Heaven Bend to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
Truth be told I tried my best
But somewhere long the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
But the cost was so much more than I could bear
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so
We all begin out with good intent
When love is raw and young
We believe that we can change ourselves
The past can be undone
But we carry on our back the burdens time always reveals
In the lonely light of morning
In the wound that would not heal
It's the bitter taste of losing everything
I've held so dear
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
And tell me I told you so
Heaven bend to take my hand
I've nowhere left to turn
I'm lost to these I thought were friends
To everyone I know
Oh they turn their heads embarrassed
Pretend that they don't see
That it's one wrong step one slip before you know it
And there doesn't seem away to be revealed
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so Fallen, Sarah McLachlan, Afterglow
"Oye! Harry! Give me the paper!" Ron demanded of his best friend, the-boy- who-
lived across the lunch table. They had two days left to their sixth year, and Ron was not
about to break precedent by refraining from being a prat at the table. Harry Potter was
staring openmouthed at the headline.
"Harry, what is it?" Hermione normally read the paper first after Ron had
extracted the Quidditch Section. He looked at her with wide eyes, and then at Ron. He
silently handed the Daily Prophet to Hermione. She scanned the front page and growled
"Of all the asinine things Fudge could do." Nonetheless she read the article thoroughly.
The Ministry had finally done it; it had single-handedly brought slavery to the twentieth
century. The headline proudly proclaimed: "Muggleborn Law to Take Affect
Immediately". The law would allow pure blood families to contract the betrothal of any
muggleborn witch or wizard, though the likelihood of a wizard being forced to marry was
slim. Those who did not willingly comply with the new law were either forced to wed or
have their wands snapped.
"This is a load of." Ron started.
"Of what Mr. Weasley?" Stated a cold, silky voice behind the red head. Ron paled
visibly at this.
"Nothing, sir." He said with his eyes downcast.
Snape sneered at the Golden Trio. "Ten points Mr. Weasley for your foul mouth."
With that the Potions Master fled the hall with long, sure strides.
"Greasy Git!" Harry and Ron cursed under their breaths in unison. This earned
them a reproachful look from their third half.
Hermione took one last sip of her juice wishing that it was orange instead of
pumpkin. "Alright boys, we have double Potions first with Slytherin," she said in a bossy,
businesslike manner as the boys groaned their displeasure. She knew that Snape would be
far worse now that Voldemort was gone as he had no purpose in life. Both Harry and Ron
were in a fine state about sitting through another class with Draco Malfoy taunting them
from his desk while Snape ignored his star student's actions. Luckily, or unluckily this
was the day of their class final, and Malfoy would have little time to taunt the
Gryffindors.
Once inside Professor Snape's dungeon classroom Harry and Ron took their seats
together while Hermione sat next to a near petrified Neville Longbottom. The Potions
Master entered the classroom in a flourish of billowing, black robes. He had his
trademark sneer plastered to his thin lips making his hooked nose more prominent. He
waited for absolute silence to descend upon the nervous sixth years. "Another year has
gone and you are all incompetent. Since you are so sure that you will not have a dark
wizard to combat in the future you now believe that you do not need Potions. You could
not be more wrong. Today you will be brewing, if you have the ability, a truth potion
which will determine whether you will be able take my advanced potions class next year.
I am sure some of you are up to the challenge," at this he smirked at Malfoy. "While
some of you will not be seeing the inside of this classroom again. You have one hour."
With those words he sat down at his desk to grade papers.
Hermione looked at the dark man for a moment. He did not even walk amongst
the tables to intimidate anyone. He just sat there with his quill and red ink marking
furiously on some poor student's essay. Hermione brushed a stray stand of hair from her
face and twisted her hair into a knot which she held in place with her wand. She had no
use of it in Potions class. She gathered the appropriate ingredients from the cabinet and
started her cauldron. Over the course of the hour her potion had changed many different
colors ranging from violet to green. With time to spare the potion became clear signifying
she could turn off the heat and bottle the liquid. She ladled it into small vials she had
labeled while the potion was simmering with her neat script. With a flick of her now
freed wand she cleaned her workstation and cauldron. She waited for the hour staring into
nothingness thinking about the stupid law the Ministry had enacted and how she was
going to get out of it without losing everything she had worked for.
Snape looked up at his students from his stack of papers. The hour was nearly up
and most of them were working furiously to complete the assigned project. Longbottom
had managed to botch the steps from the very beginning. Snape smirked as he realized he
would have one less Gryffindor to deal with in the following year. Gryffindors, Granger
had finished hers of course. It was in vials on her desk waiting for inspection. Potter and
Weasley were fairing well surprisingly. Their potions were the appropriate color for the
stage they were in. He would be seeing all three in the next year it seemed. The Golden
Trio, the staff called them. Snape snorted with disgust. He ran a long hand through his jet
black hair in a attempt to keep the mop out of his eyes. He looked at his watch, a very
convenient muggle device, and smirked evilly. "Time's up." He whispered sharply.
