Title: An Inevitable Fate
Chapter Seven: Fate Makes Some Cancellations
Author: KissThis
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Rating: R - if not now, then later. Just shut up and read it.
Pairing: Vote, but I'm already going one way. Can you persuade me otherwise?
Setting: 6th year in Hogwarts.
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Disclaimer: I don't own HP yet, but that will all change when I get a patent for my invention: Extendable Ears. What the hell do you mean 'J.K. owns those too'?!
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A/N: Ok, I read OotP already -- less than 13 hours. It was great except for the fact that Rowling had to kill off an awesome character...and one that is in my story. Considering my story is in 6th year...the year after this character's death...poses sort of a loophole doesn't it? Oh, well -- we're just gonna ignore the death for now. Eh, who knows. There's a war going on so...they could still die.
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A/N2: Um...taking the newly released 5th book into consideration, I'm going to be using characters from there, mmm k? Mm k.
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The bell rang.
Nobody moved.
Professor Lupin cleared his throat, "Miss Granger...Dumbledore. He needs to know."
Hermione nodded quickly. With the eyes of the class following her, Hermione quickly swept all her things off the table and into her bag. Lupin ran a hand uneasily through his shaggy crop of hair.
"You should go too, Finnigan." He added.
Seamus nodded dumbly and gathered his things together as well.
A mixture of fifth years bearing the House crests of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor waited anxiously outside the doorway. The door that had only been cracked open was pushed against the opposite wall and Padme Patil, who Hermione could only assume had been passing by, stepped halfway into the room. Her prefect badge caught the lamplight and sparkled impressively.
"Is everything all right, Professor?" She questioned. Her hands nervously toyed with the cuffs of her robes.
Professor Lupin nodded in her direction. "Come on, now. The rest of you off to class."
Hermione's hypersensitivity seemed to be dying down now and she felt safe enough to speak at a normal volume. "Don't look so disappointed," She muttered. She heaved her bag onto her shoulder. "You'll find out eventually; if Dumbledore doesn't make an announcement about it first."
The students couldn't find any untruth in her words. The crowd outside parted so they could get out. Hermione waited until Seamus was ready and then they joined the queue of students slowly making their way through the mob and out of the classroom.
"I'll inform your teachers about your lateness," He called over their heads. "Getting to class means you too, Harry. Ron." Harry and Ron, who had started to drift back in the line, presumably to talk to Hermione, now flushed sheepishly.
Hermione smiled slowly. "I'll be fine, don't worry," She insisted. "Can you tell Professor Snape that I'm seeing the headmaster?"
Ron groaned, "Yeah, Hermione. 'Cuz I really want to socialize with Snape as much as possible on my first day back at Hogwarts."
"You're the best!" Hermione gushed pretending hadn't heard the sarcasm dripping from his words. Pecking them both on the cheek she slid out the door with Seamus following in her wake.
Hermione finished relating the occurrence and sipped at her now lukewarm tea. Dumbledore had remained silent throughout Hermione's entire rendition. He had sat in the comfy-looking, chintz armchair behind his desk with his fingers steepled in front of him and his pale blue eyes studying her over golden, half-moon spectacles. Now he turned to Seamus.
"Is this what you experience as well, Mr. Finnigan?"
Seamus, a lot less used to talking personally with one of the most powerful wizards in the world, shifted a bit nervously in his seat.
"I-I didn't see the first part, sir. Me mind was sort of blank. I didn't see anything until Hermione grabbed me hand -- then it was all going bloody topsy-turvy."
He paused for a moment, but it wasn't out of hesitation. " 'Mione helped me lil sis, sir. I was filled with a lot of anger -- me mum told me not to dwell on it. But I couldn't help but keep replaying them horrifying memories over and over." He looked over at Hermione and smiled gratefully. "I-I don't know what she did, but now when I think of me sister...I see an angel."
Hermione flushed.
"I remember the tragedy with your sister, Jessi." Dumbledore said slowly before continuing, "I am also glad that whether intentionally or not, Miss Granger has used her powers to ease you inner pain and to cleanse Jessi's memory."
Seamus smiled too. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw tears in his eyes. He must have realized it too because he swiped the back of his palm over his eyes and then set down his own teacup.
"You may go now, Mr. Finnigan. Thank you for your time."
Seamus left quickly and Hermione had no doubt that the tale would be well circulated by the time she was excused as well. She slid off her sunglasses and was relieved to find that her eyes were no longer light sensitive. Dumbledore waited until she had resettled herself with calm patience.
Instinctively, Hermione's fingers wrapped around her crystal necklace -- the action did not go unnoticed by Dumbledore. "Professor, what do you think this means?"
