No one expected you to, Damien, Draco said quietly. You had been at Slytherin Manor, unconscious for only a week, and it was your second day awake. No one expected you to even get out of bed.
And I tried to redecorate the wall with your brains. Sorry about that, Damien winced.
Draco scowled slightly. Yes, well, you didn't know any better. I guess I could forgive you.
Besides, you slammed me across the face earlier. I think that made up for that hit.
You wish. Draco ruffled his hair, causing Damien's eyes to glaze over.
Mmm, don't stop, Damien protested when the hand was removed.
Torture makes you horny? Good Lord we have another Voldemort on our hands, Draco said with a laugh.
Correction- YOU make me horny, as does Hermione. The both of you together make me so hard I can't think about anything else. But, torture? That doesn't get me off in the slightest. And I didn't need that visual about my Grandfather, thankyouverymuch! Damien scowled as everyone else laughed, Ron looking vaguely disgusted as he chuckled.
Mate, I did NOT need to hear that about my brother and sister and hopeful new brother, Ron thought, still laughing. He looked down and noticed that nothing remained of his tormentors except for a fine ashy powder. Whoops, I let them cook for far too long, he thought ruefully. I wanted to play with them some more.
Love, they've been dead for almost ten minutes. Inferno kills within a minute. Its' that intense. Angela hugged Ron comfortingly. They felt excruciating pain, and then they died.
Damn it!!! Ron snapped. I knew I should have used Incendio! I wanted them to really suffer!
Hermione shook her head. "Can we do my parents next?" she asked hopefully. "I want to transfigure and then- ooh, I know! I'll transfigure them into dogs and light their tails on fire and make my mom a bitch in heat and a Chihuahua and my dad a Doberman... it'll be fun!!!" Oh, but that's a nasty image... yuck. I'm gonna be sick. Hermione turned green and pressed a hand over her mouth, willing back the vomit that threatened to spew forth.
Hermione, you did that to yourself, Angela reminded her.
Don't remind me. I'm too creative for my own good. Hermione gulped and swallowed convulsively, her entire body shaking. That was nasty.
Right, we need to get out of here, Blaise said decisively, ushering everyone to the Floo.
I still want to know where everyone is and why they were the only ones home, Ron muttered.
Damien smacked his forehead. Duh! The clock! He rushed over to the clock and read the hands. They were all pointed to Order Headquarters.
Everyone's at the Order, Damien announced
Right, then, let's go before we're discovered. Draco herded them to the Floo and they returned to Slytherin Manor.
They tumbled through the Floo to find an extremely angry Voldemort on the other end. He waited until everyone was out of the fireplace.
"WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING???" he bellowed, causing Damien to cower back in fear before realizing it wasn't Vernon in front of him.
"My Lord, please..." Draco gestured to the naked terror on Damien's face.
Voldemort froze, stricken. "What- oh shit!" he swore. "Hermione, Draco, calm him down. You have an hour." Hermione and Draco gently took Damien's hands and pulled him from the room.
Voldemort turned to the three remaining teenagers. "And where was it so important for you to be that you couldn't leave word or allow one of the adults to accompany you?" he snapped.
Blaise and Angela set their jaws, encircling Ron's waist with their arms. "We took care of some unfinished business, grandfather," Angela said coolly.
Voldemort mistook their gesture of support to tell him something completely different. "WE HAVE ROOMS IN THE CASTLE FOR SLYTHERIN'S SAKE!!! WHY DID YOU FEEL THE NEED TO COMPLETE YOUR BOND OUTSIDE SLYTHERIN MANOR???" he yelled, his face turning purple.
"We did not do that!!!" Blaise snapped. "Ok, we did, but it was last night, not this morning. No, we took care of Ron's problems!"
"What problems???" Voldemort snapped.
"THE PROBLEM THAT MY TWIN BROTHERS HAVE BEEN USING ME FOR A SEX TOY SINCE I WAS SIX!!!!" Ron finally screamed, tears sliding down his cheeks.
"Oh." Voldemort looked sheepish. He stared at Ron cautiously. "I trust that it's been taken care of?"
"YES!!" screamed Angel and Blaise in exasperation.
"All right, all right. Geez. So, how did it go?" Voldemort asked his hands up in a pacifying 'I surrender' pose.
"They're dust in the wind," Ron said dreamily. "Eleven years of torture and all I had to do was cast Inferno."
Voldemort grinned. "You like that spell?"
"Not really. It went too fast. Dead in less than a minute. I wanted it to last longer." Ron pouted.
Voldemort grinned. "We'll make a Death Eater out of all of you yet," he smirked.
Ron sighed. "Yes, but I'm not killing anyone who doesn't deserve it. Random torture isn't my thing."
"What is it with the younger crowd and the inability to properly torture a random person?" Voldemort asked, genuinely concerned.
"I have no idea," Angela said.
Blaise thought for a minute. "I guess it's that the three of them haven't been raised this way."
"No, it's logical!" Ron protested. "Look, there are people who deserve it. The shits that attacked St. Christina's deserve to be strung up by their...oh, painful thought!" he said, grimacing. Voldemort grimaced as well.
"Ooh, that wasn't pretty," the Dark Lord said with a pained look.
"There are people who deserve it. They hate us and would kill us if given the opportunity. I have no qualms about killing them. This is war, and in war anything goes. But killing people who don't know any better or who actually think magic is cool isn't something I'm going to do," Ron explained.
"Oh, so THAT'S what you mean by random people," Voldemort said, satisfied with the answer.
"Exactly."
"You do this means changing the rules about the way we operate," Blaise said suddenly.
"I know. I'll have to break it to the Death Eaters gently. This'll crush them. I hope they don't sulk for too long," Voldemort said, walking from the library resolutely.
"Death Eaters SULK??" Ron asked incredulously once the Dark Lord was out of earshot.
Blaise and Angela laughed. "Come on," Blaise said, pulling both of them to their feet and out of the Library. "Let's go run." they transformed into wolves and sprinted out of the manor, reveling in the sunshine.
Hogwarts, the same time
"Albus, they killed Remus!" Severus Snape yelled, uncharacteristic tears streaming down his face. "They put him in a silver cage and they tortured him to death!"
Dumbledore rested his face in his hands. "Oh, poor Remus. He did know the dangers of trying to get close to the Death Eaters. I only hope he managed to get a portkey to the Trio before he died. I don't understand it, my boy. Why did he kidnap them?"
"He must know about Harry being his Heir, Albus," Severus Snape said, his face troubled. "But he hasn't mentioned anything to me. You don't think he's discovered I'm a spy, do you?"
"Listen to me, my Heir," Dumbledore said, the twinkle gone from his eyes, revealing the steel underneath. "You are NOT to endanger yourself. I won't let you. Continue your spying duties only if you feel you are in no mortal danger. DO NOT do anything that'll let them kill you."
"I won't, Grandfather," Severus Snape said with a slight smile.
"You are too precious to me to lose," Dumbledore said with finality.
"I love you too, Grandfather," Severus Snape said with a smile and left the office.
"Stay safe, my boy," Dumbledore whispered. "Stay safe."
Slytherin Manor, Three Days Later
"Grandfather, could we learn how to Apparate?" Angela asked suddenly, in the middle of their lesson on Medieval Torture methods and their modern counterparts.
"You don't know how to Apparate?" Draco and Blaise asked incredulously.
"Nope!" Angela, Damien, Ron and Hermione answered cheerfully. The rest of the students from St. Christina's school nodded as well.
"That's a bit more important than torture methods. All right, here's the basics."
They spent the next three hours practicing Apparation. Everyone learned quickly, and, by the end of the day, all thirty students could Apparate with ease.
Riddle Manor, Four Days Later
The Death Eaters gathered, with the exception of Severus Snape, Hogwarts Professor, as Voldemort didn't want any of the day's proceedings to get back to Dumbledore. Once everyone loyal was assembled, Voldemort began.
"We are going after the Grangers," he started without any preamble whatsoever.
"My Lord?" Nott asked, confused slightly.
"Hermione, my Grandson's bondsmate. Her family," Voldemort clarified.
"Why? Wouldn't that make her angry?" McNair asked, completely lost.
"On the contrary," Hermione smoothly interjected from where she stood, unnoticed, "it was a request. My parents are very unsavory people."
"That's putting in mildly," Damien growled, his arms around her waist.
"My I ask what they did to deserve your anger and hatred?" Parkinson asked.
"It's simple. They don't give two shits about me," she snapped.
"Easy, love," Draco said softly.
"They spent my entire upbringing belittling me and making me feel worthless, they treated my magic like an abomination, they didn't pay any attention to me beyond the insults... The list could go on and on."
Lucius Malfoy's gaze flitted to her wrists in understanding. "Give us addresses, and we'll take care of it," he said softly. She nodded, her face set.
Damien handed her a piece of parchment and she scribbled down her home address. "Oh, yeah," she softly said. "My parents got a divorce." She wrote down another address, missing the entire room's reaction of disgust at the word divorce.
She looked up and handed the parchment to Damien, who handed it to Lucius Malfoy. "What?" she asked, seeing the disgusted look on his face.
"Divorce is something horrible in our society," Lily explained easily. "It's looked on as worse than murder. In fact," she grinned, "we take care of marital problems through murder, rather than the shame of divorce."
Severus grimaced. "Something you want to tell me, Lily?" he joked.
Lily smirked and he paled slightly.
