Disclaimer: All Harry Potter Characters still belong to her majesty, J.K. Rowling. I bow deeply and request one more time to borrow Severus Snape permanently. She says, "No."
Chapter Thirteen: The Rumor Mill
"Maybe we should fight fire with fire." Pansy said seriously, eyeing her counterpart with a determined look.. Hermione glanced over her shoulder and read.
"Oh no, I hope we're not too late!" Hermione said aloud. Who had fulfilled their pact?
They charmed their clasps and immediately flew from the room to retrieve their associates.
Running down the halls they searched the normal make-out points ready to rescue their sisters from an unwanted fate. Pansy turned to Hermione and said, "I passed several people in the hall, but Luna and Marietta say that Lisa's gone from the dorm."
"Oh no! She's been dating Terry Boot for a year!" Hermione's eyes darted around aimlessly as if searching her mind for a fact. Where would she go?
Ginny ran back out of the Common Room in Harry's Invisibility Cloak, "Need this?" she said and slipped Hermione the concealed parchment while Pansy looked down another Hall.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," she whispered. Quickly scanning the crowded parchment, Lisa Turpin's name appeared in a third floor closet. Miniscule and nearly intertwined with Lisa's name, was squeezed 'Terry Boot' in the tiny space provided.
"Mischief managed!" Hermione whispered louder and stuffed the Marauder's Map in her pocket running down the hall with Ginny as she did.
Pansy followed with her warning, "Filch is coming!"
They ran up the steps after casting silencing charms on their feet. They covered themselves as best they could with the cloak, attempting to reduce the chances of their being seen, but the result was just a view of three half-people floating up the stairs. The ran out of breath down the hall and knocked loudly on the door. Ginny and Pansy thought quickly and crouched under the cloak, while Hermione played her Prefect duty to the hilt.
After the loud rapping from Hermione, she could her a jumble of knocks and yelps from two very startled people. She cracked open the door and she saw the swish of a cloak cover the naked pair. A humiliated, frustrated Terry looked disgraced, breathless, and embarrassed. Lisa was stunned beyond organized thought. Hermione felt just awful about the interruption. She had no way of knowing whether or not they had entered uncharted waters or not.
"Lisa, I thought you should know that Professor Flitwick knows you are both out of bed and is looking for you. You are a Prefect and I don't want you to get into trouble for something so obviously private. I'll look the other way while you go down to the dorms, but I suggest you go one at a time." She looked at Lisa with hidden meaning.
They nodded and thankfully Terry Boot said nothing. Hermione shut the door and waited for them to exit. There was a bustle of the sounds of rapid dressing and 'ow's' and 'I'm sorrys' whispered. Terry ran down the hall first and Lisa lagged behind, leaning against the door jam.
"I'm so sorry, Lisa. I really am," Hermione said honestly. If Hermione had been in the one making the decision to lose her virginity to a boy she'd been serious a bout for a year she would've nearly killed someone for the interruption.
Lisa was absolutely beside herself with frustration, annoyance and hurt. "This better be good." She followed them to the Room of Requirement, more angry still knowing that Pansy and Ginny had witnessed the whole thing from underneath the cloak.
Thank God everyone is here, Hermione thought as she and Pansy counted the people present. Twenty.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. I know it's late and we don't want anyone in trouble for breaking curfew. But we have more news." Hermione opened nervously.
"First off," Pansy addressed the group. "Has anyone had sex yet or otherwise broken their hymen?"
Nervous shakes of heads, and girls looked around at each other. Pansy did not believe them. "We won't be upset, but we need to know for sure." She glared at Lisa.
"No," an agitated Lisa said through gritted teeth.
"Good, because we have a plan." Hermione spoke up. "This," she lifted up her half of the book and Pansy did hers as well, "is the book called the Power of the Innocent. And this book is going to save us and this entire school." Pansy rolled her eyes as Hermione's overly dramatic speech.
"We don't have a lot of time to explain since time is short, but we have confirmed that the Dark Lord will likely use a spell which requires no less than 35 virgins to participate for it to work. There is a counter spell— well, actually it works all by itself, to erect extremely powerful wards. All of us must save our selves to accomplish that however. So nobody shags anybody until we meet tomorrow to discuss it, yeah?" Pansy was not asking, she was issuing an order. Most all of the girls looked incredibly relieved.
"Let's meet tomorrow, here five o'clock before dinner. Agreed?"
"No, we have Quidditch practice," Ginny said.
"Alright then, anyone else have a suggestion? Tuesday night? Five o'clock before dinner?" Nods from everyone who stood already to leave for the dorms. Thank God no DA or Quidditch practice.
There was hurried murmuring amongst the girls as they left in twos and threes. They snuck back to the common room, receiving a nasty scowl from the portrait. With the buzz about the sexual activities of young witches and wizards amongst student and portraits alike, she wondered if the Fat Lady thought her to be studying or merely promiscuous. Ginny hid underneath the cloak and snuck in the Common Room behind Natalie and Hermione. Natalie raised an eyebrow that begged the question. "Later," Hermione mouthed looking around at the portrait spies in the Gryffin-dorm. She changed for bed into her pajamas, and looked over at Natalie. Natalie roomed with her so Hermione gestured for her to sneak over and duck under the covers of her bed to whisper a few things out of earshot of anyone. They knelt on each side of Hermione's bed, Crookshanks resentful that he was being displaced by his mistress's violent disruption of the warm covers he had been sleeping on for thirty minutes. Throwing the covers over head, Hermione whispered a 'lumos' and found a small cramped place to speak. Hermione was transported back to slumber parties she had when she was ten. Except there was a wand and no flashlight now.
"What's it all about?" Natalie asked.
"It's a long story," Hermione said in hushed tones. "But we can do it. We just have to wait for the right time, and strike before You-Know-Who does."
"It sounds insane."
"No more than the alternative."
As Hermione's mind raced, she wondered if she would be able to let three hours of sleep find her before class tomorrow.
She slipped under her covers, falling asleep more quickly than she thought, and dreamed of the door to the Room of Requirement, wondering if she had needed— would it provide a willing Severus? Her whole body writhed in response to that yearning, and she woke up frustrated. The bushy-haired woman looked around her dorm room at her hopeless cat and three girls dressing for their day. No Severus. She groaned and left for her turn in the bathroom, staying longer than was necessary to dress and shower. She couldn't leave the dorms in that state.
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Tuesday morning Hermione wondered how she would let Anthony down gently. He had, after all, been so nice to her. She could tell, it just wouldn't work out regardless of current circumstances.
As usual the Great Hall was bustle of activity, students getting ready for class, Ron with an enormous mouthful of food while he told the story once more, of how Harry caught the Snitch while being a lazy broom potato. Pansy was sitting by Draco and they were chatting somewhat amicably, but with the goons listening in, so that couldn't be a good sign. There wouldn't be much time after breakfast and Hermione wasn't one to procrastinate. In fact, she thought she probably couldn't think about anything else during classes today if she didn't take care of the matter on her mind.
When she scanned the Ravenclaw group for signs of him, Anthony's eyes met hers briefly and she did not see kindness there. There was feverish whispering around their table. Hermione caught her name spoken in harsh undertones and deduced they were talking about her. Lisa tried to catch her attention, but Hermione ignored her and continued on to the middle of the table.
"Anthony? Could I talk with you for a second?" He sharply rose from the table and followed her outside while several pairs of eyes followed them and snickered.