Dumbledore folded his arms across the desk. "I think it means that Professor Lupin's theory might not be that far off. The way you spoke of another consciousness being inside you brings to light the point that you may in fact be infused with the creature Hope."
Hermione shivered at the thought of someone else being inside her body. Then again, not many people got possessed by a thousand-year-old noun. As her thoughts whirled around she didn't know whether to feel honored or violated.
"It also means that your powers are surfacing and we can't keep having you subconsciously using them without knowing it. And I'm sorry to tell you that, in light of this sudden incident, we're going to have to pull you out of some of your classes."
"Professor, no!" Hermione exclaimed. Dumbledore smiled slightly, if inappropriately, at her crestfallen expression. Hermione Granger was the only student he knew that would be upset about no longer having a few classes.
"I understand, Miss Granger, that your academics are very important to you." His smile dropped and his tone was so serious Hermione was taken aback. "But if Voldemort isn't defeated they won't matter much, will they?"
He's right...
Hermione instantly felt chagrined about the selfish way she had reacted. People died everyday and here she was whining that some of her classes had been cut. "I'm sorry, Professor." She whispered.
"It's quite alright, Miss Granger. Now, since training your power and studying the art of war will take up most of your time, all but the classes you'll need for battle will be cut. Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense against the Dark Arts are all that will be necessary."
He waved his hand and his phoenix, Fawkes, who had been resting on his perch, took to the air and soared out of the room with a parchment clutched in his talons.
Hermione was shocked. It was true that she wouldn't need classes like Muggle Studies or Arithmancy. But only three classes?
"And Potions," She added stubbornly, "History of Magic as well."
He frowned, "Miss Granger--"
"I'm serious." She interrupted.
He was thoughtful for a moment; "I can see how Potions might be helpful. But History would be pointless -- the Ministry is already doing extensive work in that area."
Hermione's lower lip became caught in between her teeth and she gnawed on it in hopes that it would alleviate her frustration. She had really wanted to continue History under Professor Lupin. There was also the nagging notion of 'training'. She had no idea what that entailed and Dumbledore hadn't exactly been dishing out information on what would occupy the time that she would have spent in classes.
"I can give you Potions, but if anything comes up..." he trailed off.
"It's be the first class to go." Hermione finished for him. "I understand."
"Very well then."
"Thank you, Professor!"
He smiled at her. "What class do you have now?"
"Double Potions, sir."
"Hmm...I think Severus would find it interesting that you fought to keep his class. Especially, when it will only give you minimal assistance in the tasks before you. Yes, very interesting..." He mused. As Hermione flushed in stubborn embarrassment she saw the headmaster's eyes twinkle in merriment.
"It's an important part of the wizarding world and I refuse to give it up. Besides, I believe that it will help greatly in the future, er, sir." She explained.
"If he has a problem with you being a half hour late--"
"I'm sure it's all right, Professor. I had Harry and Ron tell him that I was meeting with you." Hermione explained standing up.
"Always one step ahead -- Good girl." He stood up as well and reached over his desk to shake her hand. "What do you have the rest of the day?"
"Well I had Herbology and Muggle Studies." She recited easily having already memorized her schedule.
"After Potions I'd like you to meet Tonks and Moody on the grounds. They'll start you on your spell training and dueling. I shall meet with your Professors this evening and we'll work out your new schedule."
Hermione had been silent while he talked. The notes she had taken in her head were now stored away in a mental filing cabinet labeled 'Training/Schedule'.
"Yes, sir." She set down her teacup and lifted her knapsack onto her shoulder. "And thank you, again."
Surprisingly, he chuckled, "Save your thanks until after your training today. Then see how 'thankful' you are."
She beamed at him and her infectious smile was back to normal, "I won't let it get me down, Professor." She insisted.
Just as she reached the door he called out to her again, "Miss Granger!"
She turned around.
"I understand that this hasn't been the normal first-day-back you expected. But you're coping with it exceptionally well, and your patience and understanding in this whole ordeal is inspiring."
"T-thank you, Professor." She stammered in bewilderment at his sudden compliment.
"Never give up hope, Miss Granger."
Hermione smiled and walked out of his office, "I'm not about to give myself up, Professor." She called over her shoulder.
Dumbledore listened as her laughter carried back up the stairs and into his office, before the door swung shut and the reassuring sound was silenced.
"Good luck, Hermione..."
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"As I was saying," Snape growled. "We will be starting off the year with Following Potions. It isn't a complex potion unless you don't follow the directions correctly. Now--"
He was cut off, for the second time that period, as the dungeon door opened and Hermione walked in. The Gryffindors were ecstatic. The most dismal two hours of their life had been disturbed twice.