"All right, people, let's get to work!" Voldemort snapped, focusing everyone on the task at hand.
"Right. Hermione, do you wish to be present for the raid?" Lucius asked her softly, understanding in his eyes.
"Hell yes!" she said eagerly, her eyes shining evilly.
Draco and Damien looked at each other over her head. "Uh oh, we've created a monster," Damien joked.
Hermione grinned mischievously, taking their hands. "Let's go, you two," she chirped.
312 Freemason Court, Granger Residence
Dr. Granger wiped his hands on a towel, having just finished with his last patient for the day. "ROSA!!!" he yelled, wanting his assistant.
Rosa came traipsing in, her beautiful face vacuous as always. "Yes, Dr. Granger?"
"Have there been any more last minute calls?"
"Umm, no, but there's someone waiting in the lounge. He wants to speak to you."
"Great, just great. I have to be at the lawyer's in an hour. Stupid bitch and her stupid daughter. I hate them both," he grumbled, stalking into the lounge.
He stopped short, his mind refusing to cooperate with the rest of him. Oh shit.
Hermione, Damien, Draco, Ron, Blaise, Angela and Lucius Malfoy stood in front of him, grinning evilly. "Hello, Father," his daughter purred.
"What are you doing here?" he asked numbly, knowing that something was horribly wrong. "Did your mother send you? That stupid bitch. I told her I didn't want any visitation rights."
"Oh no, and that bitch, as you called her, is next," Lucius smoothly interrupted. "However, we required your time. You are coming with us."
"Hell no! I have to meet the bitch in an hour at the lawyer's office!" Dr. Granger protested, then suddenly fell silent as Hermione's murmured "stupefy" hit him. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Hermione glared at him, her eyes stony. "Bastard," she muttered, grabbing a limp arm. Damien grabbed the other one, and Ron and Draco each grabbed a leg. They Apparated straight into the dungeons of Slytherin Manor, depositing him in a heap on the floor.
Lucius Malfoy, Blaise and Angela Apparated to the apartment complex Hermione's mother was currently occupying. Five seconds later, the three boys and Hermione Apparated next to them, Hermione looking furious. "I wouldn't want to cross her," Lucius muttered to himself. Hermione grinned.
They climbed the stairs, the non Muggle raised not wanting to trust the elevator. "Honestly," Draco huffed. "What in the world were they thinking, building something so rickety?"
"It can hold two and a half tons," Hermione offered, reading the certification paper posted on the wall. They looked at her incredulously.
They stood in front of Apartment number 210 and Lucius knocked on the door politely. The door opened and a burly man wrapped in nothing but a towel opened it. "What do you want?" he scowled.
"Who is it, Steve?" a female voice called from the back. Hermione sneered.
"It's me, Marissa, and some freaky friends," she shouted. The door was wrenched open and an attractive woman resembling Hermione stood there in just her bathrobe.
If that's what you'll look like in twenty years, I'm in luck! Draco thought, his eyes wide.
I may look like her but she's nothing like me! Hermione snapped.
"Hermione, what are you doing here??" snapped Marissa.
Hermione sneered. "Paul didn't want me, and wouldn't let me get my stuff, so I came here. Do you have anything of mine?"
Marissa rolled her eyes. "I take it he's your guardian?" she snarled, indicating Lucius.
"Yes." Lucius's voice was quiet and firm.
"Well, come on it. It's all in the hall closet," Steve growled. He and Marissa walked off back into a bedroom. "Baby, I told you I didn't want your brat around," he whined.
"I'm not letting her stay, lovely. Hell, I don't even want her. That bitch has been more trouble than she's worth. Little anal retentive slut." Hermione's face turned white as she heard the hateful words and her mouth twitched, her face closing off as tears threatened to flow.
Lucius paled even further, if that was even possible. "She's going to die for that remark. Get your things, Hermione. We'll take care of this."
"Oh hell no. I want to make her suffer, starting with..." she strode into the back bedroom, following her mother and lover. "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!" the teenage witch screamed, and a heavy body hit the ground. "Stupefy!!" she yelled again and another thump, much softer, was heard.
Damien and Ron ran into the bedroom, both of them tripping over the quite dead body of Steve. Hermione held her mother carelessly by an arm and Apparated.
"Let's go," Damien said, walking back out. Draco, Blaise, Angela and Lucius held shrunken objects in their hands, the remnants of Hermione's belongings.
"We're ready," Lucius said and they all Apparated back to Slytherin Manor.
"Where's Hermione's room?" Damien asked.
Draco grinned. How about we put it in your room, along with my stuff and we put a few more closets and dressers in there as well so we don't have to sleep apart ever?
Damien smirked. Sounds good to me.
Blaise, Ron and Angela looked at each other, identical smirks on their faces. Sounds like fun. We're moving into Angela's room, they thought.
Slytherin Manor, The Next Day
Damien, Draco and Hermione strode into the Dungeons, Blaise, Angela and Ron in tow. "I think it's playtime," Draco remarked coldly.
Damien strode into the dungeon room that housed the Dursleys, followed by everyone else. Vernon cracked open a bloody, bruised eye. "Oh, it's you again," he slurred slightly, his obviously broken jaw preventing him from speaking too clearly. "Back for more?"
Lily walked in behind the six teenagers. "Oh, you're here. What do you plan on doing?" she asked.
"Can I kill them? Can I? Can I?" Damien pleaded, giving her his best puppy eyes.
Lily snickered. "Only if you can make it last for more than five hours," she teased.
"YAY!" he yelled, hugging her. The Dursleys stared at him fearfully.
"Wha- wha- what are you going to do?" Dudley stuttered.
"Oh, this neat little trick I learned. It makes you live any memory, or number of memories of my choosing... one of MY memories." Damien grinned evilly. Vernon's face paled and he sagged.
"Oh shit..." the beefy man muttered.
Damien stopped, focusing on all the horrifying memories he held, locked away. Tears came to his eyes as he focused, letting himself feel the pain and anger and helplessness. With a muffled snarl, he forced the memories out and into Vernon's head. The man arched and screamed, blood pouring from his nose and ears.
"Whoops, didn't think that would have that great of an effect!" Damien shrugged and stood back as the Muggle screamed and jerked, slamming his head repeatedly on the wall behind him, whimpering with each blow.
"Who's next?" Damien grinned sadistically. He stood in front of Petunia, who looked almost skeletal. "Aww, Auntie, you should eat more! Evansesco!" he snapped and she screamed, her skin bloating and swelling, her bones stretching with horrible creaks and snaps. "Winguardium Leviosa!" he snapped and she screamed as she floated in midair, looking like Aunt Marge had looked during the summer before third year. He released the chains with a wave of his hand and she floated to the ceiling. Hermione sent a gust of wind to the sobbing Muggle woman, laughing as she bounced off the walls, spinning around the room.
Lily laughed when she saw her adoptive sister the size of the Goodyear blimp, bouncing around like a beach ball. "This is priceless!" she gasped, pulling out a camera. "I need a picture of this, just so I know it really happened!" She took several photos, grinning sadistically.
Damien, Draco and Hermione turned as one to Dudley, all but rubbing their hands in anticipation. Ron and Blaise played Volleyball with the bloated Petunia, having shrunk her down to beach ball size. Angela curiously walked around the screaming, beefy Muggle, taking notes on the effects Damien's memories had on Vernon. Lily spiked Petunia, slamming her into the door, which opened as Severus poked his head in. "Lily, I -WHAT IS GOING ON??" he demanded, staring as his wife played volleyball with Blaise and Ron.
"We're playing with my sister!" Lily chirped.
"Whaa-" he asked stupidly, not comprehending in the slightest what was going on. "But you hate Petunia! Why are you playing with her???"
Grinning, Lily bumped the 'ball' to Severus, who reflexively caught it. A thin wail came from the 'ball', and he studied it, his eyes wide with shock. "Is this- oh my word, this is ingenious!!!" he grinned, spiking the Petunia ball back to Lily.
Damien grinned. "Hmmm, I think we should finish what Hagrid did to you when I was eleven," he mused. "And then, I can teach the Death Eaters to prepare a Luau!"
Dudley whimpered, terrified. "What's a Luau?" Draco asked curiously.
Hermione grinned. "This is going to be fun."
She and Damien joined hands. "Now, Damien, to properly transfigure someone into an animal, you need to - MMMPGH!"
Draco sweetly ended the scorching lip lock and grinned. "I love you, Hermione, but you need to shut up."
"You- you - you love me?" she sputtered, her cheeks rosy.
"Ummm," Draco blushed.
"I feel left out," Damien pouted. "Besides, could we turn this whale into a pig? I'm getting hungry."
"But the roast pig takes HOURS to prepare!!" Hermione protested. "If you're hungry now, how would you be able to wait?"
"You're missing the point," Draco chuckled.
"Really." Hermione crossed her arms. "What's the point, then?"
"The point is that I want to transfigure this hunk of lard into a pig, so would you two please get over here?" Damien snapped impatiently.
"Touchy!" Draco growled. "What suddenly crawled up your ass and died?"
"I think he's feeling left out," Hermione smirked. "It's all right, Damien. I love you."
Damien grinned slightly. "Tell me later. Right now, on to Transfiguration!"
The three of them joined hands, Damien in the center, focusing their energies. Dudley started to scream as his body twisted, the three of them drawing out the agony as long as possible. After ten minutes of the obese boy's body undergoing excruciating transformation after transformation, a five hundred pound pig stood in his place, manacles around its neck.