Once out on the steps he started. "Hermione, we have to talk."
"I agree." Hermione politely said but was interrupted.
"I can't go out with you," Anthony said bluntly, and this startled Hermione. What made her un-dateable? He was interested.
"I beg your pardon?" She asked, a bit confused.
"People are talking everywhere. They say we slept together and asked me why I would date such a… whore." He seemed a bit angry at the revelation and he said it as tactfully as he could under the circumstances. Hermione's jaw dropped in shock.
"Anthony Goldstein! You are a Ravenclaw! How could you believe such utter rubbish?!" Hermione hissed, really seething now. The rumor mill had finally reached a new level.
"Everyone's talking…"
"I don't care about everyone! You," she pointed into his chest with a sharp finger, "should have checked this out with me, or at least stood up for me! My history is not anyone's business. But you just bought into that load of hogwash hook, line, and sinker! One sexual encounter does not make me a whore! Who said it? Hmmm? If no one but you will say it to my face — you who received this information second, third or fortieth hand, then I want my say!" Hermione had completely forgotten about not being suitable as a pair and was in a rage. She slammed her hand down on the concrete wall and winced in pain.
Anthony was shocked at her reaction and immediately apologized, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I overreacted. With the Bellflower thing and all…"
"It wasn't just me who signed that bloody petition! So— is every girl in Hogwarts a slut because we all signed it? How would you like it if everyone wrote your name up on the wall for everyone to see parading around your virginity or lack thereof?!"
"I didn't think about it like that, Hermione." She was through huffing, finally registering the bewildered and remorseful look in his eye. "I am sorry. I really am. People are so nosy."
"I guess it really didn't help if anyone saw us during our little picnic," Hermione mentioned, quieting down. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. Anyone would be upset. It just pisses me off how people can blow things out of proportion, you know?" He nodded. "Anthony, I did enjoy last weekend and I think we have a lot in common, you're easy to talk to, but I just have a lot on my plate right now. I don't think it would be fair to you if I kept seeing you. I mean, I was angry at why you broke up with me, but relieved too. Understand?"
"Yeah." But only barely.
"Now who has been saying what about me?" After she kept pressing him, he reluctantly gave up a few names and she marched off into the Great Hall, Anthony in tow, for a face off. Pansy watched in horror, having heard the rumors herself, hoping that Hermione wouldn't wreck a decent lie she considered to be a good thing.
She sat in Anthony's spot and rallied the other students who crowded around to listen. They were eager to hear more juicy gossip and were unprepared for her lecture.
"Now listen up! It is completely rude, unfair, cruel and a total lie to spread malicious gossip about your classmates about something you know nothing about."
"But you..." Michael started.
"How do you know Michael? Because were you there?! No, you weren't, and neither was the person who told you, I suspect. This school has gone completely mad. I am sick and tired of hearing about people from persons who aren't directly related to the topic at hand. Look around you. How many stories have you told today about people you call your friends? This kind of thing, I might add, is none of your bloody business. In three short weeks, I have gone from Bellflower revolt, to love interest to whore! That is not fair. It's not fair to me and it wasn't fair to Anthony. And if I hear one more person tell me some horrible thing about Susan Bones, I will hex that person into next week." She heard some muttered apologies especially from Michael.
"That's not good enough," Hermione said. "What you really need to do, is un-tell who you told and apologize to the persons whose reputations you have damaged. All of us are responsible for rumors, not just one. So don't believe everything you hear." She got up and left a silent crowd. Then she leaned her head back. "Just so that you won't hear it through the grapevine, Anthony and I have decided to just be friends." Hermione turned on her heel and left, while other students were left to deduce what happened.
She filled in Harry, Ginny, and Ron who had passed the shame for gossiping down the table at other guilty students. Ginny shook her head, wondering if that was such a good idea. The teachers looked on from the staff table knowing something significant had happened.
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Professor Lupin had heard some of the rumors and was sufficiently concerned about Hermione that he decided to pull her aside before class. "Hermione? May I have a word please?"
"Yes, Professor?" Hermione followed him in to a nearby alcove.
"I've been really concerned about you lately, and some of the things I've heard don't sound very encouraging. Is there anything that you need to talk about?" The scraggly brown haired professor looked at Hermione with authentic interest for her well-being and Hermione sighed relief at him reaching out.
Thank God for you. At least you seem to be genuinely concerned. "Remus, it's just rumors that's all. Kids can be horrible you know? I mean it all started with the Bellflower crap and since when did I become promiscuous?"
"Is that what they're saying?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Yes, and then right after that we had the big 'sex ed' meeting and now I can't walk down the hall without Professor McGonagall or Madame Pomfrey giving me disappointed looks." She let out and indignant huff. "I mean, honestly. Do they really believe everything they hear? What have you heard?"
"I heard some things about you and Anthony Goldstein, then saw the scene this morning at breakfast and thought you could use an ear."
The words were pouring out. He could have been Ginny. She had been ready to explode before and she just let everything off her chest. "We went out for a picnic. A picnic! It's not against the law, but with the previous rumors added to our date— our first and I might add, last date which happened not two days ago… the word on the street is that now— I'm a slut."
Remus' was beginning to look a bit peeved. He was the first teacher she had spoken to. Not many students would talk about such things. "No you're not, Hermione. And I am sorry that has been your experience amongst the students, and from the staff. Keep your chin up. Hold your head high." Hermione smiled weakly. "Things will die down and they'll be talking about something different. You can always come to me, Hermione. Even if it's just to vent. Okay?"
Hermione nodded, knowing that he meant it. Truly though, she had a new group of friends to confide in now. She likely wouldn't return to Remus again for this topic, but it was reassuring to know at least one teacher hadn't lost their damn mind. He turned to leave and she touched him on the arm, "Remus, thanks for talking with me." He turned to face her and she looked him in the eye to repeat it. "Thanks." He smiled at her and left.
Snape hadn't missed the last of the exchange and only briefly wondered what had happened to merit such an encounter. He wasn't accustomed to hearing students call their Professors by their first names, but then Remus was almost like family to the Trio, certainly to Harry, and he had spent a good deal of time at 12 Grimmauld Place doing work for the Order, as well as keep an eye on Harry and Hermione.
The day was boring, his classes taught with his usual rigid nature, the lessons subtly changed over the years but not offering Snape any particular satisfaction. At least the study with Miss Granger was going well. Last night she had identified 20 possibilities for substitutions in Veritaserum, erring on the larger side to be cautious in not excluding a potential candidate. She had suggested eliminating one at a time, until Snape had paired up like roots and compounds. That would significantly reduce time in testing and offer comparison data from relatively similar samples. It was a significant amount of work for the semester. Hermione had seemed a bit too ambitious with her goals of finding a replacement by Christmas. Leave it to a Gryffindor to assume that anything was possible. He of course dragged her back to the world of reality by telling her science never works that quickly and that it may take a year or longer to find out their project was a wash.
He grumbled his way to the staff meeting where Remus was giving a piece of his mind to Minerva. Snape overheard the middle of his reproving tones from the door and waited.
"She notices your condemning looks, Minerva. She is one of, if not the best student Hogwarts has."
"I know that Remus," the Head of Gryffindor said tersely.
"Then how could you consider her to be the pride of Gryffindor one day, and the school bicycle the next?!"