"I'm sorry, Professor," She apologized. Glancing up she saw her friends motioning her to a desk. Snape had seated her with Draco. "Professor Dumbledore kept me longer than I'd expected."
Her seat was second from the front so she started down the aisle. She had been fiddling with her bag as she approached, but when she reached her table she looked up to find Snape smirking sinisterly at her.
"I don't know what you're doing here, Miss Granger, but you are no longer in my class."
Hermione figured that Draco and the rest of the class were watching her with interest, but she kept her eyes on Snape.
"I am aware, sir, that Dumbledore sent you a message -- I saw Fawkes in the hallway."
"Then enlighten me as to why you have disrupted my class?! Ten poin--"
"Because I insisted on continuing Potions." Hermione said quickly. Her loud tone drowned out Snape's attempt at taking points away from Gryffindor.
Snape's mouth snapped shut. Beady, black eyes met amber and they stared each other down.
"...really?"
"Yes, sir."
The class waited with bated breath. Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously but Hermione's remained wide and patient. He swallowed slowly and turned his back on her.
"Following Potions are used when you need someone to listen only to you...to follow only you--"
Hermione sank gratefully into her chair while Snape walked around the room continuing his lecture on the day's potion. She pulled out her notebook and looked at Draco.
He slid a scrap of parchment to her. Hermione made sure that she set her notebook down on top of it and continued pulling out a quill and her favorite bottle of purple ink. Draco began to shoot her anxious looks but she kept taking notes on Snape's lecture until he had paced his way to the other side of the room. Sliding her notebook up an inch she glanced down at Draco's note.
Seamus told us about what happened in History, but why did Snape say you weren't in his class?
Hermione dipped her quill back into the inkwell, and then hastily scribbled back a reply. Snape was coming back around; she dropped it into his lap where it was obscured from view.
Because I wasn't. I had to convince Dumbledore.
Professor Snape decided to stop his pacing beside their table and the both of them were forced to return to their note-taking. When he turned around to magic the potion's directions onto the board, Draco passed it back to her.
'Mione...what is going on?
Snape was just turning around when Hermione threw it back. Draco promptly dropped his cauldron on the folded parchment and went on to retrieve his potion-making kit from his shoulder bag. It wasn't until five minutes later, when Professor Snape slunk off to badger Neville, that Draco got a chance to read Hermione's answer. There were only three words.
We'll talk tonight.
They spent the last hour of Potions in silence. One of them was constantly hunched over Draco's cauldron making sure things were done correctly. They split up the steps and made sure that their assigned tasks were done to perfection -- they both wanted their first potion of the year to turn out well.
Hermione only glanced up once, while she waited for Draco to finish slicing the gingerroot, and she used the time to scan the pairings. A Gryffindor to each Slytherin. There was complete silence throughout the entire room.
Draco's willingness to mingle with Gryffindors had spread throughout the entire House since the end of their fifth year. (Hermione reminded herself never to underestimate his influence.) The Gryffindors too were making an effort to be nice to their Slytherin counterparts since the Golden Trio had accepted Draco's help. It was an amazing thing to see. Harry was explaining to Vincent Crabbe how correctly to slice the gingerroot, and Pansy Parkinson was showing extreme patience with Neville whose hand shook as he measured the powdered bicorn horn.
"We're good role models." She whispered to Draco as he straightened up.
She bent over the bubbling cauldron and slowly added the dried nettles. Draco looked around and grinned seeing what she had. "Well...not so much you."
Hermione had to stifle her giggles because Snape had arrived at their table to examine their finished potion. It was the correct turquoise color and they both grinned when Snape could find no flaws in its physical properties.
After everyone's potion had been inspected, he instructed them to bottle their potion and correctly label it. They would be stored in the room until a later class when they would test their potion's effectiveness.
Rushing out of class when the bell rang to avoid her friend's questions, Hermione hurried from of the dungeons and out the main doors.
"Impedimenta!" Hermione cried and Nymphadora Tonks was immediately frozen in place.
"Very good," Moody said gruffly. His wooden leg thudded dully on the hard ground as he made his way to the immobile Tonks. "Finite Incantatum."
Hermione smiled tiredly. She had spent the last hour demonstrating various curses and spells that Moody considered "the basics". And even though they tried to hide it, she knew that she had impressed her "teachers" with her experience in spellwork.
Tonks beamed at her and ran a hand through her spiky blue hair. "I'm impressed Hermione. I wouldn't have thought you'd learn anything with Umbridge teaching you last year."