"Sweet!" Damien exclaimed. "Luau time!"
Draco stared at the pig, confused. "What's a luau?"
Hermione grinned again. "It's a Hawaiian tradition. Basically, it's a huge party that the entire island would be invited to, with at least one large pig roasted. It's incredible. I went to one with Katie when I was eight. You stuff yourself silly and then someone in a coconut bra and a grass skirt starts dancing."
"You mean like this?" Damien asked mischievously, waving his hand. Immediately, Hermione's robe was replaced with an orchid and plumeria lei around her neck, flowers in her hair, a real coconut bra, and an ankle length grass skirt and bare feet. Hermione gaped at him, her face beet red.
"Damien!!!" she snapped, scandalized. Severus looked at her and started laughing.
"Lily, we should adopt that as the female Death Eater robes," he snickered.
Lily elbowed him, passing the Petunia Ball to Ron, who was staring at his sister, completely shocked. It hit him in the head and ricocheted, slamming into the pig. The pig snorted and kicked, sending Petunia flying once again. The human ball floated to the ceiling and Lily conjured a string, looping it around Petunia's foot and tying it tight. She walked out of the Dungeons with her human balloon trailing behind her, floating merrily along the corridor. Severus followed her, with Ron, Blaise and Angela tagging along, leaving Draco, Damien and Hermione alone with what remained of the Dursleys.
Hermione grinned and transfigured her clothing back to her customary scarlet and black robes, shaking her head. "I'll wear the grass skirt for the Luau, but not before," she teased.
"The question is can you do the hula?" Damien asked with a smirk.
Hermione laughed, transfiguring her clothing back. A strong rhythmic drum beat started and she swayed to the beat, her hips moving faster and faster. Draco watched her hips, transfixed, his mind immediately thinking of other things. Damien just laughed, eyeing her appreciatively.
"How do you do that?" Draco asked, his eyes never leaving her hips.
She stopped, to his extreme disappointment. "It's simple enough. You have to move your feet to the beat, and your hips follow. Then, you do the hand motions that tell the story of the song." She transfigured the grass skirt and coconut bra back to her robes.
"All right," she said eagerly. "We've got the pig roast. Let's play with my good for nothing parents, shall we?"
They merrily strode from the room and walked down the hallway, entering the next room in the Dungeons. Marissa and Paul Granger sat on opposite sides of the room, their clothing in disarray. Her bathrobe was ripped in several spots, and his tie was gone and his suit jacket had been shredded. Paul had deep grooves running down the left side of his face, and she had a bruise forming over a cheekbone.
Hermione chuckled, a bitter, angry sound, that had them scrambling into standing positions. "What- Hermione Anne Granger!" Paul snapped. "What the fuck do you think you're doing??? Release us this instant!!!"
"I think not," Hermione purred. "You see, Paul, Marissa, you've made my life a living hell for the last seventeen years and it's time for you to pay for what you've done."
"Bull shit, young lady!!" Marissa yelled. "You're going to listen to your asshole father and let us go!"
"Or what?" Hermione yawned. "Neither of you want me or have ever shown me a minute of love or kindness, so why should I? And, it's not like you can do anything to me."
Marissa's mouth worked angrily, and Paul started to laugh. "You see, you silly bitch!" he snorted. "I told you she'd turn out like this, completely her own person!" He turned to Hermione, and his eyes held real warmth and approval. "Good for you, Hermione. It's true, we've never done ANYTHING for you. You have to understand one thing, however. Have I ever belittled you?"
Hermione thought for a minute. "No," she admitted. "You just ignored me and let her hurt me, which was worse."
He grinned sardonically. "Yes, but she was a one night stand gone horribly wrong, that resulted in blackmail into marriage. I hated you, still do, because she used you- being pregnant- to trap me in that hell for the last seventeen years. I don't expect you to do anything differently, but that is my side of the farce of a story."
Damien scowled. "That didn't give you any right to take your anger out on her, you sadistic bastard," he growled.
"I didn't take anything out on her. I removed myself from the situation so I wouldn't. No, taking anger out was her bitch of a mother's forte. That's where the yelling and belittling came in. I just wasn't there." Paul slid to the floor, sitting comfortably. "Well, get on with it. I presume you're going to torture us and kill us. It's actually interesting. I thought my biggest problem would be her trying to take half my practice. Guess I was wrong."
"YOU COLD HEARTED BASTARD!!!" Marissa screamed, her voice shrill and unrelenting. "You FUCKED UP, GOOD FOR NOTHING-"
"Now, now, flattery will get you nowhere," Paul shot back, grinning. "You're going to get what you deserve, PET," he smirked.
Marissa let out a howl of rage and threw herself at Paul, claw like nails extended to do maximum damage. Hermione quickly put her in a full body bind. Somehow, the hateful woman's mouth continued to work and she screamed, snarled and shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Oh, and Hermione? Good job with the magic. I'm actually proud that you've done so well in your schooling," Paul announced grimly over his former wife's snarls and shrieks.
The three of them stared at him, shocked. Hermione's mouth was wide open. "Thanks, Paul," she managed.
"Well, considering that you were using the trust fund set up by MY Grandmother Anne, and I remember her fondly, I'm glad that someone in my bloodline managed to wind up magical. She used to tell me stories," he mused. Suddenly, he stared at her directly. "Before you do us in, would you care to hear some?"
"Can you shut her up first?" Draco asked Hermione, gesturing at Marissa, who was still yowling in the corner. "I swear, was she a cat in a previous life?" he asked in disgust.
"What should I do to her?" Hermione wondered. "Oh, I know, if its cat sounds she wants to make, then..." A tiny calico kitten peered up at Hermione from where Marissa had been sitting. "Would someone get Sirius? He has a new toy to play with," Hermione grinned evilly.
"NICE!" Paul exploded. "You shut her up! Finally! It only took eighteen years!!!" Draco turned into his panther form and stalked over to the kitten, who stared up at him with huge eyes before purring against his leg. "Hey, someone should tell him that she'll hook her claws into him if he isn't careful," Paul warned. Draco held the kitten out at limb's reach and then picked her up, carrying her out of the dungeon room.
"True. She'll play the whole helpless damsel act and then leech you for all you're worth," Hermione mused.
Paul grinned. "That's her all right."
"She really got you, didn't she?" Hermione asked sorrowfully. A loud screech was heard outside and they ran to the door, watching in amusement as Sirius, in his enormous dog form chased after the terrified kitten, running through the hallways and skidding into walls.
Paul nodded grimly. "She was going through dental school, and I had just finished. We met at a party, and got absolutely plastered. Two months later, she knocked on my door, saying she was pregnant. I had just started practice, and was determined for the first three months to do the right thing, but I realized she was sleeping around and had hooked me into marriage. The funny thing was that I took a paternity test when you were three. You are my daughter, something I had highly doubted until then." Draco walked back in and made himself comfortable.
"That still doesn't excuse you for what you've done," Damien said quietly. "I think at the very least an apology is in order."
"What, no torture?" Paul asked in all seriousness.
"I think I'd rather get to know you than kill you," Hermione mused. "We do have something in common, after all. We both have been on the receiving end of her abuse."
"Besides, you have to tell her the stories!" Damien said eagerly, wanting to hear them just as much as Hermione did.
"Well," Paul mused with a smile. "My Grandmother used to tell me this one all the time. It was actually a loose poem, passed down from generation to the next. How does it go again? Oh yes.
Merlin's Heir shall join with Darkness
In a time of great trouble and strife
She will lead the darkness forward
Bringing those she loves into the true Light
Together, the Heirs of those most powerful
Joined in love, they will vanquish the enemy of Magic
And bring lasting peace to the divided nations
Heir of Merlin, you will bring peace to enemies
Together, bonded with those most Cunning, Brave and Wise,
Your powers will multiply beyond anything ever seen
Power to Power
Blood to Blood
Only if united you shall triumph
Love and heart shall guide you
First of magic in generations
You will remold Darkness into true Light
Bridge new and old
Give life to the dead
And lead those gone astray.
She told me to memorize that, especially when she found out that Hermione had magical powers. She told me never to forget our Heritage, and that those of us with magical powers would be exceptionally powerful." Paul grinned slightly.
"You're Merlin's Heir?" came the startled gasp of many voices from the doorway. They jumped and their heads shot up. Voldemort, Lily, Severus, Lucius, Narcissa, Sirius, Ron, Angela, Blaise and Remus stood just inside the doorway, their faces ashen and bloodless.
Voldemort strode into the room, his face set. Everyone else just stood there for a second before joining him in the room. "You," he said abruptly. "What's your name, Squib?"
"Paul Granger," Paul replied, slightly sneering at the word Squib.
"You're sure that what you said is what's been passed down generation upon generation?" Voldemort asked urgently, almost desperately.
"Word for word, through four different languages," Paul responded. "Why?"
"Because I know that Prophesy," Lily said, walking forward. "It was passed down through the Founders' and Morgan Le Fay's lineage as well. We all, with the exception of Damien, and maybe Ron, heard it from the time we were born."
Ron's eyes were wide. "I heard it too. Except, the end's different, instructions for the Heir of Hufflepuff. After Bring peace to the lasting nations, it goes something like
Heir of House most Loyal
Hatred begins but must not end your life
With the help of Heirs to those most
Cunning, Brave, Wise, and Dark
Your goals will be clear
But uneasily obtained
Love is stolen from you
And Love is regained
Family rejects you with the exception of one
Only to rejoin you in time of great need. "
"You're Hufflepuff, Damien and Angela are Slytherin and Gryffindor,-" Lily began.