Minerva stood straight up, fists tightly clenched, and blushed an angry red at that unwarranted comment. "I did not say that!"
"Maybe not Minerva, but the students are and it is untrue. The rumors here have reached new highs. Of all people she expected judgment from, Hermione did not expect it would be you." Minerva sat a bit defeated, and swallowed a bit of guilt. She would definitely make some changes in her outward behavior. Minerva had been disappointed— and hurt also. Professor McGonagall had seen too many bright young girls throw their talents to waste over a boy and an unplanned pregnancy. Learning of Miss Granger's status only inflamed her strict values. Minerva had her own regrets; she didn't like to see the mistakes repeated in her students.
Remus turned to face Professor Snape whose face also showed a bit of guilt despite the comments not being aimed at him. "And some clear potion is only indicative of her not being a virgin, not the frequency of her sexual encounters."
"Stop assuming that everyone here is judging Miss Granger, Lupin. I have no interest in the girl, her business is her own," Snape said coldly.
The meeting was uncomfortable and the topic wasn't brought up again.
When Snape adjourned to his quarters however, he recognized that he had judged her. He knew that any sexual distractions or preoccupation could only hurt the focused mind of such an exceptional student. Hermione was clearly as sharp as ever, so he was concerned for no reason. It had bothered him however, to see her with the Ravenclaw boy. Romance was such a waste of time.
When he was in school, he had kissed a girl behind a greenhouse and everyone knew by lunch. He was made fun of, and she ridiculed for wanting to have anything to with 'the greasy git.' Florence hadn't been a serious prospect. It had been a new interest, but she was nice to a fault, and smart. It could've gone somewhere… but who was he kidding? The young brainy boy with the heart of a fool sold himself out for power once he graduated, trading in his underdog robes for a painful tattoo and a life of regret.
Though at the time it had seemed a trade up from all the mockery, mistreatment and teasing from his peers— truly in swearing service to the Dark Lord, he lived to be mocked and ridiculed by Him and fellow members, groveling at Voldemort's feet and praying to Merlin, Allah, Gaia or whoever else might be listening that he would be passed over for punishment each meeting. It was a devilish game of cat and mouse, making his head hurt to think of the manipulation involved. Snape cursed himself when the mindset had become second nature to him. It took years to undo the damage it had caused in twisting his sense of reality. He had become paranoid, suspicious of everything and everyone.
To a degree he considered that guarded nature to be useful, cautious, and even insightful. But now it was only a source of pain and alienation as he had been unable to trust anyone for years. Snape even tried to convince himself that he preferred to be alone. Perhaps he just didn't want students for company. It was odd that he found employment in the one place that had caused him almost as much pain as his childhood, surrounding himself in the walls of the castle that held so many bitter memories or torment at the hands of the Marauders. Snape didn't exactly make it easy for people to like him, but from a young age his father had convinced him that there wasn't anything to like. Now that he had his Death Eater years behind (and in front of him), he still believed that his worthlessness was mostly true with the rare exception of any valuable information he fed the Order and the occasional ray of light he saw in a student's eye when they had that special something, the 'aha!' the 'eureka' when they understood…the leap forward into new understanding. In those moments he felt valued, worth existing. It was secret joy he permitted himself, hiding it to conceal his true self— part of his playing the spy, albeit a bit too far. Yet another reflection of his distrust of others.
So he took some advice from the old fool Dumbledore and looked to find the things he could count on in small ways every day. The sun rose every morning and set every evening. Filch was never far behind Mrs. Norris. Minerva could not, would not— drink tea without lemon. Dumbledore nearly always offered lemon drops when he came to his office. And then there were people. Madam Pomfrey would always get on is case about is health whenever she saw him in the hall. And there she was. Seven-oh-one…
Hermione Granger walked in as usual, apologizing for her tardiness. Honestly, he didn't care. It was one bloody minute. But he could count on Hermione to always be punctual. He could set his watch to her. Ever since she apologized the first time for being one second late to class, he had secretly needled her for it. So, he had to keep up appearances… "Five points from Gryffindor for your lateness, Miss Granger." He smiled to himself.
He could also count on her to be prepared. Everywhere she went, she carried a small tome of notes and all of her textbooks, or so it appeared. Maybe half the library. She was very thorough. In addition, over the years she had become less annoying. It was easy to converse with her when he wasn't interrupting to wear his snarky professorial hat. After an hour of working together they slipped easily into the language of research and boundaries of professor/student were forgotten. They were both in new territory now, both thrilled at the prospect of a new discovery, though Miss Granger tended to wear her enthusiasm on her sleeve. Her personal notes of the various texts she had absorbed were well beyond a summary of what she had read, but rather her speculations of previous works led and what, even far-fetched conclusions could be inferred. She had an incredibly open mind, superbly suited for research.
"That will not work. Miss Granger." He said simply. End of discussion. Moving on…
"Why not? It balances, it offsets the acids in the tam…"
"No. The ginger and eye of newt work against it…" He began to argue his point.
"We can leave out the ginger and substitute…" Hermione's head was already whirling with the possibilities.
"Leave out the ginger?! Then you are left either with grey goo or something akin to a sleeping drought that would turn any man into Rip Van Winkle." His tone was one of a derive laugh and a hiss. Snape felt they had wasted too much time on this line of thinking.
"Will you consider nothing? You won't even allow me to finish a thought," Hermione huffed rather freely. "I am not brainstorming aloud whatever ridiculous notions come into my head but am trying to explore what would happen if we substituted the active chemical ingredients of ginger for the real thing thus removing the obstacle of the reaction with the hellebore. Do you think that's possible?"
Snape thought about it a moment. He had been about to lecture her for talking back, but he had to acknowledge she was on to something. Of course, this wasn't a new technique. He had done it many times before, but most potions masters didn't do it and to hear Granger throwing those ideas around so casually kind of put him off. That was his thing, and she had been the one to bring it up. They bantered some more and he conceded the point. Looking at is watch he understood why they were so snappish. It was nearly past midnight. He moved to adjourn them and as Hermione was putting the books away, her eye caught the figure of a mushroom paperweight he had on his desk and she immediately turned her bag inside out, fumbling for parchment and her quill.
There was the glimmer, the light, the 'Aha!'. She was scribbling furiously, muttering to herself. Snape enjoyed the moment allowing her the space and solitude necessary to work her idea out. He had these moments too, but it was more gripping still to watch her mind unfold. Trust a Gryffindor Know-It-All to give him back a little trust and someone he could count on.
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"Now that we're actually going to have an ongoing club we should elect a leader," Lisa proposed. Pansy and Hermione looked at each other and the shouting matches began.
"I vote for Pansy!" Roberta yelled over Susan's nomination of Hermione. There was more shouting back and forth between various members, getting pretty ugly.
Ginny whistled through her fingers as loudly as she could, bringing the loud clamor of voices to silence.
"Pansy and I started this together. I don't want to lead this by myself." Hermione admitted. It was overwhelming enough, but she had to agree the group wouldn't lead itself.
"Me neither," Pansy echoed her sentiments, following Hermione's lead. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws likely wouldn't follow Pansy and the Slytherins wouldn't follow Hermione just yet.
"I'd rather we co-lead, but I want us just to be facilitators. We may help to discuss things and so on, but I'm not going to decide anything for you. Each one of us is our own person. There will be no pressure from any one of us," she looked around the room, "…for any girl to sacrifice their virginity for this spell. This is voluntary, and if at any time you change your mind just say so, and we'll either abort this whole thing and get shagged, or find a replacement. There will be no guilt doled out here. None. Agreed?" The group nodded.