Hermione flushed, "Well, actually, I didn't. I mean not from her anyway. I'd read about most of those spells, but I'd never had the chance to practice them. But with the war coming up I persuaded Harry to start up 'Dumbledore's Army'. There were only about 28 of us, but we would meet in secret and he'd teach us different hexes and spells."
Moody's slitted mouth curved into a smile and the result was that his face looked more contorted and scarred than before. "You're a smart girl." He growled, "Now let's see how you do in a duel...Tonks."
Moody leaned over to whisper something in Tonks' ear and as the two women squared off his magical eye fixed on something behind Hermione.
"Don't go easy on me." Hermione said stubbornly holding her wand up to her face.
Tonks flushed at being caught and looked over to Moody for instructions. "You heard the lady." He said.
Moody backed away so as not to interfere, "Wands at the ready...GO!"
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted being the first to attack. Tonks, surprised at her daring, was knocked backwards but maintained a hold on her wand.
The sound of voices was wafting up over the hill and as Hermione did some mental figuring she realized that lunch was over and some of her classmates were making their way to Herbology. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, however, because Tonks was already back on her feet.
"Incendio!"
Hermione gave a small shout as her robes caught fire. Not bothering to waste time in putting out the magical flames she flung the burning robe away from her leaving her in her blouse and skirt. She raised her wand again, but Tonks was taking serious her demand of not going easy on her and was already attacking again.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Tonks fired the Full Body Bind on her and Hermione barely had time to react.
"PROTEGO!" Hermione shouted desperately. The Shield Charm materialized just in time and sent Tonks' curse ricocheting back at her. But the two duelists were so far apart that in the time it took to reach her she had easily dodged.
Hermione seized the opportunity and immediately turned the tables on Tonks; putting her on the defensive.
"Tarantallegra!"
The blue-haired auror couldn't completely dodge the curse and one of her legs immediately started to do a crazy sort of dance. Unable to stand with one leg moving all over the place, Tonks fell to her knees.
Thinking that her opponent was unable to cast any spells in her current state Hermione was caught unawares as Tonks pointed her shaking wand at her and shouted: "Expelliarmus!"
A burst of gold light hit her like a cannon ball and unlike Tonks, who had been braced for Hermione's Expelliarmus, Hermione was caught completely unprepared and she was blown off the ground. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that her body was propelled at least six feet into the air, and even Moody was taken by surprise.
Hermione bit back her scream as she sensed gravity begin to pull her back down. The spell had knocked the wind out of her and her short flight was most likely not going to end well, but Voldemort be damned if she was going to scream.
This is nothing... She thought stubbornly.
Lifting her shaking wand she barely had a chance to whisper her spell. "Serpensortia!"
The deadly viper shot out of her wand and landed at Tonks feet who cursed and jumped out of the snake's reach.
Then...
Hermione's body hit the ground with a sickening Crunch!
Someone screamed her name, but she was too disoriented to make out the owner.
She opened her eyes and was rewarded with the blinding afternoon sunlight blaring down at her and making spots dance across her vision. Her left arm screamed as she forced herself into a sitting position. There was a dull thud, thud, thud and when her vision cleared she was surprised to find Moody quickly hobbling his way across the lawn to her.
Something was definitely wrong with her arm, but when she tried to pull it out of her sleeve the pain that lanced through her body made her gasp.
"Diffindo." She muttered and her blouse was cut into pieces by an invisible knife. Left laying on the lawn in her sweat-soaked tank top she examined her arm.
She quickly glanced up and finding that Tonks was still preoccupied with Hermione's conjured snake, she focused her attention on her arm. She touched her arm gingerly and winced; broken.
A sudden shadow fell over her and she looked over to find Moody crouched next to her. His wand was out and he was attempting to get a good view of her arm, but Hermione waved him off.
"Ferula." As a wooden rod appeared in her hand, Hermione was instantly grateful that Lupin had showed her this spell when he had to deal with Ron's broken leg. Using it as a splint for her arm, Hermione set her broken bones as best she could and tied the rod to her arm with pieces of her torn blouse.
Hermione thanked the gods that her legs weren't broken and got slowly to her feet. Holding her shoulder and wand in one hand she moved back to where Tonks was distracted by the viper.
It was no great surprise that the students who had been on their way to Herbology had stopped to watch the witches duel. The crowd was mixed with Gryffindors and Slytherins and seeing familiar faces she remembered that she would have had Herbology this period. Harry, Ron, and Draco had pushed their way to the front and judging by the looks on their faces they had been standing there long enough to see her go flying through the air.
"Vipera Evanesca!"
Suddenly, the crowd of onlookers didn't matter and she whirled around to see her snake disappear in crackling of sparks. Tonks, who must have gotten rid of her dancing leg while Hermione was preoccupied, looked at her in concern and guilt.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry! I-"
"Fight me." Hermione growled raising her wand.
