Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just the plot

"So when we go to Hogsmede; we will floo to the Leaky Cauldron and then we have to find out where to go next," Harry summed up the plan.

Ron looked at his watch and nodded. It was five minutes to nine.

All the students where gathering for the their Saturday outing. Harry looked around and saw Ginny standing nearby and looking in his direction. She quickly looked away avoiding eye contact.  Harry noticed her cloak looked slightly bulky as though she was hiding something under it.  He and Ron also had small bags hidden under their cloaks, that they had reduced so that no one would notice. Harry watched her hurry over to her older twin brothers but dismissed any further thought.  He was probably imagining things.

"Alright you may all go!" announced McGonagall. The students surged forward and Harry and Ron were drawn into the crowd but not before they both felt a hand on their shoulders. They both turned to find McGonagall now behind them.

Ron was about to ask her how she had done that but McGonagall gave him a stern look. Ron swallowed hard and kept his mouth closed.

"There is someone here to see you, Harry," she said pointing to a figure near the entrance hall. Harry recognised him instantly. It was his godfather, Sirius Black, standing waving at them. Harry was pleased to see him, but concerned to see him out in the open like that.  He still had not been cleared of the charges set against him even when Dumbledore spoke on his behalf to the Ministry of Magic.  Harry was also disappointed that their plan had just been demolished.

Ron was also astonished but mostly fed up. Sirius's timing was unfortunate. He and Harry greeted Sirius who looked slightly worried.

"Sorry to interrupt your trip, but just so you know that we are doing everything we can to find Hermione," he attempted to comfort the two boys.

"Who is we?" Harry asked confused.

"Well, some of the resistance is involved, and well, I heard from Snape this morning and he is onto something," Sirius said quietly.

Harry and Ron were suddenly bursting with questions, but Sirius put his finger to his lips. He turned and headed out toward the lake, with Harry and Ron close behind. Once they reached the banks, Sirius sat down on the grass as they did.

"Harry, the real reason I am here is that I have come to warn you, you are not to leave Hogwart's under any circumstances. If Voldemort captures you, while he has Hermione, we might as well just hand everything over to him, because all hope will be lost!"

 Harry's opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it. Ron looked away guiltily.

"Why would having the both of us, I mean why not just me?" he stumbled over his words but Sirius understood what he was trying to ask.

" Harry it is time that you know the truth that I have kept from you for the last five years. You and Hermione are due to fulfil your destiny's by becoming the most powerful wizards in existence once I pass away, which I am afraid to say that time is running out. If Voldemort converts one of you to evil, you will never be able to defeat him!"

Dumbledore replied.  Harry and Ron turned around flabbergasted, unaware that the Headmaster was near.  His face was slightly grey, as he looked over his glasses at Harry and Ron. Sirius looked out onto the water and said nothing, hiding the fear in his eyes from Harry.

"Is Harry suppose to marry Hermione?" asked Ron bewildered. Sirius shook his head.

"No, they just must be teamed together, sworn in by the Order of the Phoenix!" Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"I don't understand, Hermione would never turn to evil, would she?" Harry's voice trembled involuntarily.

Sirius now turned and looked him in the eye. Both Harry and Ron paled at the thought.

"Her will is being broken as we speak," he responded sadly.

* * * * * **

Hermione screamed as the whip lashed the back of her legs again. Lucius laughed and aimed again at the naked cowering figure. This time it hit her on her arm, and then into her face.

"Please stop!" she begged. She looked up at Lucius towering over her. He had been beating her for what seemed like hours, her body was a mass of broken welts bleeding profusely. He paused and glared at her with cold eyes.

"Tell me!" he demanded. Hermione shook her head. She wanted it to stop but she would never give up Harry's secret.

This infuriated Lucius, fed up he pulled out a knife from his belt. He pulled her up off the floor, drawing the knife to her breast.

"Tell me!" he repeated angrily. When she did not respond, he cut her again.

Finally when he had cut her at least ten times, he had had enough.

He placed the knife to her throat. Hermione was semi conscious by now, hardly feeling the pain as she drifted between life and death.

"I will ask you one more time, where does Harry Potter stay in the summer?"

* * * * * * *

 Opruim left Severus Snape to contact Voldemort, who was both angered and pleased at the news. He was furious with Lucius for treating the girl that way when she could bring him to power. Not that Lucius knew this but he should have informed him of the girl's kidnapping. Voldemort reprimanded himself for giving Lucius so much power and not keeping close watch. He was pleased with Opruim and Severus for their loyalty. Especially Severus, after Lucius last reported he might not be trusted.

He decided to go see Lucius in person instead of calling him to his hideout.

* * * * * *

Snape and Opruim arrived at the abandoned looking hotel hidden in the countryside. Snape had never been here before, and Opruim informed him that it actually belong to Lucius, not Voldemort. Snape shook his head in disbelief. Lucius would be in a tremendous situation when his master finds out. They entered the building to find death eaters everywhere, and looking rather uncomfortable at seeing Snape. He in return simply nodded at them as Opruim lead him down into the basement.

They reached the door to the room where Hermione was being held. Snape could hardly suppress his tingle of satisfaction that he had gotten this far so quickly. He could have Hermione back at Hogwart's by nightfall. That is till he heard the voice of Voldemort as Opruim opened the door.

The first thing Snape perceived were the red eyes of Voldemort glaring at Lucius, who was on his knees pleading for forgiveness.

Near him lay the tortured body of Hermione. Snape held his breath for a moment trying to decipher if she was dead or not. To his relief he noticed her chest rise and fall ever so infrequently as she breathed. She was a fraction from death. Voldemort acknowledged their arrival by telling Lucius that his true followers had arrived. Two more death eaters arrived and took Lucius to a holding cell within Voldemort's secret hide out. Voldemort turned to Severus and Opruim giving them a string of commands before leaving.

* * * * *

Snape rushed over to Hermione, who was trying to speak when she realized he was there but he could only hear the word corner. Snape saw another body in the corner of the room when he looked up. They would never make it back to Hogwart's in the condition that Hermione was in. Not only that but there was also Opruim to contend with.  Severus Snape had to make a decision that pained him greatly. He picked up the grey cloak lying on the floor and covered Hermione with it.  He then instructed Opruim to get Hermione to Voldemort's nurse as they had been told. Once gone, Snape went over to the body. He barely recognised her, she was so thin and pale. Her dark hair had been cut short; her body limp in his arms. She was dead.

He started to weep, Lucius had killed his one love, he had killed Marie.