"I know we are asking a lot," Pansy added. "That's why this has to be voluntary. Kendra and Melanie didn't have a choice. We're not going to demand the same from you. The spell requires voluntary participants so you have to be sure." The girls nodded in agreement.
Lisa spoke up, "I nominate Pansy and Hermione as co-leaders."
"I second," said Roberta, Luna and Ginny together.
"All in favor?" Pansy asked.
"Aye." Was the unanimous vote.
"All opposed? Abstentions? Seeing none, motion carries…" Pansy said formally and everyone laughed.
"We need a name like we did for the DA," Marietta offered.
"Any suggestions?" Hermione prompted.
"How about the Flowergirls?" Linda offered. Everyone laughed.
"No… how about something we could say in the hall that no one would raise an eyebrow at?" Orla said.
"How about SOS?" Ginny suggested.
"SOS? What does that stand for Weasley— Students Obsessed with Sex?" Millicent jabbed. That earned more laughs.
"No. Save Our Selves. That's what we're doing right?"
The murmuring stopped and the members quickly agreed. Ginny Weasley was responsible for naming the DA and SOS. She was extremely quick.
"The next time we meet we'll describe the overview of the spell and break this down into parts. It's very complicated, but I'm sure we can master it with a bit of planning," Hermione explained. Being the know-it-all, it really seemed a bit to prim of her to describe things in this way, but she could imagine Pansy giving the same guidance. They each had their strengths. It made Hermione feel a bit awkward to lead this way, but she supposed she'd get used to it.
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Hermione sat at her windowsill late at night after their meeting. She was excited about the new plan and relieved that she wouldn't have to lose her virginity right away. Though, if she saw one of the Death Eaters anywhere near her she was sure she'd take care of things in short order to prevent becoming a pawn.
She sat and wondered on the spell, the incantations… They would take all semester to learn, if that was enough time. There were pages and pages of relevant text and spells that would complement the larger ward building magic. Even reading as little as she did there was the potential for all of them to harness incredibly powerful magic. At that thought, she felt a ripple of fear spread through her. Surely as they had the capability to build the wards of Hogwarts, they had the ability to blow everyone to kingdom come. Even Pansy had been rightfully worried. If even one of them was not a virgin, if not all of them were entirely honest, if even one of their number did not try to resist their innermost desires and give in freely to carnal passions… Hermione shuddered. It would be the end of everything.
Off in the distance against the black canopy of night, stars and moonlight illuminated a small white bird, her feathers glistening in the evening's blessing. She soared toward the window, visiting once again the delicate creature who required her presence for peace.
He came again, she thought. He knows. Hermione found a strength and encouragement with the dove's visit, and rededicated herself to find a way through this. She stroked the bird who surprisingly permitted her attentions and knelt to pray. When her prayer had concluded, Hermione had one firm thought embedded in her heart…
They had to train.
At the end of the long, dark, abandoned hall, Pansy sat at the windowsill again with the book, reading over and over again the issues surrounding the complicated spell. The one thought running through her mind was, "This will never work." She read and reread, seeing the faces of the unlikely members of their group, recalling the stories they had shared with each other as to why they would want to participate in such a group.
Pansy always had the perception that the other houses were sheltered, and that her Slytherin companions were really the only ones to suffer so horribly in their families. She had her beliefs utterly shattered by the group. She had been surprised that the two youngest Slytherins really had the most Gryffindor reasons for being there. Their parents weren't Death Eaters, they had never been threatened and had no family losses. She envied them. Why on earth had they wanted to participate in the group? For Melanie and Kendra. That's it. That's all. For their peers. A Gryffindor sentiment really, so why on earth had the sorting hat placed those two in Slytherin?
Because they were embarking on a mission of great import, she and Hermione had agreed to meet in advance of the next meeting to coordinate a list of to dos. They had a lot to learn and little time to do it. Pansy agreed that it was a waste of their time and a waste of the talents of their group to do everything themselves without delegating. The next meeting would set a schedule of events, assign spells for learning in groups and prioritize the protective spells they could capitalize on while they waited for the spell to be perfected. So many rare potions were produced from virgins blood, particularly healing potions, Hermione was determined to study the secret of blood collection and put it to good use. Hermione brought index cards so that each girl could write down their personal strengths and weaknesses, what their interests were, and what advanced spells they could perform.
Despite their decision to continue the club, they had still not heard a peep from any other girl in the school nor from any boy, Prefect or staff member. That was the only sign that their secret remained safe. It was probably for sheer fear of kidnapping or death that no one told. Ginny and Hermione weren't tempted at all to tell Harry or Ron. The one confession would cause an avalanche of lectures, cursing, and dragging them before Dumbledore and the Order. Telling Snape… that would be worse. Even if he were supportive and agreed to keep their secret, the knowledge of what they were doing would put him in an impossible position.
Pansy had divulged her concerns to Hermione that Lupin might be a dark wizard, or possibly that Snape was working as a spy for Lord Voldemort. But Hermione convinced her that Snape wasn't stupid. 'Who on earth would be foolish enough to spy on You-Know-Who right under his nose? And just because Professor Lupin went outside to meet Snape, they could've been talking about the weather for goodness sake,' she'd said. His Death Eater garb consisted of a basic black cloak, and he wasn't wearing anything else that would tip anyone off. It was possible that Lupin didn't even know Snape was a Death Eater. Pansy was convinced that Snape wasn't a spy. It was stupid in ludicrous proportions. Of course Hermione didn't point out that what SOS was doing could also be considered ludicrous, stupid, and dangerous… ah, well.
"So you'll list the protective spells and divvy them up amongst Luna, Lisa and yourself. Daphne is a pretty good as far as planning goes and she can make a list of what we need to do and locate the space we need to perform the spell. Each of the remaining girls will take a section of the spells involved and memorize a section. Then we can choose what portions to use. We can't use all of them. Hermione, this is where I get really nervous…" Pansy summarized
"Yeah I know. I've never had to memorize anything this complex before." Hermione admitted.
"And we have to say each spell at precisely the same time. All twenty of us. " Pansy said nervously.
"Hey, wait a second…" Hermione said with excitement in her voice.
"What?"
"We have memorized something this complicated before…" She hinted, and giving Pansy a knowing look. Pansy didn't bite though, her thoughts were fixated on the magical world. "The Requiem, Pansy! What about the Messiah? We learned all of the music and had the tune to help us remember it. I never learned the words as well as when they had beats assigned to them."
"So we could say the incantation in a rhythm…" Pansy rolled the idea around in her mind.
"But it can't repeat so much otherwise we'll forget where we are in the incantation… we need to figure this out together." Hermione and Pansy had talked briefly, and had arguments about the group, and sang together in a duet, but they both worried that spending the length of time required to come up with a score of this magnitude might push their relationship too far.
Pansy agreed and they decided to meet three days a week until the score could be written. They would look at other books and musical works for a good steady chant, avoiding tones which would put the group to sleep. Pansy would work on diction and pronunciation— her Latin was the best of the group. They needed this sheet music, so to speak, as soon as possible to help them to memorize the incantation.