"What?" snapped Damien.
"Meet the Heir of Gryffindor, the ONLY Heir of Gryffindor," Lily said with a smirk, gesturing to Severus next to her.
"So that's why I was able to pull the Sword from the hat!!!" Damien exclaimed.
"WHAT???" Severus yelled, staring at him. "What SWORD???"
"The Sword of Gryffindor when the Chamber of Secrets was opened my second year." Damien stared at his father's ashen face. "What?"
Severus closed his eyes and recited, his mind numb.
"Heir of House most Courageous
Blood mixed with those most Sly
An equal blend of both
Snake Talker
Griffin Commander
Brings ancient weapons into play
Lines will be drawn
Sides are taken
Weapons forged for war will rise again
To give those who wield them power over all
Power against Power
Blood against Blood
Your role is clear.
Unite the world behind you
Behind one symbol, one hope, one future
Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Merlin and Morgan
Unite beside you to rid the world of Darkness
Brother, sister, lover, friend, parent, foe
All will put aside their differences
To forge the path to Greatness
Immortal you become
Your reign obliterates those that would do magic harm."
Severus fell silent and Damien gaped at him. "That's ME??" he squeaked, his mind racing with the possibilities.
"Yes," Voldemort said softly. "I was so excited when Lily and Severus were married because I knew how powerful you and your sister would be. But, it seems that not only are you two extremely powerful, you are the fruit of a one thousand, five hundred year old prophesy. This is incredible."
Draco and Blaise looked at each other, grinning slightly. "Well, we have our Prophesies as well," Draco added.
"Heir of House most Wise and Ancestor of Darkness
Your path will be most dangerous of all
Beloved to Heir of Merlin and Houses Sly and Brave
Protector you shall become in time of need
Taking your beloveds from true Darkness into true Light
Uniting that which has been divided
Completing that which has been separated
Third part to the Whole
Hated before Loved
Rejected before Completed
If you deny your fate all will be lost
Without you Darkness succeeds."
Blaise grinned and began hers, softly chuckling at the irony of it all.
"Heir to Darkness and Wisdom, true child of Light
You bring balance to Magic itself
Raised in Good and Evil
Light and Darkness
You exist somewhere in between
Role forever changing
What was lost is gained through you
What was broken you shall complete
Past wounds you will heal
Future pain you will ease
In you others will find completion
With Heir of House most Loyal
And second Heir to Houses Brave and Cunning
You will join as one to vanquish Darkness
Power joins power
Blood joins blood
Heirs converge through you
One bloodline to rule
Side by side with the Heirs of the others."
Voldemort closed his eyes. "I need you to write those down," he muttered. "I need to see them side by side, not one right after the other. I think some have already been completed, while others have yet to even begin." Everyone nodded and they trooped upstairs.
Paul just stood there, and Voldemort turned to stare at him. "Are you coming?" he asked.
"You want me to come along? I thought I was going to die!" Paul exclaimed.
Hermione grinned. "I think we can keep you around a little while longer, Paul. Besides, you owe me more stories."
Paul shrugged. "Hey, if it keeps me alive, why not? Besides, for the first time, I'm realizing that my daughter is actually pretty cool."
Damien rolled his eyes. "It took you this long to figure that out?"
"Her dad's not the brightest, is he?" Blaise asked Ron. Ron shrugged.
Slytherin Manor, Two Days Later
"His birthday is in four days! We HAVE to have a party!" Lily hissed, looking around anxiously.
"We already have the food," Hermione put in helpfully. Draco snickered and the adults just looked confused.
"But who do we invite??" Voldemort asked.
"Well, we could invite some of our classmates," Hermione said doubtfully. "But I don't know how well they'd take Damien being your Heir."
"Hmmm. Well, Brandon Zambini knows the Finnegans and has been trying to recruit them, as well as the Thomases. The Longbottoms are almost hopelessly entrenched in the Order due to Bellatrix's overzealousness and mental instability," Severus groaned, shaking his head.
"Father, I know you feel some loyalty to her. She was one of your first followers. But she's nuts!" Lily exclaimed.
"True," Voldemort mused. "She goes off on her own far too often for my liking. I'll try to rein her in, but if she won't listen then I'll have to have her 'retired'. It's such a shame. She'll do almost anything I ask."
"All right, so that Seamus boy and his friend Dean are definitely invited, as well as the students here. Draco, would you contact Pansy, Eric, Emily, Vincent and Gregory? I'd like for them to be here as well," Narcissa said eagerly.
"Harry's never really had a birthday party before," Ron mused.
"What?" Severus asked, aghast. "Not one??"
"Well, Dumbledore always made him stay at the Dursleys for his birthday. We sent presents, but it isn't the same," Ron explained, Hermione nodding her agreement.
"He wouldn't let him come to the Burrow. He said it was too dangerous and that Harry needed the blood protection."
"Well, that settles it. We're having the biggest party possible. It's not every day your son turns seventeen," Lily vowed.
Slytherin Manor, Four Days Later
Damien grinned as he awoke early, nestled in the arms of Hermione and Draco. "I could wake up like this for the rest of my life," he mused quietly, tightening his arms around the two sleeping on either side of him.
Voldemort walked in, smiling broadly. "Good Morning, Damien," he greeted.
"Good Morning, Grandfather," Damien greeted, rolling over and prying himself from Draco's grip o' death and moved Hermione's head from his chest. He couldn't move. "Ummm, I'm kinda stuck, so I'm not going anywhere," he muttered.
"I can see that," Voldemort said wryly, leaning against the doorjamb. "Anyway, I came to wish you a happy birthday. Happy Birthday, Damien."
"Thank you, Grandfather," Damien said, surprised. Someone remembered? How nice!
"Of course we remembered. It was one of the happiest days of my life, after all," he said with a smirk. "Anyway, don't bother getting up for class. We won't have them today. Make sure to tell your lovers that." With that, Voldemort spun and stalked out, his robes billowing gracefully behind him.
Damien chuckled. "He certainly has the flair for dramatics," he muttered before tucking himself back under the down comforter and snuggling into Draco's shoulder.
Two Hours Later
Draco and Hermione awoke with a start. "Shit, shit," Draco swore, leaping out of bed, naked as the day he was born. Damien rolled over.
"Come back to bed, Draco, Hermione," he said sleepily, making them pause to stare at him incredulously. "What?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "We're late!!!"
"Lessons are canceled, per orders of Grandfather. He came in earlier to tell me." Hermione rolled her eyes and snuggled back next to Damien. Draco walked back to bed.
"You know, we're all awake," he said suggestively. Hermione and Damien slowly grinned, turning Draco's insides to mush.
"That we are," Hermione purred, grabbing Draco by the hand and pulling him back to the bed as she straddled Damien's waist.
Damien waved his hand while holding Draco's and Hermione's, locking and soundproofing their room. He turned back to his partners with a seductive smile.
An Hour Later
Severus and Lucius stood in front of Damien, Hermione and Draco's room, trying to open the door. "Stupid- blasted- thing!!!" Lucius snapped, tugging on the handle. "Alohamora!!" he yelled, pointing his wand directly at the lock. Nothing happened.
Severus tried, going through every unlocking spell he knew, to no avail. "What the hell? Who locked this door? Merlin himself?" The door shot open suddenly and he jumped back.
"No, all three of us, using conjoined magic," Damien said calmly in the open doorway, wearing just a bathrobe.
"What the bloody fuck were you doing to require- wait, I don't want to know!!!" Lucius snapped, his face slightly pale.
"You three are sixteen!" Severus muttered, wiping a hand over his eyes.
"Correction, we are all SEVENTEEN now," Hermione stated easily from behind Damien, wrapped in Draco's bathrobe and looking quite pleased with herself.
"Oh yes, Happy Birthday, son," Severus said with a smile.
"Thanks, Dad," Damien grinned.
"Damnit! Where's my bathrobe???" Draco yelled from their private bathroom. Hermione giggled. Severus and Lucius did a double take at 'her' attire.
Draco stalked out of the bathroom dressed in nothing but a small towel wrapped around his waist. "Damnit!! Where- HERMIONE!!!" He walked up to her, scowling, his hand outstretched. "Give it now."
Severus and Lucius coughed discretely.
"What?" Draco snapped. "Oh. Um, hi." He turned slightly pink. "Do you need anything?"
Severus shook his head. "Come down to the main ballroom when you're ready," he muttered, walking off.
Lucius smirked, looking over the three freshly washed teenagers in front on him. "I think you rendered him speechless, Damien," he said with a laugh.
"All right..." Damien said as his eye brow rose.
"It's never been done before. I've never seen him so flustered." Lucius laughed.
"I see..." Damien said, confused.
Draco snickered. "So, Father, why aren't you stammering and disgusted?"
Lucius grinned. "I have had seventeen years to resign myself to your abysmal behavior. Besides, Severus is a bit of a prude, for a Death Eater."
Hermione chuckled. "How is that possible? Harry's described the Revels to us and you can't have any inhibitions at those."
"Severus and Lily do not participate, as the spy thinks they are dead. That bastard must think Severus is dead in order to impersonate him, quite badly, I might add. Anyway, if wither of them had been there, the spy would have reported them."
