Sorry if I spontaneously switched formatting in some places…I'm a little addle brained.

--Aimes

Did I deserve to die?  Maybe.  Some days, I thought death would have been a mercy…and I thought I deserved at least that.  I had time in those dungeons—time to think about life.  Let me tell you, I found the answers to the meaning of life more than once.  And none of them were 42.

Once, when I was delirious, I rambled to Snape about it…on and on, talking just because I could, because they hadn't cut my tongue out. Snape was good to talk too…he didn't answer very frequently, but then he knew I didn't need answers.  The few times Fairy managed to visit me (after he convinced me he wasn't going to beat the crap out of me…he really took offense at the suggestion) he kept answering…but then I think I was just irritated because he told me that if I screamed they'd ease up.  I know it frustrated him to be so helpless.  As though I'd ever scream.  Honestly.

Anyways…where was I?  Oh yes--when my voice finally went hoarse and I could speak no longer, he remained silent for a moment then shared his words of surprising wisdom: "The meaning of life, Miss Granger, is not survival.  I know it is tempting to think that is what matters."

"What is the meaning of life then, sir?"

"You'll know it when you find it, Hermione."

I slept a bit more easily that night…I didn't cry so hard, anyways.

--Excerpt from the Recovery Diary of Hermione Granger

I bloody hate crying.  It's the worst thing in the world…I mean, it's completely unattractive and totally draining.  Not that I'm crying.  No, I hate it too much to cry.  Besides I don't cry in front of Snape…and that time in captivity doesn't count—who WOULDN'T have cried?

Hermione was panicked.  She had been afraid before, but afraid of a dead man?  Not very frequently.  You'd swear I was Jamie Lee Curtis and Malfoy was Michael Myers…

The Animation Spell was specific: "for a person to be resurrected, they must first go to where the moon sets on the desert in the Sahara."  Considering that the dunes change almost daily, it was a fair assumption that step one was pretty difficult.  However, Lucius seems to have managed it, so… "Upon arriving, the individual must then say an incantation directed at the god Osiris after the moon has set and before the sun has risen."  The spell prevented the person's soul from being judged and thus passing into the nether world.  "After the spell, a courageous person must be sacrificed: this allows for the soul to regain physical manifestation as a trade-off."  So Lucius sacrificed some poor courageous bastard. 

"After those steps are complete, the individual must to find a witch whose binding force is the moon.  Moon witches are the most powerful type, and their magic is potent.  Moon witches themselves are generally highly intelligent and with strong spirit.  Rarely do they realize that they are bound to the moon, and that the binding gives them powers beyond that of most witches and wizards." I'm a moon witch.  What the hell does that mean?  Powers beyond most witches and wizards…like what?  Why haven't they manifested themselves?

"That witch must be harvested when the individual wishes to resurrect himself.  Her tongue and ovaries must be taken: the tongue utters her spells and the ovaries give her fertility.  Then her vocal chords must be extracted: her voice carries much power.  After a potion is made from those elements and ingested, the individual will be brought partially back to life.  He must then copulate with the witch."  So it never says I'm dead.  I mean, those things can be taken without killing me…what the hell am I smoking?! 

"The witch will rise to join him as his queen and consort, under his control for the rest of eternity, she will be as his companion and servant, bringing him power and glory for all time."

"Gods that's disgusting."

"Indeed."

"I'm a moon witch, eh?  Wonder what exactly that means."

"I have heard it mentioned in…other circles.  Every few generations, a witch is born whose binding force is the moon.  Most witches and wizards have much more ordinary binding forces: fire, water, wind, gold, whatever.  Binding forces are what generate the bulk of a wizard's power, and the stronger the force, the more powerful the wizard.  Moon witches tend to have heightened intelligence and the ability to perform spells and create potions that normally take groups of witches to produce.  The only binding force stronger than the moon is the sun.  Your friend Mr. Potter and the Dark Lord both had the sun as binding forces.  Moon witches, however, are unique in that they can control the magic of others, especially those bound by water.  Extremely powerful witches have been known to control the magic of sun-bound witches and wizards.  The moon binds only women, unlike any other force—all others are gender unspecific."

"I see," Hermione said pensively.  These should be interesting powers to control if this turns out to be true.

"How did he know I was bound by the moon?"

"I am not sure," Snape replied quietly.

"So he's coming for me, then?  Why hasn't he tried again since that night?  The spell must be finite: he has to lose his corporeal manifestation eventually otherwise he wouldn't need me."

"I've figured that as well.  However, I am unsure why no further attacks have been made.  Too soon, perhaps?  It's been less than a week."

"Perhaps," mused Hermione.  "I feel that we're missing something, though."

"I'm sure we are…Hieratic is not an area of expertise for either of us, and we cannot be sure that Lucius' translation is accurate."  Snape was pacing the conference room.  Hermione reclined in her chair once again and stared pensively out the window.

"Then we need someone whose area of expertise is Hieratic."