The class had heard him he was sure; all but Granger it seemed. She was staring
off into space. "Bring your vials to the front and you may go." He said a bit louder. This
time the Granger girl looked up. She stood swiftly and deposited her work on his desk,
and was out the door before her two lap dogs could catch up. His seventh years were
next. This made Severus Snape, former Deatheater, spy for the light, hero of the war, and
teacher of Potions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry grimace.
Hermione was halfway to the Library by the time Ron and Harry caught up to her.
"You have to go to Divination. This is my free period. I'll see you at lunch." She laughed
at the boys halfheartedly. They knew something was wrong.
"Hermione, we.." Ron started.
"Boys, go! You're going to be late!" She tried laughing again. This time it was
more convincing. "See you at lunch." She called to their backs. She was home, her
sanctuary, her love, the library. The books never hurt her with words the way people
seemed prone to do. She headed straight for 'her corner' nodding to Madame Pince on
the way.
Her corner was the most secluded spot in the library next to the largest window
facing the lake. Thus, natural light spilled in onto the desk where Hermione was currently
putting her books no matter the weather. Currently the weather matched her mood: dark.
She stared out the window deep in thought. The dread was getting to her, the fear. Her
parents were muggles, dentists with a respectable practice. They lived in a quaint two
story home not too far from London. She could see it now with the warm red brick hunter
green shutters. She could see the walkway which her mother lined with all sorts of
flowers from star jasmine in the summer when the winds were warm and tinged with the
delicate scent of the beautiful flowers to pansies in winter with their cheery color to
brighten the mood of any passerby. This led to her remembering her room at home. It was
a place she dearly treasured. Its light green walls with clean white trim. Her lavender
throw rug on which her white canopy bed sat. Her green and lilac bedding neatly
arranged on the featherbed. And her reading spot by window with its soft chair and small
white table on which sat a small, silver lamp and her favorite book. It was on that tiny
table she would sit her teacup on as she read through book after book on rainy afternoons.
It was a beautiful child's room. Soon Hermione might find herself again in the world of
her parents. As much as she loved the life she had before she came to Hogwarts, she
knew she could never go back to being 'normal' as her mother put it. The only problem
was she didn't know if she wanted to be 'normal' anymore. She loved magic. Could
Hermione Granger, resident Gryffindor know-it-all, live without pursuing her life's
dream of becoming a Potions Mistress? Her mind wandered along various avenues
stemming from the atrocity of a dumb law the Ministry had deemed necessary to pass.
The young woman pulled her cloak closer to her body. It was much colder in the
library now than when she entered. Hermione blinked bringing herself out of the daze.
The sun had gone down. She glanced at her watch. She had missed dinner again.
Gathering her untouched books she slipped them into her satchel and slung it over her left
shoulder. She was stiff from sitting so long in one position. She was in no hurry to get
back to the Common Room where the boys were no doubt waiting on her. The walk back
was without interruptions for which the girl was thankful. The last thing she needed was
Snape stalking the corridors in hopes of ruining their last night at Hogwarts for the year.
She stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady giving her the password:
"GreasyOldGit". As she made her way to the sixth year girls' dorm Harry caught sight of
her. Ron and Seamus were deep into a Wizard's Chess game, and it appeared that Ron
was winning. The raven haired boy made his way quietly to the bushy haired girl so not
to arouse attention amongst the housemates.
"Wait 'Mione. We need to talk." His emerald green eyes seemed glow in the dim
lighting. "About this morning and the new law, you know that Ron and I will petition for
you when we are of age. I'll be seventeen before you so it will be ok." His bright eyes
were kind and honest. She loved the boy, just never in a way where she would marry him.
"What about Ginny, Harry?" She paused barely containing her hatred for the act.
"She loves you. You love her. I will not be the one to come between you. You deserve
happiness Harry. You're life has been.Well, you know. Don't even think about it. I've
got all summer to figure out what I am going to do about this." At this she smiled a sad
little smile at her best friend. "I'm beat. I'm for bed. I'll see you at breakfast, and then
we'll ride on the train together. See you in the morning." She left him there.
The girl's dorm was a mess by anyone's standards. Lavender's clothes, make-up,
and magazines were everywhere as she had given up on packing for a while. Hermione
had all but her essentials packed. Crookshanks' cage was on top of her trunk awaiting
tomorrow. She fell onto the bed and was out before her head hit the pillow, but her
dreams were plagued by nightmares of abusive men and unhappy marriages.