Draco slipped one around Damien's waist, the other around Hermione. "How is this abysmal, Father?" he asked innocently.
And I tried to redecorate the wall with your brains. Sorry about that, Damien winced.
Draco scowled slightly. Yes, well, you didn't know any better. I guess I could forgive you.
Besides, you slammed me across the face earlier. I think that made up for that hit.
You wish. Draco ruffled his hair, causing Damien's eyes to glaze over.
Mmm, don't stop, Damien protested when the hand was removed.
Torture makes you horny? Good Lord we have another Voldemort on our hands, Draco said with a laugh.
Correction- YOU make me horny, as does Hermione. The both of you together make me so hard I can't think about anything else. But, torture? That doesn't get me off in the slightest. And I didn't need that visual about my Grandfather, thankyouverymuch! Damien scowled as everyone else laughed, Ron looking vaguely disgusted as he chuckled.
Mate, I did NOT need to hear that about my brother and sister and hopeful new brother, Ron thought, still laughing. He looked down and noticed that nothing remained of his tormentors except for a fine ashy powder. Whoops, I let them cook for far too long, he thought ruefully. I wanted to play with them some more.
Love, they've been dead for almost ten minutes. Inferno kills within a minute. Its' that intense. Angela hugged Ron comfortingly. They felt excruciating pain, and then they died.
Damn it!!! Ron snapped. I knew I should have used Incendio! I wanted them to really suffer!
Hermione shook her head. "Can we do my parents next?" she asked hopefully. "I want to transfigure and then- ooh, I know! I'll transfigure them into dogs and light their tails on fire and make my mom a bitch in heat and a Chihuahua and my dad a Doberman... it'll be fun!!!" Oh, but that's a nasty image... yuck. I'm gonna be sick. Hermione turned green and pressed a hand over her mouth, willing back the vomit that threatened to spew forth.
Hermione, you did that to yourself, Angela reminded her.
Don't remind me. I'm too creative for my own good. Hermione gulped and swallowed convulsively, her entire body shaking. That was nasty.
Right, we need to get out of here, Blaise said decisively, ushering everyone to the Floo.
I still want to know where everyone is and why they were the only ones home, Ron muttered.
Damien smacked his forehead. Duh! The clock! He rushed over to the clock and read the hands. They were all pointed to Order Headquarters.
Everyone's at the Order, Damien announced
Right, then, let's go before we're discovered. Draco herded them to the Floo and they returned to Slytherin Manor.
They tumbled through the Floo to find an extremely angry Voldemort on the other end. He waited until everyone was out of the fireplace.
"WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING???" he bellowed, causing Damien to cower back in fear before realizing it wasn't Vernon in front of him.
"My Lord, please..." Draco gestured to the naked terror on Damien's face.
Voldemort froze, stricken. "What- oh shit!" he swore. "Hermione, Draco, calm him down. You have an hour." Hermione and Draco gently took Damien's hands and pulled him from the room.
Voldemort turned to the three remaining teenagers. "And where was it so important for you to be that you couldn't leave word or allow one of the adults to accompany you?" he snapped.
Blaise and Angela set their jaws, encircling Ron's waist with their arms. "We took care of some unfinished business, grandfather," Angela said coolly.
Voldemort mistook their gesture of support to tell him something completely different. "WE HAVE ROOMS IN THE CASTLE FOR SLYTHERIN'S SAKE!!! WHY DID YOU FEEL THE NEED TO COMPLETE YOUR BOND OUTSIDE SLYTHERIN MANOR???" he yelled, his face turning purple.
"We did not do that!!!" Blaise snapped. "Ok, we did, but it was last night, not this morning. No, we took care of Ron's problems!"
"What problems???" Voldemort snapped.
"THE PROBLEM THAT MY TWIN BROTHERS HAVE BEEN USING ME FOR A SEX TOY SINCE I WAS SIX!!!!" Ron finally screamed, tears sliding down his cheeks.
"Oh." Voldemort looked sheepish. He stared at Ron cautiously. "I trust that it's been taken care of?"
"YES!!" screamed Angel and Blaise in exasperation.
"All right, all right. Geez. So, how did it go?" Voldemort asked his hands up in a pacifying 'I surrender' pose.
"They're dust in the wind," Ron said dreamily. "Eleven years of torture and all I had to do was cast Inferno."
Voldemort grinned. "You like that spell?"
"Not really. It went too fast. Dead in less than a minute. I wanted it to last longer." Ron pouted.
Voldemort grinned. "We'll make a Death Eater out of all of you yet," he smirked.
Ron sighed. "Yes, but I'm not killing anyone who doesn't deserve it. Random torture isn't my thing."
"What is it with the younger crowd and the inability to properly torture a random person?" Voldemort asked, genuinely concerned.
"I have no idea," Angela said.
Blaise thought for a minute. "I guess it's that the three of them haven't been raised this way."
"No, it's logical!" Ron protested. "Look, there are people who deserve it. The shits that attacked St. Christina's deserve to be strung up by their...oh, painful thought!" he said, grimacing. Voldemort grimaced as well.
"Ooh, that wasn't pretty," the Dark Lord said with a pained look.
"There are people who deserve it. They hate us and would kill us if given the opportunity. I have no qualms about killing them. This is war, and in war anything goes. But killing people who don't know any better or who actually think magic is cool isn't something I'm going to do," Ron explained.
"Oh, so THAT'S what you mean by random people," Voldemort said, satisfied with the answer.
"Exactly."
"You do this means changing the rules about the way we operate," Blaise said suddenly.
"I know. I'll have to break it to the Death Eaters gently. This'll crush them. I hope they don't sulk for too long," Voldemort said, walking from the library resolutely.
"Death Eaters SULK??" Ron asked incredulously once the Dark Lord was out of earshot.
Blaise and Angela laughed. "Come on," Blaise said, pulling both of them to their feet and out of the Library. "Let's go run." they transformed into wolves and sprinted out of the manor, reveling in the sunshine.
Hogwarts, the same time
"Albus, they killed Remus!" Severus Snape yelled, uncharacteristic tears streaming down his face. "They put him in a silver cage and they tortured him to death!"
Dumbledore rested his face in his hands. "Oh, poor Remus. He did know the dangers of trying to get close to the Death Eaters. I only hope he managed to get a portkey to the Trio before he died. I don't understand it, my boy. Why did he kidnap them?"
"He must know about Harry being his Heir, Albus," Severus Snape said, his face troubled. "But he hasn't mentioned anything to me. You don't think he's discovered I'm a spy, do you?"
"Listen to me, my Heir," Dumbledore said, the twinkle gone from his eyes, revealing the steel underneath. "You are NOT to endanger yourself. I won't let you. Continue your spying duties only if you feel you are in no mortal danger. DO NOT do anything that'll let them kill you."
"I won't, Grandfather," Severus Snape said with a slight smile.
"You are too precious to me to lose," Dumbledore said with finality.
"I love you too, Grandfather," Severus Snape said with a smile and left the office.
"Stay safe, my boy," Dumbledore whispered. "Stay safe."
Slytherin Manor, Three Days Later
"Grandfather, could we learn how to Apparate?" Angela asked suddenly, in the middle of their lesson on Medieval Torture methods and their modern counterparts.
"You don't know how to Apparate?" Draco and Blaise asked incredulously.
"Nope!" Angela, Damien, Ron and Hermione answered cheerfully. The rest of the students from St. Christina's school nodded as well.
"That's a bit more important than torture methods. All right, here's the basics."
They spent the next three hours practicing Apparation. Everyone learned quickly, and, by the end of the day, all thirty students could Apparate with ease.
Riddle Manor, Four Days Later
The Death Eaters gathered, with the exception of Severus Snape, Hogwarts Professor, as Voldemort didn't want any of the day's proceedings to get back to Dumbledore. Once everyone loyal was assembled, Voldemort began.
"We are going after the Grangers," he started without any preamble whatsoever.
"My Lord?" Nott asked, confused slightly.
"Hermione, my Grandson's bondsmate. Her family," Voldemort clarified.
"Why? Wouldn't that make her angry?" McNair asked, completely lost.
"On the contrary," Hermione smoothly interjected from where she stood, unnoticed, "it was a request. My parents are very unsavory people."
"That's putting in mildly," Damien growled, his arms around her waist.
"My I ask what they did to deserve your anger and hatred?" Parkinson asked.
"It's simple. They don't give two shits about me," she snapped.
"Easy, love," Draco said softly.
"They spent my entire upbringing belittling me and making me feel worthless, they treated my magic like an abomination, they didn't pay any attention to me beyond the insults... The list could go on and on."
Lucius Malfoy's gaze flitted to her wrists in understanding. "Give us addresses, and we'll take care of it," he said softly. She nodded, her face set.
Damien handed her a piece of parchment and she scribbled down her home address. "Oh, yeah," she softly said. "My parents got a divorce." She wrote down another address, missing the entire room's reaction of disgust at the word divorce.
She looked up and handed the parchment to Damien, who handed it to Lucius Malfoy. "What?" she asked, seeing the disgusted look on his face.
"Divorce is something horrible in our society," Lily explained easily. "It's looked on as worse than murder. In fact," she grinned, "we take care of marital problems through murder, rather than the shame of divorce."
Severus grimaced. "Something you want to tell me, Lily?" he joked.
Lily smirked and he paled slightly.
"All right, people, let's get to work!" Voldemort snapped, focusing everyone on the task at hand.