Hermione and Pansy worked busily until the next meeting. Hermione made a list of the most important potions they should brew, captivated by their potential to make use of such rare magic. She and Pansy prioritized the spells which needed to be rehearsed, memorized and performed and listed under what conditions they needed to happen. The spell had multiple effects Anything could go wrong. They planned to make use of as many of the positive effects as they could. This was their virginity after all— they were going to make it count.
Tuesday night late, they worked past 10:30pm. Hermione was at the piano, both sorting through music trying to find the right tempo. Over Pansy's left shoulder, Hermione spied the foe glass on the bookshelf at the last possible moment and immediately played a different melody, concentrating hard on their props and singing,
"Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te…"
Before Pansy could object to her abrupt change of music, Snape walked in the door. "Pansy you missed your entrance… Professor Snape? Are you looking for one of us?" Hermione asked, putting on a surprised look.
Snape stood there with a scowl, arms crossed in front of him in disbelief. Pansy turned to look at him and then glanced at her own music which suddenly captioned the heading 'Laudamus Te, Antonio Vivaldi.'
"Don't tell me you don't know that you are out past curfew, Miss Granger, Miss Parkinson— because it should be abundantly obvious to you."
What was really obvious to them is that Snape found them in the Room of Requirement because he needed to find them. He paced and opened the door and there they were. How were they going to fix that little snag? It could happen again in any of their meetings.
"What may I ask, are you doing?" He asked silkily through lips which were bound to deduct points for mere breathing after curfew.
"Practicing, sir. For a concert near Christmas Break," Pansy orchestrated. It could happen. Hermione looked up and didn't bat an eyelash.
"The entire staff is looking for you. Surely you both understand why it might be prudent for you to obey school rules. You, Miss Parkinson have already been stripped of your Prefect duties, however, Miss Granger—you still have an example to set."
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. We lost track of time." Seeing the book at her feet Hermione scooted her foot so that it disappeared inside her bookbag behind the piano. Thank God, she had both halves. Pansy nodded. They weren't expecting his challenge.
"Well let's see what time has produced shall we?" He pressed in irritation. Snape waved his arm to motion for them to carry on with their rehearsal.
Hermione took a nervous breath and began to play, worried it would be a little like rubbing her tummy and patting her head at the same time. She didn't like singing in front of people she knew, particularly him. Certainly not playing and singing at the same time. At times she let the accompaniment fall away so she could concentrate on the soprano line while Pansy echoed her with her alto phrases. At least Laudamus Te had been sung to death and both knew it well, though never before singing it together.
Pansy and Hermione surprised each other by blending well, at least that had been believable. Hermione wasn't happy with her vowels.
"You're still flat on measure forty three, Hermione," said Pansy interrupting their duet halfway through the piece. Then she turned to face Snape. "It's not really ready yet, Professor." Pansy was acting this out well, and had insulted Hermione in the process, keeping in her usual character. She could be correct. Pansy had excellent pitch and it left the impression this was a work in progress. A desperate alibi, but the most plausible one that could bring these two girls together.
What would they have said otherwise? 'Sorry, sir. Please don't kidnap us and take us to You-Know-Who— we're busy trying to find another way to sacrifice ourselves. By the way, could you help us brew a few potions for our club?'
Snape made a sour face and conceded the round. He didn't looked moved. "Twenty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger and a detention for you Miss Parkinson. Choir practice is over." Snape's tone was cold.
Hermione cursed inwardly all the way back to the common room, escorted by none other than a surly Snape. He was silent the whole way. Of course, Pansy was trusted to walk back to Slytherin dorms alone. She got detention, no embarrassing loss of house points. Detentions may have caused a student to use a little elbow grease cleaning cauldrons or writing twelve feet on uses of bicorn horn, but they did not affect the outcome of the House Cup. At least it hadn't been McGonagall who found her. She would've deducted fifty points. But if McGonagall had found them she could have showed her that she wasn't out getting laid.
Her head of house was waiting to retrieve her at the Common Room door, dressed in her crimson quilted night robe and slippers, showing everyone how inconvenienced she was by Miss Granger's blunder. "Miss Granger, what in Merlin's name are you doing out at this hour?" She looked sterner than usual and shook with anger. It seemed a bit over the top for breaking curfew, but there were other circumstances to consider.
"Minerva, if I may, she was practicing for an upcoming concert with Pansy Parkinson on the fifth floor." Snape said. He didn't really know why he was making excuses for Hermione Granger of all people, he so loved to see a student squirm. However he remembered what Lupin had said to her before the staff meeting, and suspected McGonagall thought the worst. Correcting that misassumption was a way of getting the old witch back for giving him so much hell about his Bellflower assignment.
Minerva looked relieved, and changed her expression slightly. "Thank you for seeing her back safely. Come with me, Miss Granger."
Snape left and Hermione followed her in to the Gryffindor Common Room. Seeing Hermione enter, students scattered, knowing she had been caught. Fellow classmates were jumping to their own conclusions. Hermione thought the rumor mill was about to start up again. Ginny caught her eye and winced an apologetic look her way, retreating up the stairs last.
"Have a seat, Hermione." Minerva took a deep breath and sighed. She sat close beside her, and Hermione saw the fear in her experienced eyes.
"What is it Professor McGonagall? You don't look like curfew is the only thing bothering you."
"I might as well tell you, you'll find out soon enough. But please be discreet until an announcement is made. Melanie Lawson was found on the steps of Hogwarts one hour ago."
Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "Is she… alright?"
"She is recovering in the infirmary and no visitors are permitted. It appears she will recover, though I doubt 'alright' is an adequate description. Professor Snape must go an find her parents to notify them, but he had to wait until we found you and Pansy." Hermione was struck by the statement. The guilt was punishment enough for her actions. "Miss Granger, you off all people should know your limits. These are dangerous times. You organized an entire revolt. Think bigger, Miss Granger, and do not let me catch you out of bed after curfew again or it will be your badge." McGonagall's voice was hollow and empty. Hermione couldn't tell whether or not it was an empty threat. Actually, McGonagall didn't make empty threats, she was just too distraught by the return of a 14-year-old student to worry about a careless Gryffindor at the moment.
Hermione was left stunned on the couch. She didn't speak but thought about Melanie. Think big indeed. Was McGonagall in for a surprise. She and Pansy were going to have to figure out a new schedule. Professors were going to notice if twenty girls went missing no matter what time of day it was, she'd wager.
Professor Snape took his time to return to the infirmary. Severus wasn't in any hurry to see her father, knowing that it was he who had placed his daughter in Voldemort's clutches in the first place. If it were his daughter, he would have disappeared with her or brought Harry to finish the bloody bastard off before handing over his offspring. Snape didn't care how faithful the servants got in carrying out the whims of a sadistic madman, he could not fathom how the fathers would sacrifice their own family for the Dark Lord. Melanie was an only child. Snape was actually afraid he might cast an Unforgivable or two if he set foot inside Dick Lawson's estate in Manchester. He needed more time to cool off.
He had found her of course, on the steps. He was sure the intent was for Dumbledore to find her, but as always it was Professor Snape who saw firsthand the cruel remains of a Death Eaters work. She had begged.
"Pleeease, Professor Snape. Pleease don't make me go back home. I'll stay here. I can finish the school year… Don't make me see my father…"
It was the first thing she said to him as he scooped her fragile body in his arms. She seemed to shrink in his grasp, weighing a fraction of what she used to. The Death Eaters of course, needing her alive to perform what experiments they could, would not deliberately mistreat her, but she had refused to eat. That was the only way an enslaved girl like Melanie could maintain any control during her captivity. He found himself at a loss, not being able to find any words to comfort her. Anything Snape said could place him in danger, for anything could be repeated. Eventually he had dodged the question to buy time.
