A/N: oops, seems I'm slightly losing interest in HP... my heart is sold to the LotR pairing Legolas/Aragorn on the moment... I will see if I can keep myself to finishing this story and Chobsession. - Nanja

Do Review, or she'll don't finish it! - Nikki

Chapter 24: The Reïncarnation of Astrum

The green light faded. Everyone feared the worst. Nobody dared to look... Hermione opened her eyes and saw the lifeless body of Ginny lying on the floor.

Ron started screaming and crying and Luna was trying to comfort him. Harry was in shock. He didn't feel anything or hear anything. He only thought. Again someone was killed by Voldemort. Someone he cared for. Voldemort had to pay!

Hermione was staring at Ginny's body with wide eyes. She never liked the girl, but she didn't want her dead.

Voldemort chuckled. "Well,... that's one less and a lot to go, but I have the time."

Dumbledore stared at Voldemort with blazing eyes. Hermione was afraid that any moment he would explode, but as always Dumbledore kept his calm.

Professor McGonagall came over and grabbed Dumbledore's arm. "You are not going to do what I think you're going to,... not in front of everyone..." she hissed.

Dumbledore turned to her. "I have to. This has to end. There is no other option." He decided.

Hermione had no idea what they were talking about, but from the look on Proffessor Mcgonagall's face she could read that it was something serious and probably dangerous too. She searched for eyecontact with Harry. He was pointing his wand at Voldemort, his eyes were filled with tears and his hair hung in front of his eyes. He was breathing heavely.

Hermione wanted to run towards him, comfort him. But there was no thought of doing so. Especially not while Voldemort was here. Especially not while she was a Slytherin.

Voldemort raised his wand once more. Dumbledore gave him a warning look. Voldemort smirked. "You heard old Mcgonagall,... don't try it... or else..." he said in a low voice.

Now it was Dumbledore smirking. "I am going to do it. Don't worry. If I die doing this, I die for a good thing"

Voldemort's eyes widened. "You WOULDN'T! You can't reïncarnate! That's madness..." he looked as if Dumbledore was about to explode. Hermione's eyes grew large, she secretly walked to Harry.

"Harry! Listen! I know what Dumbledore's up to!" she whispered in his ear.

Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter,... she's already dead..."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "She's dead, okay, nobody can change that! Now LISTEN! This is important!" she paused for a second. Harry didn't reply. "Dumbledore is going to use a life-cut spell to reïncarnate someone, probably a great wizard or witch... probably someone relative to someone in this room..." she paused again. Now she got Harry's attention. "Maybe... maybe he's going to reïncarnate the ancestors of a great wizarding family... like Parvati's! Or... maybe even yours!" she looked at him. He didn't reply. But he seemed to be deep in thought.

"What if... just if... he did that,... what would it matter?" he asked.

Hermione frowned a bit. "The person who's granted the power of his or her ancestors,... will gain a lot of magical points. For instance, if you'd been given the power of your father, you would know every spell he did, plus the spells you already know. And, some ancestors have greater powers. I know that Parvatti's ancestors were from the Wind - wizards, that means she could inhert the power of the wind...." Hermione explained, whispering. Her eyes still focused on Dumbledore and Voldemort.

"So this life-cut spell,... what does it mean?" he whispered back.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, observing Dumbledore closely. "He will cut half of his life to let someone reïncarnate,... it means he lives a lot shorter,..." she replied.

Dumbledore pointed his wand at himself. 'Vita reseco!' the hall was lightened by a red flash of light.

Hermione clapped her hand in front of her mouth, Harry covered his eyes with his arm, Ron tried to look away and Luna just stared at the scenery.

Dumbledore was still standing, though he suddenly looked a lot older. His beard had grown several inches and his eyes seemed to be less penetrating than before. But he was grinning.

Hermione looked round to see who was being reïncarnated, but then she suddenly came lose off the ground.

Harry, Luna and Ron stared at her in disbelief and several other students did so. Dumbledore was smiling and Voldemort narrowed his eyes.

Hermione was floating in the air, closing her eyes, she felt how a warm breeze was blowing around her. She suddenly got the urge to throw her head back, and just hang in the air. As she did so, suddenly, a lot of rays of light flashed around her. She felt how they entered her body. She became powerfull. She could feel the power. As she opened her eyes, which were bright blue, without pupils, she floated back to the ground. When she touched the floor, she felt more energetic than ever.

Harry closed his mouth and stared. Luna was looking very vague and said: "What are you doing?"

Hermione answered: "What's going on? Why are you all looking at me?"

Nobody answered her.

Voldemort started laughing. "You really think that something foolish like this can stop me?"

Dumbledore said nothing, but just smiled. That made Voldemort laughing even harder. "You, the most powerful wizard in the world, well next to me, that is, sacrificed half of his life to give a foolish Mudblood more power? That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard!"

"Ok, I don't understand. What are you talking about? Someone answer me!" Hermione began to get irritated.

Dumbledore said in a calm voice: "You, miss Granger, are going to save us all."

"I'm WHAT? Why do I have to do this? I always thought Harry was the great hero and stuff... why doesn't he have to save us all..." she started blabbing.

"Miss Granger, calm down." Dumbledore interrupted her.

"If you want me to calm down, answer my questions!" she shot back.

"You, miss Granger, are at this very moment, the most powerful being in this room." Dumbledore said.

"I am?" Hermione asked shocked.

"She is what? No one is more powerful than me! This can't be!" Voldemort said.

Dumbledore grinned and added "She's the most powerful being in this room,.. including you"

Voldemort shrugged. "Like SHE can handle her power! She has to get control of it first!" he tried, grinning.

Dumbledore grinned back. "I wouldn't count on that, Voldemort. But if you are willing to risk your life.... go ahead" he took a step aside and now it was Hermione facing Voldemort.

She swallowed her fear and felt how her heart was racing. Was she really such a powerfull being at this moment? But when she looked at Voldemorts face, she felt a sudden courage. She smiled. She was more powerfull. She was way stronger than him.

Voldemort looked into her eyes. "Crucio!" he tried.

Hermione simply avoided the attack and replied with "Crucio!"

Voldemort got hit and fell to the floor, screaming out. He cursed everything that could be cursed and vanished.

The whole Great Hall was in silence and shock. Everyone was staring at Hermione in disbelief. Except for Dumbledore. Hermione looked round at him. He smiled. "Good job Miss Granger,.."

"Wait a second. Where did I get the power to hurt him?" she asked angry, lost for answers.

Dumbledore looked around the hall. "I think it's okay to explain,..." his face was clam. "I have used magic to reïncarnate one of your ancestors in your body." He explained.

Hermione crossed her arms impatiently. "I KNOW what the spell does. I know what you did. Care to explain me WHAT ancestors? I'm a MUGGLE, remember?" she said, rather brisk.