"Right. Hermione, do you wish to be present for the raid?" Lucius asked her softly, understanding in his eyes.
"Hell yes!" she said eagerly, her eyes shining evilly.
Draco and Damien looked at each other over her head. "Uh oh, we've created a monster," Damien joked.
Hermione grinned mischievously, taking their hands. "Let's go, you two," she chirped.
312 Freemason Court, Granger Residence
Dr. Granger wiped his hands on a towel, having just finished with his last patient for the day. "ROSA!!!" he yelled, wanting his assistant.
Rosa came traipsing in, her beautiful face vacuous as always. "Yes, Dr. Granger?"
"Have there been any more last minute calls?"
"Umm, no, but there's someone waiting in the lounge. He wants to speak to you."
"Great, just great. I have to be at the lawyer's in an hour. Stupid bitch and her stupid daughter. I hate them both," he grumbled, stalking into the lounge.
He stopped short, his mind refusing to cooperate with the rest of him. Oh shit.
Hermione, Damien, Draco, Ron, Blaise, Angela and Lucius Malfoy stood in front of him, grinning evilly. "Hello, Father," his daughter purred.
"What are you doing here?" he asked numbly, knowing that something was horribly wrong. "Did your mother send you? That stupid bitch. I told her I didn't want any visitation rights."
"Oh no, and that bitch, as you called her, is next," Lucius smoothly interrupted. "However, we required your time. You are coming with us."
"Hell no! I have to meet the bitch in an hour at the lawyer's office!" Dr. Granger protested, then suddenly fell silent as Hermione's murmured "stupefy" hit him. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Hermione glared at him, her eyes stony. "Bastard," she muttered, grabbing a limp arm. Damien grabbed the other one, and Ron and Draco each grabbed a leg. They Apparated straight into the dungeons of Slytherin Manor, depositing him in a heap on the floor.
Lucius Malfoy, Blaise and Angela Apparated to the apartment complex Hermione's mother was currently occupying. Five seconds later, the three boys and Hermione Apparated next to them, Hermione looking furious. "I wouldn't want to cross her," Lucius muttered to himself. Hermione grinned.
They climbed the stairs, the non Muggle raised not wanting to trust the elevator. "Honestly," Draco huffed. "What in the world were they thinking, building something so rickety?"
"It can hold two and a half tons," Hermione offered, reading the certification paper posted on the wall. They looked at her incredulously.
They stood in front of Apartment number 210 and Lucius knocked on the door politely. The door opened and a burly man wrapped in nothing but a towel opened it. "What do you want?" he scowled.
"Who is it, Steve?" a female voice called from the back. Hermione sneered.
"It's me, Marissa, and some freaky friends," she shouted. The door was wrenched open and an attractive woman resembling Hermione stood there in just her bathrobe.
If that's what you'll look like in twenty years, I'm in luck! Draco thought, his eyes wide.
I may look like her but she's nothing like me! Hermione snapped.
"Hermione, what are you doing here??" snapped Marissa.
Hermione sneered. "Paul didn't want me, and wouldn't let me get my stuff, so I came here. Do you have anything of mine?"
Marissa rolled her eyes. "I take it he's your guardian?" she snarled, indicating Lucius.
"Yes." Lucius's voice was quiet and firm.
"Well, come on it. It's all in the hall closet," Steve growled. He and Marissa walked off back into a bedroom. "Baby, I told you I didn't want your brat around," he whined.
"I'm not letting her stay, lovely. Hell, I don't even want her. That bitch has been more trouble than she's worth. Little anal retentive slut." Hermione's face turned white as she heard the hateful words and her mouth twitched, her face closing off as tears threatened to flow.
Lucius paled even further, if that was even possible. "She's going to die for that remark. Get your things, Hermione. We'll take care of this."
"Oh hell no. I want to make her suffer, starting with..." she strode into the back bedroom, following her mother and lover. "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!" the teenage witch screamed, and a heavy body hit the ground. "Stupefy!!" she yelled again and another thump, much softer, was heard.
Damien and Ron ran into the bedroom, both of them tripping over the quite dead body of Steve. Hermione held her mother carelessly by an arm and Apparated.
"Let's go," Damien said, walking back out. Draco, Blaise, Angela and Lucius held shrunken objects in their hands, the remnants of Hermione's belongings.
"We're ready," Lucius said and they all Apparated back to Slytherin Manor.
"Where's Hermione's room?" Damien asked.
Draco grinned. How about we put it in your room, along with my stuff and we put a few more closets and dressers in there as well so we don't have to sleep apart ever?
Damien smirked. Sounds good to me.
Blaise, Ron and Angela looked at each other, identical smirks on their faces. Sounds like fun. We're moving into Angela's room, they thought.
Slytherin Manor, The Next Day
Damien, Draco and Hermione strode into the Dungeons, Blaise, Angela and Ron in tow. "I think it's playtime," Draco remarked coldly.
Damien strode into the dungeon room that housed the Dursleys, followed by everyone else. Vernon cracked open a bloody, bruised eye. "Oh, it's you again," he slurred slightly, his obviously broken jaw preventing him from speaking too clearly. "Back for more?"
Lily walked in behind the six teenagers. "Oh, you're here. What do you plan on doing?" she asked.
"Can I kill them? Can I? Can I?" Damien pleaded, giving her his best puppy eyes.
Lily snickered. "Only if you can make it last for more than five hours," she teased.
"YAY!" he yelled, hugging her. The Dursleys stared at him fearfully.
"Wha- wha- what are you going to do?" Dudley stuttered.
"Oh, this neat little trick I learned. It makes you live any memory, or number of memories of my choosing... one of MY memories." Damien grinned evilly. Vernon's face paled and he sagged.
"Oh shit..." the beefy man muttered.
Damien stopped, focusing on all the horrifying memories he held, locked away. Tears came to his eyes as he focused, letting himself feel the pain and anger and helplessness. With a muffled snarl, he forced the memories out and into Vernon's head. The man arched and screamed, blood pouring from his nose and ears.
"Whoops, didn't think that would have that great of an effect!" Damien shrugged and stood back as the Muggle screamed and jerked, slamming his head repeatedly on the wall behind him, whimpering with each blow.
"Who's next?" Damien grinned sadistically. He stood in front of Petunia, who looked almost skeletal. "Aww, Auntie, you should eat more! Evansesco!" he snapped and she screamed, her skin bloating and swelling, her bones stretching with horrible creaks and snaps. "Winguardium Leviosa!" he snapped and she screamed as she floated in midair, looking like Aunt Marge had looked during the summer before third year. He released the chains with a wave of his hand and she floated to the ceiling. Hermione sent a gust of wind to the sobbing Muggle woman, laughing as she bounced off the walls, spinning around the room.
Lily laughed when she saw her adoptive sister the size of the Goodyear blimp, bouncing around like a beach ball. "This is priceless!" she gasped, pulling out a camera. "I need a picture of this, just so I know it really happened!" She took several photos, grinning sadistically.
Damien, Draco and Hermione turned as one to Dudley, all but rubbing their hands in anticipation. Ron and Blaise played Volleyball with the bloated Petunia, having shrunk her down to beach ball size. Angela curiously walked around the screaming, beefy Muggle, taking notes on the effects Damien's memories had on Vernon. Lily spiked Petunia, slamming her into the door, which opened as Severus poked his head in. "Lily, I -WHAT IS GOING ON??" he demanded, staring as his wife played volleyball with Blaise and Ron.
"We're playing with my sister!" Lily chirped.
"Whaa-" he asked stupidly, not comprehending in the slightest what was going on. "But you hate Petunia! Why are you playing with her???"
Grinning, Lily bumped the 'ball' to Severus, who reflexively caught it. A thin wail came from the 'ball', and he studied it, his eyes wide with shock. "Is this- oh my word, this is ingenious!!!" he grinned, spiking the Petunia ball back to Lily.
Damien grinned. "Hmmm, I think we should finish what Hagrid did to you when I was eleven," he mused. "And then, I can teach the Death Eaters to prepare a Luau!"
Dudley whimpered, terrified. "What's a Luau?" Draco asked curiously.
Hermione grinned. "This is going to be fun."
She and Damien joined hands. "Now, Damien, to properly transfigure someone into an animal, you need to - MMMPGH!"
Draco sweetly ended the scorching lip lock and grinned. "I love you, Hermione, but you need to shut up."
"You- you - you love me?" she sputtered, her cheeks rosy.
"Ummm," Draco blushed.
"I feel left out," Damien pouted. "Besides, could we turn this whale into a pig? I'm getting hungry."
"But the roast pig takes HOURS to prepare!!" Hermione protested. "If you're hungry now, how would you be able to wait?"
"You're missing the point," Draco chuckled.
"Really." Hermione crossed her arms. "What's the point, then?"
"The point is that I want to transfigure this hunk of lard into a pig, so would you two please get over here?" Damien snapped impatiently.
"Touchy!" Draco growled. "What suddenly crawled up your ass and died?"
"I think he's feeling left out," Hermione smirked. "It's all right, Damien. I love you."
Damien grinned slightly. "Tell me later. Right now, on to Transfiguration!"
The three of them joined hands, Damien in the center, focusing their energies. Dudley started to scream as his body twisted, the three of them drawing out the agony as long as possible. After ten minutes of the obese boy's body undergoing excruciating transformation after transformation, a five hundred pound pig stood in his place, manacles around its neck.
