to the table, full scowl in place. She expected him, but it didn't mean she wanted him there.
"I just received a visit from the Malfoy heir. Seems that you have been sending him rude gestures." Voldemort said, taking the tea.
"Of course. You expect anything different from me?" Hermione replied, sitting down.
"You should not try my patience, or disrespect my most loyal followers." Voldemort said. "Even now, the most intelligent and talented members of the research committee are attempting to find a way to reverse the charm. Perhaps you would like to get on my good side to prevent me from making use of such a discovery."
"Your most loyal followers have been working on that crap for a long time. Besides, how do you know that their goal is to use that discovery against me?" Hermione asked. "How many of your best researchers are from families that were directly affected by the final battle; that you and your loyal followers tried to exterminate?"
"You will not get to me, woman." Voldemort said, looking slightly angry. "I have made my offers to keep you at my side. I am slowly losing patience over you."
"Not that you can really do anything about it." Hermione replied.
"I am more powerful than you, child. You should not upset me. Show a bit of the famed intelligence that you have." Voldemort said. "Speaking of which, what did you get at the Apothecary today?"
"Why do I have the feeling that you already know?" Hermione said sarcastically.
"Of course I checked with the shop clerk before I came here. If I recall, when I looked over your experiments last time, you made no mention of black unicorn tears for the experiment." Voldemort said. "Now, what are they for?"
"I have a theory." Hermione said.
"Enlighten me."
"A simple healing draught that could protect against the imperio curse."
Voldemort shook his head. "And why would I want you to do that? It's a powerful weapon of mine. One that I, as well as yourself, unfortunately, am immune to."
"Just busy work." Hermione replied. "Besides, with all the lovely freedom that you give me, I need something to do."
"Well, I'm sure you'll be delighted to know that I will not allow such an experiment to run. Therefore, you will give me the tears that you took, and I will be on my way. I have a world to run after all."
"What makes you think that I will give them over willingly?" Hermione asked. "It's not like you can threaten to take away anyone I care about. I only venture out to pick up ingredients. Quite frankly, if it breaths, I'd rather not be associated with it."
"Ah. But you forget. I did allow some of your old friends family lines to continue." Voldemort said.
"The ones who vowed absolute loyalty to you. You honestly think I care?" Hermione asked.
"True. But I believe you know of Sientum Weasley?" Voldemort said. The expression on Hermione's face did not change, despite the fact that she was thinking 'shit!' Sientum was a small child who was already displaying behaviour that would border on traitorous to Voldemort and his death eaters. Not wanting to, she had met the energetic six year old, and felt protective of him. She didn't think that she had shown any of that feeling outwardly however. "I wouldn't want to do anything to the poor child. But I will if I have to."
Not willing to allow the death of a small child to be put on her head, she got up from the table and stalked to the room in the back. Voldemort followed behind her. She reached for the cupboards when Voldemort entered the room. "Somehow, my dear, I doubt that you've removed the vial from your robes." He said, pointing to the robes she had draped over the chair. She stalked over to the corner.
"Silly me. I usually put things away as soon as I get home." She got to the coat, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a vial. Handing it to Voldemort, he nodded and placed the vial in his own robes.
"Much appreciated." Voldemort said before appaparating out. Hermione was left looking in the spot that he had left from. She reached for the robes again, reaching into another pocket, and pulling out another vial, this one with the actual black unicorn tears in it. The one's she had handed Voldemort was the white unicorn tears. Any unicorn tears would need some experiments to actually determine whether they were from a white or black unicorn. Now, she was a bit rushed. It would only be a few hours until they would figure out the deception.
She approached the caldron at the side of the room. She muttered an unfreezing spell to it, and continued with her experiments. Mixing the tears with the concoction, she checked the consistency, colour, and odor. Happy with the result, she went back over the parchment that she had been working on for centuries. The potion would have to boil until it became a thick gas. She put a shield around the caldron to prevent losing any of the vapour, and spent the day practicing the incantations that she would need to articulate correctly in order for it all to work. She was working against the clock now.