"You need to see Madame Pomfrey. You need rest." He remained cold, detached. A cold hearted bastard. After this evening, knocking back the Ogden's wouldn't be enough. It would probably either be an all night rage of throwing every breakable object he owned or the bottom of Dreamless Sleeping potion. Mixed with firewhisky though, he might be likely to miss his first class, so an all-nighter it was.
He found it incredible that he had refrained from hexing Granger and Parkinson to dust, but the outrageous contrast ranging from seeing a broken girl to a content duo of singing angels was a bit too shocking to his system. Not a care. Lost track of time. They had felt safe, within these walls. Walls in which he once felt a student could not be harmed under Dumbledore's watchful eye. He had been wrong. Lupin had already suggested that Voldemort might be trying to bring down the wards of Hogwarts and the very thought seemed absurd to him. After Dumbledore had spoken to Melanie and returned, Snape hadn't been so sure.
He scar burned anew, only his calling was keeping him from the Lawson's. Perhaps he would finally get answers. Snape took a moment to clear his head, release all emotion and anger before facing the formidable power of Voldemort. He could see through strong feeling and take those weak men apart piece by piece. Snape would only travel collected.
Madame Pomfrey was examining the girl and it didn't take Snape any time at all to deduce what had happened. Poppy was beside herself with anger and worry. Her virginity had been taken surgically, but still against her will. Despite potions, Imperious curse and sedation, the blood they collected was useless. And Snape had told Dumbledore that after the last meeting the Dark Lord was giving up for another tactic. But Voldemort still hadn't discussed it with him.
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Snape sat in his usual chair in front of the Headmaster.
"Severus?" Dumbledore inquired. "What news?" Dumbledore's face was long, not with their usual hopeful spark. Melanie had only been recently returned and there was still no news of Kendra.
"Well, he has at least abandoned the virgin sacrifice for the moment." Snape said through pursed lips and sighed.
"That's good news. Isn't it Severus?" He said, puzzled by the disturbing look on Snape's face.
"I suppose. He asked me to brew a specific potion…"
"What for?" Tonight Dumbledore was a man of few words.
"I can only speculate, Headmaster."
"And what is it specific to?"
"It is called the Haustum Vigor. It is used on occasion to anoint dark objects with magic which will help them penetrate powerful magic and things. Haustum Vigor literally means to 'absorb energy'. In essence it sucks magic from the surrounding people and imbues the object with the combined force of it, making it stronger and able to pierce a hole in… I don't know… dragon skin…armor? Shields? Hogwarts?" Snape's sarcastic and bitter performance revealed his disgust at the thought. His talents were being used again to destroy the school and their students. His students.
"So Remus was correct." Dumbledore removed his spectacles and rubbed his eyebrows.
"It would seem so." Snape poured himself a whisky and passed a double to the Headmaster.
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The very interesting and crucial part of the spell was the need for desire. The more Hermione read about it, the more it made her uneasy. The spell used the magic of the virgins by forcing them to face their own desires, tempting them with the carnal pleasures of someone they fixated their attentions on. It had to be strong, deliberate, and specific. There was no half-way. Virgins had powerful innocence about them not only because they had no experience with sex, but because they refused it. The struggle to overcome temptation was where their strength lied, the purity of spirit, the force of will to remain chaste. Hermione had approached Lisa about that and she confessed that she had convinced Terry to do something that night neither of them were ready for. Looking back on the interruption, they had both been relieved.
Millicent Bulstrode carved out her own role in the group quickly. She was just crude enough and daring enough to say the things that most embarrassed the group. She had no shame and therefore she was dubbed Millie, Mistress of Desire. Mad Millie. She was crazy and sat with each girl hounding them until they chose an object. Each girl had to focus her sexual energies and desires on a single person at the time of casting so that she could confront her strongest temptations in that one moment. It was Millie's job to be the taskmaster on this. One day, she arrived 30 minutes ahead of time to make sure the room was filled with objects, graphic literature and pornography to shock the younger girls into action. Many of them had postponed choosing a person due to recent breakup or lack of suitable dating material et cetera. After that Millie began to play matchmaker. When she approached Pansy and Hermione however, she was met with resistance. They didn't need her help thank you very much. They had their own problems and they were not up for discussion. The other girls were so caught-up in their own personal work of locating someone that no one bothered to ask Millicent. They assumed she had taken care of it.
Ginny's relationship with Harry was progressing quickly and had to put things on the back burner after one night in particular where their necking almost got out of hand. She ran to Hermione's room, shook her awake and demanded to go to the Room of Requirement. When they open the door, the room was full of assorted chastity belts and books on contraception.
"Hermione, I swear I am totally committed to this thing, but I don't know how much more desire I can cultivate before I go mad! Something is happening to me— did the book say anything about your desires growing or anything?"
"No, I don't think so. I can check it out." Hermione retrieved the book from her bag and flipped through to the wall of desire. Pansy had loaned Hermione her half as well to review.
Ginny continued, "It's my Owls year Hermione, and it's like I couldn't care less. All I can think about is Harry and bugger all, Millicent… and her little tips and everything. Can't she give me something to keep this in control?"
Hermione didn't figure it out until she went to bed that night. They had been practicing various phrases as a group for weeks. Chanting aloud. She quickly pulled out her translation and looked at the words: "Create desire in my loins like a flame… My body refuses each calling to the light… Surging within me threatens my hold… Both certain and pure, I keep my control…" God, just reading that gives me hot flashes. These were the words intended to be spoken at the time of the spell, but it seemed the effects of it were taking effect already. The spell had already begun. 'Can't she give me something to keep this in control?,' Ginny had said.
Truth be told, Hermione was feeling something like that too, to a lesser degree of course. Ginny got to fulfill every fantasy with Harry. They got to have a public relationship. Ginny had her affection returned to her. Hermione had Professor Snape. He wasn't always pleasant, called her Miss Granger, assigned homework and detention. Didn't appear to care one whit about her. He had always called her an annoying Miss-Know-It-All. Yet, she couldn't stop dreaming about him.
Her eyes half closed, Hermione daydreamed while appearing to look at her text while she waited the exact twenty three minutes required for her potion to brew. Occasionally she would steal a peek at him through her thick eyelashes, even as her hands pressed flat on the tops of her thighs where they met at the hip— a suggestive gesture if only to her. She watched as his long fingers rubbed a heavy cream into the pores of a stone cauldron to create a barrier between the cauldron and a future potion. Due to it's porous nature, Hermione noted that this cauldron may likely be used only once. Many charms could be used for the same purpose as the cream, though she knew Snape was too methodical, particular and obsessive about his brewing. His ministrations seemed quite intimate, so intent on the thoroughness of his efforts. Could he be as passionate about anything as much as potion making?
Hermione stopped immediately when she realized her breathing had changed and flushed with embarrassment biting her lip in the vain effort to suppress the blush. Nervously she picked up her wand to stir the potion before it was necessary, needing to do something with her hands. It went up in a cloud of smelly yellow smoke, ruined, earning her a disapproving look from Professor Snape. If she couldn't even brew this simple potion, would he even let her stay in the evening project?