"Sweet!" Damien exclaimed. "Luau time!"
Draco stared at the pig, confused. "What's a luau?"
Hermione grinned again. "It's a Hawaiian tradition. Basically, it's a huge party that the entire island would be invited to, with at least one large pig roasted. It's incredible. I went to one with Katie when I was eight. You stuff yourself silly and then someone in a coconut bra and a grass skirt starts dancing."
"You mean like this?" Damien asked mischievously, waving his hand. Immediately, Hermione's robe was replaced with an orchid and plumeria lei around her neck, flowers in her hair, a real coconut bra, and an ankle length grass skirt and bare feet. Hermione gaped at him, her face beet red.
"Damien!!!" she snapped, scandalized. Severus looked at her and started laughing.
"Lily, we should adopt that as the female Death Eater robes," he snickered.
Lily elbowed him, passing the Petunia Ball to Ron, who was staring at his sister, completely shocked. It hit him in the head and ricocheted, slamming into the pig. The pig snorted and kicked, sending Petunia flying once again. The human ball floated to the ceiling and Lily conjured a string, looping it around Petunia's foot and tying it tight. She walked out of the Dungeons with her human balloon trailing behind her, floating merrily along the corridor. Severus followed her, with Ron, Blaise and Angela tagging along, leaving Draco, Damien and Hermione alone with what remained of the Dursleys.
Hermione grinned and transfigured her clothing back to her customary scarlet and black robes, shaking her head. "I'll wear the grass skirt for the Luau, but not before," she teased.
"The question is can you do the hula?" Damien asked with a smirk.
Hermione laughed, transfiguring her clothing back. A strong rhythmic drum beat started and she swayed to the beat, her hips moving faster and faster. Draco watched her hips, transfixed, his mind immediately thinking of other things. Damien just laughed, eyeing her appreciatively.
"How do you do that?" Draco asked, his eyes never leaving her hips.
She stopped, to his extreme disappointment. "It's simple enough. You have to move your feet to the beat, and your hips follow. Then, you do the hand motions that tell the story of the song." She transfigured the grass skirt and coconut bra back to her robes.
"All right," she said eagerly. "We've got the pig roast. Let's play with my good for nothing parents, shall we?"
They merrily strode from the room and walked down the hallway, entering the next room in the Dungeons. Marissa and Paul Granger sat on opposite sides of the room, their clothing in disarray. Her bathrobe was ripped in several spots, and his tie was gone and his suit jacket had been shredded. Paul had deep grooves running down the left side of his face, and she had a bruise forming over a cheekbone.
Hermione chuckled, a bitter, angry sound, that had them scrambling into standing positions. "What- Hermione Anne Granger!" Paul snapped. "What the fuck do you think you're doing??? Release us this instant!!!"
"I think not," Hermione purred. "You see, Paul, Marissa, you've made my life a living hell for the last seventeen years and it's time for you to pay for what you've done."
"Bull shit, young lady!!" Marissa yelled. "You're going to listen to your asshole father and let us go!"
"Or what?" Hermione yawned. "Neither of you want me or have ever shown me a minute of love or kindness, so why should I? And, it's not like you can do anything to me."
Marissa's mouth worked angrily, and Paul started to laugh. "You see, you silly bitch!" he snorted. "I told you she'd turn out like this, completely her own person!" He turned to Hermione, and his eyes held real warmth and approval. "Good for you, Hermione. It's true, we've never done ANYTHING for you. You have to understand one thing, however. Have I ever belittled you?"
Hermione thought for a minute. "No," she admitted. "You just ignored me and let her hurt me, which was worse."
He grinned sardonically. "Yes, but she was a one night stand gone horribly wrong, that resulted in blackmail into marriage. I hated you, still do, because she used you- being pregnant- to trap me in that hell for the last seventeen years. I don't expect you to do anything differently, but that is my side of the farce of a story."
Damien scowled. "That didn't give you any right to take your anger out on her, you sadistic bastard," he growled.
"I didn't take anything out on her. I removed myself from the situation so I wouldn't. No, taking anger out was her bitch of a mother's forte. That's where the yelling and belittling came in. I just wasn't there." Paul slid to the floor, sitting comfortably. "Well, get on with it. I presume you're going to torture us and kill us. It's actually interesting. I thought my biggest problem would be her trying to take half my practice. Guess I was wrong."
"YOU COLD HEARTED BASTARD!!!" Marissa screamed, her voice shrill and unrelenting. "You FUCKED UP, GOOD FOR NOTHING-"
"Now, now, flattery will get you nowhere," Paul shot back, grinning. "You're going to get what you deserve, PET," he smirked.
Marissa let out a howl of rage and threw herself at Paul, claw like nails extended to do maximum damage. Hermione quickly put her in a full body bind. Somehow, the hateful woman's mouth continued to work and she screamed, snarled and shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Oh, and Hermione? Good job with the magic. I'm actually proud that you've done so well in your schooling," Paul announced grimly over his former wife's snarls and shrieks.
The three of them stared at him, shocked. Hermione's mouth was wide open. "Thanks, Paul," she managed.
"Well, considering that you were using the trust fund set up by MY Grandmother Anne, and I remember her fondly, I'm glad that someone in my bloodline managed to wind up magical. She used to tell me stories," he mused. Suddenly, he stared at her directly. "Before you do us in, would you care to hear some?"
"Can you shut her up first?" Draco asked Hermione, gesturing at Marissa, who was still yowling in the corner. "I swear, was she a cat in a previous life?" he asked in disgust.
"What should I do to her?" Hermione wondered. "Oh, I know, if its cat sounds she wants to make, then..." A tiny calico kitten peered up at Hermione from where Marissa had been sitting. "Would someone get Sirius? He has a new toy to play with," Hermione grinned evilly.
"NICE!" Paul exploded. "You shut her up! Finally! It only took eighteen years!!!" Draco turned into his panther form and stalked over to the kitten, who stared up at him with huge eyes before purring against his leg. "Hey, someone should tell him that she'll hook her claws into him if he isn't careful," Paul warned. Draco held the kitten out at limb's reach and then picked her up, carrying her out of the dungeon room.
"True. She'll play the whole helpless damsel act and then leech you for all you're worth," Hermione mused.
Paul grinned. "That's her all right."
"She really got you, didn't she?" Hermione asked sorrowfully. A loud screech was heard outside and they ran to the door, watching in amusement as Sirius, in his enormous dog form chased after the terrified kitten, running through the hallways and skidding into walls.
Paul nodded grimly. "She was going through dental school, and I had just finished. We met at a party, and got absolutely plastered. Two months later, she knocked on my door, saying she was pregnant. I had just started practice, and was determined for the first three months to do the right thing, but I realized she was sleeping around and had hooked me into marriage. The funny thing was that I took a paternity test when you were three. You are my daughter, something I had highly doubted until then." Draco walked back in and made himself comfortable.
"That still doesn't excuse you for what you've done," Damien said quietly. "I think at the very least an apology is in order."
"What, no torture?" Paul asked in all seriousness.
"I think I'd rather get to know you than kill you," Hermione mused. "We do have something in common, after all. We both have been on the receiving end of her abuse."
"Besides, you have to tell her the stories!" Damien said eagerly, wanting to hear them just as much as Hermione did.
"Well," Paul mused with a smile. "My Grandmother used to tell me this one all the time. It was actually a loose poem, passed down from generation to the next. How does it go again? Oh yes.
Merlin's Heir shall join with Darkness
In a time of great trouble and strife
She will lead the darkness forward
Bringing those she loves into the true Light
Together, the Heirs of those most powerful
Joined in love, they will vanquish the enemy of Magic
And bring lasting peace to the divided nations
Heir of Merlin, you will bring peace to enemies
Together, bonded with those most Cunning, Brave and Wise,
Your powers will multiply beyond anything ever seen
Power to Power
Blood to Blood
Only if united you shall triumph
Love and heart shall guide you
First of magic in generations
You will remold Darkness into true Light
Bridge new and old
Give life to the dead
And lead those gone astray.
She told me to memorize that, especially when she found out that Hermione had magical powers. She told me never to forget our Heritage, and that those of us with magical powers would be exceptionally powerful." Paul grinned slightly.
"You're Merlin's Heir?" came the startled gasp of many voices from the doorway. They jumped and their heads shot up. Voldemort, Lily, Severus, Lucius, Narcissa, Sirius, Ron, Angela, Blaise and Remus stood just inside the doorway, their faces ashen and bloodless.
Voldemort strode into the room, his face set. Everyone else just stood there for a second before joining him in the room. "You," he said abruptly. "What's your name, Squib?"
"Paul Granger," Paul replied, slightly sneering at the word Squib.
"You're sure that what you said is what's been passed down generation upon generation?" Voldemort asked urgently, almost desperately.
"Word for word, through four different languages," Paul responded. "Why?"
"Because I know that Prophesy," Lily said, walking forward. "It was passed down through the Founders' and Morgan Le Fay's lineage as well. We all, with the exception of Damien, and maybe Ron, heard it from the time we were born."
Ron's eyes were wide. "I heard it too. Except, the end's different, instructions for the Heir of Hufflepuff. After Bring peace to the lasting nations, it goes something like
Heir of House most Loyal
Hatred begins but must not end your life
With the help of Heirs to those most
Cunning, Brave, Wise, and Dark
Your goals will be clear
But uneasily obtained
Love is stolen from you
And Love is regained
Family rejects you with the exception of one
Only to rejoin you in time of great need. "
"You're Hufflepuff, Damien and Angela are Slytherin and Gryffindor,-" Lily began.