~@~
It was now close to midnight. Hermione had finished practicing the necessary incantations to accompany the potion vapours she would inhale while doing so. Looking over the cloud one last time to ensure that the vapours were the right consistency and colour, she went to the bathroom to do the last thing she needed to do before going through with it. To make sure that the vapours worked to the fullest extent, she had to forcefully empty her stomach. She kneeled in front of the bowl, holding her hair out the way, and induced vomiting. She continued doing this until she was absolutely sure that her stomach was completely empty. Once she began to get the acid feeling in her throat and mouth, she splashed water on her face, and cleaned herself up. Going to her bedroom, she changed into a set of clothing that was 100% silk. It was the only material she was absolutely certain would not react with any of the components of the potion. Taking a deep breath, she entered the bubble around the caldron.
She began the incantation, "Levart emit fo seddog, Tiresias." She began. The door to her home, she heard was busted down. The whole house shook with the impact of whatever hit it. She knew that she might be cutting this in close. Hearing the shouts of the intruders, she continued with the incantation. "Gnorw dlo na xif ot. Aelp ym raeh."
"You will not succeed, Granger!" She heard yelled. Looking over, she saw Malfoy and Voldemort enter the room. Breathing deeply to get more of the vapour to enter her blood stream, she continued.
"Eno live eht yortsed ot."
"Hermione!" She heard the voice of a young child. Looking over, she saw that Voldemort was holding the Weasley child against him. He looked up at her, pleading. It broke her heart to do so, but to save the wizarding world, she turned away, and finished the spell.
"Ecneloiv eht ot dne na tup ot." She said, eyes closing as she could make out the green light that surely sped towards the small child as she showed her defiance. Flashes of purple light appeared around her, and she could hear someone scream out 'NO!' as she disappeared.
~@~
There was dead silence in the place Hermione was in. She opened her eyes, realizing that she was lying on the ground. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed that she was in the middle of the forest. Apparently, the construction around Hogsmeade had not yet started. Getting up, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness come to her. Leaning against a tree, she took a couple of deep breaths, wondering when she was placed. She would be off her target by a few years, which would be good to help to prepare for the final face off. When she felt that she had regained her bearings, she let go of the tree, and began to walk in the direction of the village.
"Don't move." She heard a familiar silky voice come up behind her. She could feel the end of a wand against her back. Turning around, she could almost make out the form of the billowing robes. The voice struck her, and she immediately knew whom this was. Snape.
As calmly as she possibly could, she took a breath. "I suggest, sir, that you remove your wand from my person immediately."
Snape laughed lightly. "I don't think so." He said. "I will not have Voldemorts spies coming after me. What do I have to do to prove my loyalty to you fuckers?"
Hermione ignored him, turning back around and beginning to make her way to the village. A few steps, and an arm came around, grasping her around the shoulder, and restraining her against him. "I told you not to move." He said, wand once again put at her back.
She grasped his arm with both her hands, leaned back slightly, and used all the force she could muster to flip him over her. She pointed her right index finger at him. "Petrificus totalus!" She muttered. Snape looked wide-eyed at her while she approached him. She knelt down and looked at him.
"And I suggested that you remove your wand." She replied. "Finite Incantatem."
Snape rolled away from the spot he was stuck in, and stood up quickly. "Miss Granger?" He asked, looking disbelieving. "What in Merlin are you doing out here, stupid girl?"
"I need to get to Professor Dumbledore." She replied, ignoring his question.
Snape nodded. "I suppose that will be necessary for your expulsion." He replied with a sneer. He was slightly surprised when she began to laugh.
"I don't think so Professor." She spat out. She had harboured a grudge for him all these years, and it wasn't about to suddenly lift. "Can you just get me to the school?" She asked impatiently.
"Do not take that tone with me, Miss Granger." Snape said. "And you at the school would be the best course of action at the moment. You can tell me what the hell is going on."
"Perhaps." She replied, following behind him as they made their way to the village.
A/N:
is where I got the name for the goddess (it's actually a god, but oh well.) Tiresias - blind seer from Thebes