She had been caught the next week for not paying attention. Her hands were doodling again, playing with nervous phrases that haunted her during the summer… I hate to love him… and she abruptly scratched it out beyond legibility. Pulling out her transfiguration homework, she tried to make it appear that she had been doing McGonagall's assignment in his class.
Snape peered over her book and scowled at the discovery. "Detention, Miss Granger. Tonight seven o'clock." It was a close call, yet it was amusing that he assigned detention at the same time as their evening study. Maybe it was a slap on the wrist. He looked at her papers and she had already scribbled out her ambiagram. No mistaking the unmistakable signature for a doodle. She wasn't so sure she hadn't wanted him to recognize it. It was best that she had blacked it out. She fantasized about divulging her identity as calligrapher, but didn't. He still hadn't talked about his work. No word from the publisher. She had checked at Flourish and Blotts for new books. There was no news.
Hogsmeade weekends were routine. There had been three now and Hermione looked absent, not really enjoying the break. She was preoccupied with preparation for the incantation, and found that counting the female students was all that mattered. Just to be sure, half of SOS didn't come each Hogsmeade weekend, that way there were fewer eligible candidates for Voldemort's plan available in case of kidnapping. That in fact, was what Dumbledore feared. That his students would be taken when they left grounds. No one talked about what some the female students suspected. It went unspoken. All of the Prefects knew they were watching out for their female peers. All of the staff made sure that they knew. After the third Hogsmeade weekend all of the SOS members decided they had enough of Hogsmeade until the spell was performed, especially since Melanie had been discarded in a heap in Hogwarts front yard.
Seeing Melanie gave the members of SOS a new determination to see this to the end. Melanie had returned to her classes and thankfully didn't remember much of her ordeal. She found an enormous support system in Slytherin. Her Slytherin sisters didn't know whether to suspect she had been obliviated or merely was trying to block out painful memories. They flanked her on the way to classes, ensuring that no one would bother her. She was unaware of the clandestine support from other students who grieved with her over the loss of almost two months of school.
Though Melanie didn't realize it at the time, she was always flanked by two or three members of SOS. Slytherin girls or not, their presence at her side began to make her suspicious that something was up so she finally confronted Luna.
"What is with the escort?!" Melanie barked.
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked innocently, not able to lie well enough to save her life.
"I am fine! The last three days the same people keep hovering around me on the way to classes. What is with that?" They were not out of earshot of other students and it was making the other girls nervous. Luna and Roberta disappeared with her into a closet and cast silencing charms and wards for good measure. Melanie was not expecting that, not at all comfortable with the confined surroundings.
"Melanie, listen. We just don't want anything else to happen. Boys are stupid you know, thick? After what you've gone through I don't want anyone to think they can take advantage you know?" Roberta explained.
Luna started in, not looking at Roberta. "We need to talk to you about what happened. It's important. Can we trust you to keep a big secret?" Roberta glowered at Luna like she had just committed a felony.
Melanie wasn't quite sure they were on the same topic anymore, but nodded.
"Not here," Luna said.
"Are you crazy?" Roberta said in a hoarse whisper. Roberta shoved her hard.
"That was unnecessary, Roberta." She rubbed her arm, accustomed to dealing with rudeness, though she knew this wasn't about her. She had nearly betrayed the pact of the SOS by telling a non-member. "Melanie, meet us in one hour on the fifth floor across from the troll painting. Will you?"
Melanie nodded. One way or another she wanted to find out what was up.
Luna and Roberta went to find Pansy and Hermione, and both disagreed on whether or not to include her in SOS. They were yelling at each other in the Room of Requirement while Luna and Roberta waited in the hall. The door didn't permit sound to escape, but their demeanor upon entering told the pair that the co-leaders were not about to discuss this over a cup of tea.
"I can't believe you won't even consider it!" Hermione yelled. "She's in your own house for God's sake!"
"Hermione she's not even a virgin anymore, she's 14, and the daughter of a Death Eater!" Pansy shouted back.
Hermione huffed in exasperation. Now Pansy was arguing just to argue.
"News flash, Pansy. Nearly half of our members are children of Death Eaters. Don't you think that Melanie— above all people, has a vested interest in our group's goal? At least for sake of revenge… As far as I'm concerned she's our first silent member!" Pansy eyes told Hermione that she could unload hexes any moment. Hermione made her next statement quieter. "It would at least be helpful to know what happened to her. Maybe she overheard something, anything, that would help us know when or if You-Know-Who has other plans."
After several minutes the pair emerged and retrieved Melanie from the hall.
Hermione thought hard before they entered, imagining the most comfortable circumstances for Melanie. Melanie had never been in the Room of Requirement before—in the dimly lit room, she was surprised to see her own bed, stuffed animals, along with a pair of comfortable couches, hot cocoa sitting for them on the adjacent table. Pansy and Hermione sat near her, Pansy closest and began to explain. She started by telling her own story of how her father was planning to offer her.
Melanie's face was steely at first and then the brave front failed her and she began to cry. She was a young girl, shy, innocent. Too young to comprehend what was happening to her at the time. "At least your father told you," she whispered into her shoulder. Pansy and Hermione were undone, outraged and determined as ever to make sure SOS did not fail.
"I went to sleep in June and woke up in a white room. There were no pictures, nothing. Everything was so…sterile. Food was slipped under the door, but I didn't eat it. I had slept so hard the previous night, I figured I'd been poisoned. Th-then this big guy, McNair I think his name is, came in and tried to cut me with a knife. He didn't try to hold me down or talk to me, he just expected me to take it. He was really shocked when I started to fight with him, and then he stunned me. He looked at the food on the floor and cursed because I hadn't touched it. I'm sure they didn't mean for me to feel a thing, or at least not care that they were there.
"Next time he came back I just remember feeling so light… but wrong. I remember thinking I didn't want to cooperate but couldn't make my brain tell my body to fight back. I just laid there." Melanie covered her eyes with trembling fingers and sobbed as she told the rest of her story. "There were examinations… to make sure I was still a virgin. I didn't even know why I was there until they started looking! God it was terrifying. I thought they were going to… but then they…" She sniffed and Hermione handed her a tissue. Pansy placed a comforting hand on her back so she could continue. They said nothing.
For three months they had poked and prodded, drew blood and watched her. The Death Eaters tied her arms and legs to the bed so that she couldn't hurt herself. She refused most meals and lost 20 pounds. Melanie almost smiled at the thought that she had gotten the best of them. She took longer than usual to recover in the hospital wing due to her malnutrition. With help from the safe walls of Hogwarts and her friends, she was gaining weight. Dumbledore had agreed to keep her for the Christmas holidays and to hide her if her parents came for her. Pansy and Hermione were relieved. Any parent could pick their underage child up from school at any time.
Melanie described probing with a wand and odd metal devices to see inside her most private places. She looked absolutely white as she spoke in a detached sort of way about how Bellatrix Lestrange surgically removed her entire hymen, along with some of the lining of her vaginal wall, with a scalpel. At least it was a woman, but that was only little comfort. All Melanie remembered is that they forced her to drink a potion and hit her with the Imperius curse. It sickened her that during the procedure she felt both horrified at the intrusion while at the same time happy about it. Melanie could almost not even stomach most spells which before the ordeal had been second nature to her. She quickly joined the DA and missed the first meeting, too nervous in front of the group. Later on, she had asked for private lessons with Harry to get her confidence up.