"What?" snapped Damien.
"Meet the Heir of Gryffindor, the ONLY Heir of Gryffindor," Lily said with a smirk, gesturing to Severus next to her.
"So that's why I was able to pull the Sword from the hat!!!" Damien exclaimed.
"WHAT???" Severus yelled, staring at him. "What SWORD???"
"The Sword of Gryffindor when the Chamber of Secrets was opened my second year." Damien stared at his father's ashen face. "What?"
Severus closed his eyes and recited, his mind numb.
"Heir of House most Courageous
Blood mixed with those most Sly
An equal blend of both
Snake Talker
Griffin Commander
Brings ancient weapons into play
Lines will be drawn
Sides are taken
Weapons forged for war will rise again
To give those who wield them power over all
Power against Power
Blood against Blood
Your role is clear.
Unite the world behind you
Behind one symbol, one hope, one future
Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Merlin and Morgan
Unite beside you to rid the world of Darkness
Brother, sister, lover, friend, parent, foe
All will put aside their differences
To forge the path to Greatness
Immortal you become
Your reign obliterates those that would do magic harm."
Severus fell silent and Damien gaped at him. "That's ME??" he squeaked, his mind racing with the possibilities.
"Yes," Voldemort said softly. "I was so excited when Lily and Severus were married because I knew how powerful you and your sister would be. But, it seems that not only are you two extremely powerful, you are the fruit of a one thousand, five hundred year old prophesy. This is incredible."
Draco and Blaise looked at each other, grinning slightly. "Well, we have our Prophesies as well," Draco added.
"Heir of House most Wise and Ancestor of Darkness
Your path will be most dangerous of all
Beloved to Heir of Merlin and Houses Sly and Brave
Protector you shall become in time of need
Taking your beloveds from true Darkness into true Light
Uniting that which has been divided
Completing that which has been separated
Third part to the Whole
Hated before Loved
Rejected before Completed
If you deny your fate all will be lost
Without you Darkness succeeds."
Blaise grinned and began hers, softly chuckling at the irony of it all.
"Heir to Darkness and Wisdom, true child of Light
You bring balance to Magic itself
Raised in Good and Evil
Light and Darkness
You exist somewhere in between
Role forever changing
What was lost is gained through you
What was broken you shall complete
Past wounds you will heal
Future pain you will ease
In you others will find completion
With Heir of House most Loyal
And second Heir to Houses Brave and Cunning
You will join as one to vanquish Darkness
Power joins power
Blood joins blood
Heirs converge through you
One bloodline to rule
Side by side with the Heirs of the others."
Voldemort closed his eyes. "I need you to write those down," he muttered. "I need to see them side by side, not one right after the other. I think some have already been completed, while others have yet to even begin." Everyone nodded and they trooped upstairs.
Paul just stood there, and Voldemort turned to stare at him. "Are you coming?" he asked.
"You want me to come along? I thought I was going to die!" Paul exclaimed.
Hermione grinned. "I think we can keep you around a little while longer, Paul. Besides, you owe me more stories."
Paul shrugged. "Hey, if it keeps me alive, why not? Besides, for the first time, I'm realizing that my daughter is actually pretty cool."
Damien rolled his eyes. "It took you this long to figure that out?"
"Her dad's not the brightest, is he?" Blaise asked Ron. Ron shrugged.
Slytherin Manor, Two Days Later
"His birthday is in four days! We HAVE to have a party!" Lily hissed, looking around anxiously.
"We already have the food," Hermione put in helpfully. Draco snickered and the adults just looked confused.
"But who do we invite??" Voldemort asked.
"Well, we could invite some of our classmates," Hermione said doubtfully. "But I don't know how well they'd take Damien being your Heir."
"Hmmm. Well, Brandon Zambini knows the Finnegans and has been trying to recruit them, as well as the Thomases. The Longbottoms are almost hopelessly entrenched in the Order due to Bellatrix's overzealousness and mental instability," Severus groaned, shaking his head.
"Father, I know you feel some loyalty to her. She was one of your first followers. But she's nuts!" Lily exclaimed.
"True," Voldemort mused. "She goes off on her own far too often for my liking. I'll try to rein her in, but if she won't listen then I'll have to have her 'retired'. It's such a shame. She'll do almost anything I ask."
"All right, so that Seamus boy and his friend Dean are definitely invited, as well as the students here. Draco, would you contact Pansy, Eric, Emily, Vincent and Gregory? I'd like for them to be here as well," Narcissa said eagerly.
"Harry's never really had a birthday party before," Ron mused.
"What?" Severus asked, aghast. "Not one??"
"Well, Dumbledore always made him stay at the Dursleys for his birthday. We sent presents, but it isn't the same," Ron explained, Hermione nodding her agreement.
"He wouldn't let him come to the Burrow. He said it was too dangerous and that Harry needed the blood protection."
"Well, that settles it. We're having the biggest party possible. It's not every day your son turns seventeen," Lily vowed.
Slytherin Manor, Four Days Later
Damien grinned as he awoke early, nestled in the arms of Hermione and Draco. "I could wake up like this for the rest of my life," he mused quietly, tightening his arms around the two sleeping on either side of him.
Voldemort walked in, smiling broadly. "Good Morning, Damien," he greeted.
"Good Morning, Grandfather," Damien greeted, rolling over and prying himself from Draco's grip o' death and moved Hermione's head from his chest. He couldn't move. "Ummm, I'm kinda stuck, so I'm not going anywhere," he muttered.
"I can see that," Voldemort said wryly, leaning against the doorjamb. "Anyway, I came to wish you a happy birthday. Happy Birthday, Damien."
"Thank you, Grandfather," Damien said, surprised. Someone remembered? How nice!
"Of course we remembered. It was one of the happiest days of my life, after all," he said with a smirk. "Anyway, don't bother getting up for class. We won't have them today. Make sure to tell your lovers that." With that, Voldemort spun and stalked out, his robes billowing gracefully behind him.
Damien chuckled. "He certainly has the flair for dramatics," he muttered before tucking himself back under the down comforter and snuggling into Draco's shoulder.
Two Hours Later
Draco and Hermione awoke with a start. "Shit, shit," Draco swore, leaping out of bed, naked as the day he was born. Damien rolled over.
"Come back to bed, Draco, Hermione," he said sleepily, making them pause to stare at him incredulously. "What?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "We're late!!!"
"Lessons are canceled, per orders of Grandfather. He came in earlier to tell me." Hermione rolled her eyes and snuggled back next to Damien. Draco walked back to bed.
"You know, we're all awake," he said suggestively. Hermione and Damien slowly grinned, turning Draco's insides to mush.
"That we are," Hermione purred, grabbing Draco by the hand and pulling him back to the bed as she straddled Damien's waist.
Damien waved his hand while holding Draco's and Hermione's, locking and soundproofing their room. He turned back to his partners with a seductive smile.
An Hour Later
Severus and Lucius stood in front of Damien, Hermione and Draco's room, trying to open the door. "Stupid- blasted- thing!!!" Lucius snapped, tugging on the handle. "Alohamora!!" he yelled, pointing his wand directly at the lock. Nothing happened.
Severus tried, going through every unlocking spell he knew, to no avail. "What the hell? Who locked this door? Merlin himself?" The door shot open suddenly and he jumped back.
"No, all three of us, using conjoined magic," Damien said calmly in the open doorway, wearing just a bathrobe.
"What the bloody fuck were you doing to require- wait, I don't want to know!!!" Lucius snapped, his face slightly pale.
"You three are sixteen!" Severus muttered, wiping a hand over his eyes.
"Correction, we are all SEVENTEEN now," Hermione stated easily from behind Damien, wrapped in Draco's bathrobe and looking quite pleased with herself.
"Oh yes, Happy Birthday, son," Severus said with a smile.
"Thanks, Dad," Damien grinned.
"Damnit! Where's my bathrobe???" Draco yelled from their private bathroom. Hermione giggled. Severus and Lucius did a double take at 'her' attire.
Draco stalked out of the bathroom dressed in nothing but a small towel wrapped around his waist. "Damnit!! Where- HERMIONE!!!" He walked up to her, scowling, his hand outstretched. "Give it now."
Severus and Lucius coughed discretely.
"What?" Draco snapped. "Oh. Um, hi." He turned slightly pink. "Do you need anything?"
Severus shook his head. "Come down to the main ballroom when you're ready," he muttered, walking off.
Lucius smirked, looking over the three freshly washed teenagers in front on him. "I think you rendered him speechless, Damien," he said with a laugh.
"All right..." Damien said as his eye brow rose.
"It's never been done before. I've never seen him so flustered." Lucius laughed.
"I see..." Damien said, confused.
Draco snickered. "So, Father, why aren't you stammering and disgusted?"
Lucius grinned. "I have had seventeen years to resign myself to your abysmal behavior. Besides, Severus is a bit of a prude, for a Death Eater."
Hermione chuckled. "How is that possible? Harry's described the Revels to us and you can't have any inhibitions at those."
"Severus and Lily do not participate, as the spy thinks they are dead. That bastard must think Severus is dead in order to impersonate him, quite badly, I might add. Anyway, if wither of them had been there, the spy would have reported them."
Draco slipped one around Damien's waist, the other around Hermione. "How is this abysmal, Father?" he asked innocently.