Tonks was taken aback, "You're arm is broken. Dumbledore is going to kill me -- we're stopping this duel now."
"You don't get time-outs in war." Hermione's voice was monotonous. She knew she had to do this. A broken arm would mean nothing to Voldemort and he was the one she had to beat not Tonks.
"Hermione..."
"FIGHT ME!" Hermione screamed.
Tonks turned to Moody for guidance and something inside Hermione snapped. Without knowing she had done so, by turning her back on Hermione, Tonks body language registered Hermione of little threat.
She wouldn't have turned her back on Harry...
Squaring herself she aimed her wand.
I'm not a little girl
The duel wasn't over yet.
"Locomotor Mortis!"
An invisible force pulled on Tonks' legs and locked them together. She went toppling over instantly. Whatever concern or sympathy she had felt for Hermione was instantly gone as the younger woman attacked her when her back was turned. She rolled onto her stomach.
"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"
The rudimentary spell was not directed at Hermione, but rather at something beside her. The next thing she knew the large branch that had been lying next to her connected with her stomach and pushed her into a tree. The branch seemed to take on a mind of its own and pinned her to the large rowan tree.
With her uninjured hand Hermione clawed at the wood pressing against her neck. She couldn't breathe. Her fingers quickly began to ache and the wood splintered beneath her fingernails. Her lower body writhed against the tree trunk, but nothing she did loosened the pressure on her throat.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Hermione raised her amber eyes and found that Moody and several of the students had to restrain the boys from leaping to her aid. Her gaze landed on Harry and she had a sudden idea.
Hermione's lips moved slowly as she struggled to voice her words and then she lifted her wand. Gold mist exploded from the tip of her wand and descended in front of Tonks. Tonks didn't hesitate in taking a step into the mist to get to her opponent, but if she had looked at Harry she would have seen his face break out into a grin.
For Tonks the world turned upside down. She was hanging from the ground, with her tousled hair on end. It felt as though her feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below her the bright, cloud-filled sky stretched endlessly. She felt as though if she tried to move one of her feet, she would fall away from the earth completely.
Meanwhile, Hermione used Tonks distraction to free herself. Twisting her good arm at a difficult angle she pointed her wand at the branch. "Reducto!"
The branch was vaporized into a large cloud of dust that floated down over her and she fell to the warm grass. She wanted to lay there beneath the scorching sunlight and be allowed to drift off to sleep, but she could end this now.
Getting to her knees she pinpointed Tonks' location in the golden mist. Despite the sweltering heat, the sweat trickling down her back, and the throbbing pain in her broken arm Hermione smiled proudly and lifted her wand.
"STUPEFY!"
The red beam of light pierced the twinkling fog and hit its target. Tonks crumpled to the ground.
"Accio." Moody said gruffly. Hermione hadn't heard him come up behind her and his sudden speech made her jump. Tonk's stunned form came floating slowly out of the mist and landed at Moody's feet.
"Ennervate."
Tonks was just coming to when Professor Sprout came running across the grounds as fast as her short legs would carry her. "Alastor!" She bellowed coming nearer.
"Yes Professor?" He inquired calmly.
"What is the meaning of this?! You almost killed the poor girl." She admonished her face turning slightly purple.
Moody shook his head; "She's in training." His magical eye rolled backwards in its socket to watch Hermione as she got to her feet, "Besides she could have stopped anytime she wanted to -- she's a stubborn lass, I'll tell you that."
"And she does a mean stunning spell," Tonks added ruefully standing up.
"Training or not I don't think Dumbledore had a broken arm in mind for the first day." Sprout huffed. Tonks had the decency to blush. "I'm taking her to see Madame Pomfrey right away--"
"Nonsense, Professor." Tonks stepped up. "You have a class to teach. I'll take her. Besides I feel awful about her arm and it's only fitting, don't you think?"
Professor Sprout bristled at being interrupted, but had to concede to the fact that her students had missed ten minutes of Herbology and they had better get started right away. She rounded up the students and escorted them on to the greenhouses, Tonks and Hermione started the trek up to the castle, and Moody settled himself down in the shade to wait.
Twenty minutes later, Parvati Patil reported to Greenhouse 6 that Hermione was back at it again.
Woah! 18 pages! I hope you guys like this chapter -- starting to get some action in. I apologize if it's not my best action sequence...I've never had to do a dueling one. I usually like to stick to swords or physical fighting, but oh well.
Review! If I get over 70 reviews then I'll get cracking on the Hr/? romance.
KissThis