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
Truth be told I tried my best
But somewhere long the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
But the cost was so much more than I could bear
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so
We all begin out with good intent
When love is raw and young
We believe that we can change ourselves
The past can be undone
But we carry on our back the burdens time always reveals
In the lonely light of morning
In the wound that would not heal
It's the bitter taste of losing everything
I've held so dear
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
And tell me I told you so
Heaven bend to take my hand
I've nowhere left to turn
I'm lost to these I thought were friends
To everyone I know
Oh they turn their heads embarrassed
Pretend that they don't see
That it's one wrong step one slip before you know it
And there doesn't seem away to be revealed
Though I've tried I've fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so
I messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here and
Tell me I told you so Fallen, Sarah McLachlan, Afterglow
"Oye! Harry! Give me the paper!" Ron demanded of his best friend, the-boy- who-
lived across the lunch table. They had two days left to their sixth year, and Ron was not
about to break precedent by refraining from being a prat at the table. Harry Potter was
staring openmouthed at the headline.
"Harry, what is it?" Hermione normally read the paper first after Ron had
extracted the Quidditch Section. He looked at her with wide eyes, and then at Ron. He
silently handed the Daily Prophet to Hermione. She scanned the front page and growled
"Of all the asinine things Fudge could do." Nonetheless she read the article thoroughly.
The Ministry had finally done it; it had single-handedly brought slavery to the twentieth
century. The headline proudly proclaimed: "Muggleborn Law to Take Affect
Immediately". The law would allow pure blood families to contract the betrothal of any
muggleborn witch or wizard, though the likelihood of a wizard being forced to marry was
slim. Those who did not willingly comply with the new law were either forced to wed or
have their wands snapped.
"This is a load of." Ron started.
"Of what Mr. Weasley?" Stated a cold, silky voice behind the red head. Ron paled
visibly at this.
"Nothing, sir." He said with his eyes downcast.
Snape sneered at the Golden Trio. "Ten points Mr. Weasley for your foul mouth."
With that the Potions Master fled the hall with long, sure strides.
"Greasy Git!" Harry and Ron cursed under their breaths in unison. This earned
them a reproachful look from their third half.
Hermione took one last sip of her juice wishing that it was orange instead of
pumpkin. "Alright boys, we have double Potions first with Slytherin," she said in a bossy,
businesslike manner as the boys groaned their displeasure. She knew that Snape would be
far worse now that Voldemort was gone as he had no purpose in life. Both Harry and Ron
were in a fine state about sitting through another class with Draco Malfoy taunting them
from his desk while Snape ignored his star student's actions. Luckily, or unluckily this
was the day of their class final, and Malfoy would have little time to taunt the
Gryffindors.
Once inside Professor Snape's dungeon classroom Harry and Ron took their seats
together while Hermione sat next to a near petrified Neville Longbottom. The Potions
Master entered the classroom in a flourish of billowing, black robes. He had his
trademark sneer plastered to his thin lips making his hooked nose more prominent. He
waited for absolute silence to descend upon the nervous sixth years. "Another year has
gone and you are all incompetent. Since you are so sure that you will not have a dark
wizard to combat in the future you now believe that you do not need Potions. You could
not be more wrong. Today you will be brewing, if you have the ability, a truth potion
which will determine whether you will be able take my advanced potions class next year.
I am sure some of you are up to the challenge," at this he smirked at Malfoy. "While
some of you will not be seeing the inside of this classroom again. You have one hour."
With those words he sat down at his desk to grade papers.
Hermione looked at the dark man for a moment. He did not even walk amongst
the tables to intimidate anyone. He just sat there with his quill and red ink marking
furiously on some poor student's essay. Hermione brushed a stray stand of hair from her
face and twisted her hair into a knot which she held in place with her wand. She had no
use of it in Potions class. She gathered the appropriate ingredients from the cabinet and
started her cauldron. Over the course of the hour her potion had changed many different
colors ranging from violet to green. With time to spare the potion became clear signifying
she could turn off the heat and bottle the liquid. She ladled it into small vials she had
labeled while the potion was simmering with her neat script. With a flick of her now
freed wand she cleaned her workstation and cauldron. She waited for the hour staring into
nothingness thinking about the stupid law the Ministry had enacted and how she was
going to get out of it without losing everything she had worked for.
Snape looked up at his students from his stack of papers. The hour was nearly up
and most of them were working furiously to complete the assigned project. Longbottom
had managed to botch the steps from the very beginning. Snape smirked as he realized he
would have one less Gryffindor to deal with in the following year. Gryffindors, Granger
had finished hers of course. It was in vials on her desk waiting for inspection. Potter and
Weasley were fairing well surprisingly. Their potions were the appropriate color for the
stage they were in. He would be seeing all three in the next year it seemed. The Golden
Trio, the staff called them. Snape snorted with disgust. He ran a long hand through his jet
black hair in a attempt to keep the mop out of his eyes. He looked at his watch, a very
convenient muggle device, and smirked evilly. "Time's up." He whispered sharply.