Melanie remembered at lot about her experience and related as much as she could. "What was it for? I know they wanted my blood, and I know they needed it soon, but couldn't take it from me against my will…"
"Did they say anything else?" Hermione interrupted Pansy. She didn't want to reveal anything just yet about what they knew.
"I heard some man talking with You-Know-You, I mean… he…it— sounded like a snake really. He kept saying something about getting it ready by December. I nearly died thinking he would keep me there that long…"
"December…" Pansy said aloud, not realizing she had.
"I'm so sorry, Melanie. But I'm here to tell you… we are not about to let anything happen like that again." Pansy and Hermione told her everything. Melanie sat motionless, exhausted beyond ability to sleep.
"They may be giving up."
"What? W-what do you mean giving up?" Pansy stammered.
"I heard a man cursing about now enough blood or not enough something… the list wasn't long enough. Something like that, I couldn't hear all of it."
Hermione and Pansy nearly leapt for joy. Then Melanie continued.
"But You-Know-Who said he was working on another way…"
Great, now Hermione and Pansy didn't know what he was up to.
They looked at each other and Pansy said first, "This doesn't change anything. We're still doing it." Hermione's gaze met hers and found her resolve strengthen as well.
"Doing what?" Melanie asked.
No fucking way was Voldemort coming through those gates.
They brought her up to speed, the twenty first member, the silent member of the group. Maybe Melanie couldn't cast the spell, but she could sure as hell help them to prepare. She wanted to do anything, as much as she could to get her father back and make sure Voldemort could never use the information he had extracted from hurting her. Melanie would be eyes and ears. She would plot and plan and listen closely for any clues from fellow classmates about what was coming up in December.
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Voldemort was extremely angry that he had failed to extract useful blood from the girl. She had not been a voluntary participant. She was weak, malleable— fell easily under Imperio, but the use of an Unforgivable had corrupted the results.
The Dark Lord was running out of options and now only had a long shot left. He called one of his faithful servants, one who still had connections despite controversy. Lucius Malfoy was slipperier than an eel and had more lives than a cat. It would become common knowledge soon that he would stay out of Azkaban, and his money brought more respect than his behavior did dishonor. The name of Malfoy was gold in the Ministry. Literally— gold. He wondered what would happen to the poor fool if the Malfoy estate ever ran out of money. Of course Lucius' business dealings were entirely too shady to be accurately known. Lucius had money and power. They fed off of each other in a loop. Malfoy had an endless stream of funds. He would not be destroyed so easily by the ineffective wheels of government.
"My Lord, you wished to see me?" Lucius bowed low and always talked too much and spoke too eloquently to please Voldemort. Malfoy's useless arrogance was wasted on him— but it was the follow through that counted and ever since his summer failure, Lucius was dying to make it up to him.
"Yes. Our original plan has failed. Therefore we must change our tactics, my servant. What I ask of you is for only you to do. You must go to Hogwarts."
"Don't you think Severus would be a better choice? He is already there, Master…"
"Lucius, you needn't concern yourself with Severus …" His voice hissed a cold, low, deadly threat. Dementors weren't the only creatures who could extinguish starlight and heat with a breath. Malfoy shuddered. He should not have interrupted, but punishment never came. "I need for you to procure a rare item. It is held at the Ministry of Magic. I, fortunately have a contact there and that responsibility won't fall to you." Lucius remained quiet in the silence that followed. A wise move.
"It is crucial that you do not share this plan with Severus. He would be placed in too difficult of a position at the school as it is." Voldemort commanded.
"He is growing soft, my Lord." Lucius' eyes remained downcast. The gaze of his Master saw through him as if he were transparent film, and frequently was too much to bear.
"Sso ssure are you?" He inquired. "Do, go on." Lucius had to be careful. Severus was a trusted servant, despite his proximity to Dumbledore.
"He would prefer that we leave the children out of it. They are his students. He has formed… attachments."
"And do you think that the father's of Kendra and Melanie have not? They bring them forward because they are obedient to me, not because they have no feeling for them. Surely, you would offer Draco, when the time comes. Severus is obedient as well— he will do what is asked of him… and so will you." Lucius had no problem with Draco being initiated, but Lucius could not imagine what the loss of a daughter would to do him.
"Yes, my Lord." And he knelt again, for good measure. He had no idea what the Dark Lord would ask of Snape, and their relationship of late was tenuous at best. But Lucius knew what was good for him and that was to do as he was told.
"For now you will arrange a meeting with the Headmaster of Hogwarts…"
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Author's Notes:
I am searching my memory, but I think that Bellatrix was one of the Death Eaters that escaped the MOM at the end of Book Five, correct me if I'm wrong. I think I wrote her in earlier as being punished by Voldemort for her failure. Well, the twenty has been formed, now known at SOS, making numerous little meetings to plan the execution of the spell to save Hogwarts. Hermione is about to feel the pressure and responsibility of nineteen girls on her shoulders, as well as try to keep a few secrets of her own.
Hope- Thank you for your review. I love it that you do calligraphy. I can't believe you make your own ink! How cool. Hope you like the continuation of the fic.
Lyress- Thanks, I'm flattered. And yeah, I was disappointed too. I wished it had followed the book more closely. Snape had way more parts than he got, and why wasn't he levitated out of the Whomping willow? Why was there no talk of him being PO'd at being passed over for an order of Merlin… hmmm?? Ugh.
Maxy- No. the professors are not dumb, but girls are clever. Just because of your previous review I decided to put in the bit about Snape walking in. It could happen, and as it will probably stand in the next book, everyone will know about the DA from who blabbed and therefore more people will know about the Room of Requirement.
Rosmerta- Oops. No reveal yet. However, I couldn't ever see Hermione sinking so low. She's to honorable to use anyone. And there will be more angst. Poor Hermione is a lone girl out of twenty. She and Pansy will have their own personal demons to slay. Ginny's juts battling with her own desire to keep her mitts off Harry until … I can't say anymore. Next chapter I promise.
Esmerelda- They're not too late! Thank God for procrastination. Here's the update, just one or two chapters away from Showtime!
Micheliene- Thank you! And was the rec on Wiktt or by another reviewer? Always curious.
Franflutewitch- Thanks, and now the twenty are officially plotting. More details on the spell and set up next chapter.
Cinnamon- Thank you so much for your lengthy review. I am always flattered the most when people take their time to read a fic all the way through. I have spent many an evening reading one fic into the night. I am trying to keep Hermione and Pansy in character but they are both changing throughout the fic. Hermione is growing up quickly and she is finding she feels she doesn't fit in so much anymore. And the Slytherin girls are about to get some retribution. Cliché I know, but payback is a bitch. Or… twenty bitches.
wackoramaco87- Drastic is all relative. Having sex would've been simpler by comparison. And probably safer. But hey it's not just a job, it's an adventure… and the girls of SOS are about to go be all they can be.
moomndustrach- Thanks! Keep reading through!!! And another long chapter. It was longer but I yanked part of it off and stuck it onto chapter fourteen. And I do care. Thanks for your review. And I support what another author said. If you don't review… it's like stealing! Please review and be honest. I'm not made of glass… let 'er rip! Compliments or curses is okay by me.
crissy- Oh yeah. You betcha. T-minus two chapters and counting. And even then, only halfway through.
KarySky- Thank you, thank you. And don't die, you won't finish the fic!