The class had heard him he was sure; all but Granger it seemed. She was staring
off into space. "Bring your vials to the front and you may go." He said a bit louder. This
time the Granger girl looked up. She stood swiftly and deposited her work on his desk,
and was out the door before her two lap dogs could catch up. His seventh years were
next. This made Severus Snape, former Deatheater, spy for the light, hero of the war, and
teacher of Potions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry grimace.
Hermione was halfway to the Library by the time Ron and Harry caught up to her.
"You have to go to Divination. This is my free period. I'll see you at lunch." She laughed
at the boys halfheartedly. They knew something was wrong.
"Hermione, we.." Ron started.
"Boys, go! You're going to be late!" She tried laughing again. This time it was
more convincing. "See you at lunch." She called to their backs. She was home, her
sanctuary, her love, the library. The books never hurt her with words the way people
seemed prone to do. She headed straight for 'her corner' nodding to Madame Pince on
the way.
Her corner was the most secluded spot in the library next to the largest window
facing the lake. Thus, natural light spilled in onto the desk where Hermione was currently
putting her books no matter the weather. Currently the weather matched her mood: dark.
She stared out the window deep in thought. The dread was getting to her, the fear. Her
parents were muggles, dentists with a respectable practice. They lived in a quaint two
story home not too far from London. She could see it now with the warm red brick hunter
green shutters. She could see the walkway which her mother lined with all sorts of
flowers from star jasmine in the summer when the winds were warm and tinged with the
delicate scent of the beautiful flowers to pansies in winter with their cheery color to
brighten the mood of any passerby. This led to her remembering her room at home. It was
a place she dearly treasured. Its light green walls with clean white trim. Her lavender
throw rug on which her white canopy bed sat. Her green and lilac bedding neatly
arranged on the featherbed. And her reading spot by window with its soft chair and small
white table on which sat a small, silver lamp and her favorite book. It was on that tiny
table she would sit her teacup on as she read through book after book on rainy afternoons.
It was a beautiful child's room. Soon Hermione might find herself again in the world of
her parents. As much as she loved the life she had before she came to Hogwarts, she
knew she could never go back to being 'normal' as her mother put it. The only problem
was she didn't know if she wanted to be 'normal' anymore. She loved magic. Could
Hermione Granger, resident Gryffindor know-it-all, live without pursuing her life's
dream of becoming a Potions Mistress? Her mind wandered along various avenues
stemming from the atrocity of a dumb law the Ministry had deemed necessary to pass.
The young woman pulled her cloak closer to her body. It was much colder in the
library now than when she entered. Hermione blinked bringing herself out of the daze.
The sun had gone down. She glanced at her watch. She had missed dinner again.
Gathering her untouched books she slipped them into her satchel and slung it over her left
shoulder. She was stiff from sitting so long in one position. She was in no hurry to get
back to the Common Room where the boys were no doubt waiting on her. The walk back
was without interruptions for which the girl was thankful. The last thing she needed was
Snape stalking the corridors in hopes of ruining their last night at Hogwarts for the year.
She stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady giving her the password:
"GreasyOldGit". As she made her way to the sixth year girls' dorm Harry caught sight of
her. Ron and Seamus were deep into a Wizard's Chess game, and it appeared that Ron
was winning. The raven haired boy made his way quietly to the bushy haired girl so not
to arouse attention amongst the housemates.
"Wait 'Mione. We need to talk." His emerald green eyes seemed glow in the dim
lighting. "About this morning and the new law, you know that Ron and I will petition for
you when we are of age. I'll be seventeen before you so it will be ok." His bright eyes
were kind and honest. She loved the boy, just never in a way where she would marry him.
"What about Ginny, Harry?" She paused barely containing her hatred for the act.
"She loves you. You love her. I will not be the one to come between you. You deserve
happiness Harry. You're life has been.Well, you know. Don't even think about it. I've
got all summer to figure out what I am going to do about this." At this she smiled a sad
little smile at her best friend. "I'm beat. I'm for bed. I'll see you at breakfast, and then
we'll ride on the train together. See you in the morning." She left him there.
The girl's dorm was a mess by anyone's standards. Lavender's clothes, make-up,
and magazines were everywhere as she had given up on packing for a while. Hermione
had all but her essentials packed. Crookshanks' cage was on top of her trunk awaiting
tomorrow. She fell onto the bed and was out before her head hit the pillow, but her
dreams were plagued by nightmares of abusive men and unhappy marriages.