A/N: Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!

Riddle Manor was as quiet as a tomb in the late October evening. Death Eaters meandered about, talking in low voices and waiting for instruction while others watched carefully for intruders.

The manor had been fully restored after the Dark Lord's awakening two years prior, as it had been utterly ransacked by Aurors almost sixteen years ago. The Dark Lord himself had once again taken up his quarters, and the regal atmosphere that the manor once held had returned; without a few differences of course.

In 1994, after battling Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort had immediately inquired as to the location of his wife and child. He knew that they had most likely fled the manor, possibly seeking refuge in the home of family member or a high-ranking Death Eater. Having asked all those present at the awakening, he found the whereabouts of his family unknown. His wife had not sought refuge anywhere that night, and both she and the child were presumed dead by the entire wizarding community. Even Severus, Annelise's brother, hadn't a clue as to where she was and was as much aggrieved as the Lord himself. Even two years after the news had been given; Tom Riddle was still in pain.

He had taken to locking himself in his room, and while most thought he was plotting numerous vile ways to kill Harry Potter, he was in fact mourning the loss of this wife and daughter. Contrary to popular belief, he did love his wife, more than anything in the world, and had thought to reign over the wizarding world with her by his side. He also loved their child, and while he did detest the fact that he had a daughter instead of a son, he found it was hard not to care for her. Plans had been made concerning little Hermione's future, plans that had taken months before and after her birth to concoct, and now it as all for nothing. She was dead.

"My lord," came the hesitant voice of Wormtail from behind the oak door.

Voldemort sighed heavily, drawing his robes closer to him. He sat in a high-backed chair covered in rich red upholstery. He had taken to sitting here, thinking about his wife and staring out the tall window to the garden below. The garden she had loved so much. After all these years, it was horribly overgrown. Plants had run wild, ivy covered the stone paths and many flowers and ferns were dead and brown. All year 'round there was a chill in the air and except for weeds and ivy nothing seemed to flourish. Just as he was getting quite deep in his thoughts, summoning up another memory of his late wife, this one of her sitting surrounded by flowers, belly round with pregnancy, there was another knock on the door.

"My lord, L-Lucius Malfoy is he-here to see you," Wormtail's voice was shaking, as it always did in any situation.

"Send him in," Voldemort sighed.

The door opened and Lucius Malfoy strode in, immaculate black robes billowing around him. Quietly he walked to the side of the Dark Lord, silver-tipped cane tapping on the floor with each step. Lucius looked forward, head held high, not a hair out of place, waiting for the Dark Lord to speak first.

"Why are you here Lucius," he asked.

"I am here to collect my orders, my Lord," said the blond man, not once meeting the Lord's eyes.

Voldemort sighed once more, knowing full well that Lucius would never leave without orders to torment some muggle. After all, it had been Voldemort who had decided to see Lucius in the first place, and he didn't want the man thinking less of him when he was too melancholy to dish out orders. It took some time before he remembered what he wanted Lucius to accomplish, but when he did, a sadistic grin spread across his snake-like face.

"You told me that Miss Granger is a thorn in your side, is that correct?"

"Yes, my Lord," said Lucius.

"I think you will like this task Lucius," at this the Dark Lord grinned. "I want you to travel to the Granger residence, and kill all who lie inside. Take Nott and Crabbe, the job shouldn't be too difficult. After all, they are only muggles."

A smiled spread across Lucius' pale face, "Yes my Lord."

"Everything you need to know should be on a piece of parchment on the desk. I expect them dead my midnight," Voldemort hissed, evil pleasure in his slit eyes.

Lucius nodded, "Yes my Lord."

"You are dismissed Lucius," said the Dark Lord, eyes becoming distant and withdrawn.

Lucius turned, plucked the parchment off the desk and swept out of the room. He brushed past Wormtail, who stood quivering by the door, and walked down the hall to the stairs. He quickly made his way to the dinning room where he found Crabbe, Goyle, and a few other Death Eaters stuffing themselves with pilfered food from the kitchens in an unattractive fashion. The few who weren't eating were laughing uproariously, slapping each other's backs. Lucius scowled, turning his eyes on the two he came for.

"Nott, Crabbe, the Dark Lord has a task for you," he ordered.

Both men nodded and rose from their seats, following Lucius from the room. They gathered their cloaks, masks, and ran over the destination numerous times before finally apparating to the Granger residence. Lucius stood in front of the rather humble abode, slipping the smooth white mask over his face. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, covering all of his smooth blonde hair, and watched as his companions did the same. Before breaking into the house, however, he paused to survey his target. Dead leaves were littered at his feet and three pumpkins sat on the front porch. Lights were on inside the house, bathing the lawn in a warm glow, and the sound of a television set filtered out through the glass windows. With a sinister smile, Lucius glided forward.

Annelise and Henry Granger were sitting calmly on the sofa when their front door burst open. It swung violently on its hinges; bouncing off the wall with such a force Annelise was sure there would be a dent. Both she and Henry stood quickly, watching with horrified expressions as three men swathed in black strode into their home. Turning to her husband, Annelise could see he was frightened; his face pale, eyes wide. Slowly she saw Henry moving backwards, towards a wall. Annelise remained as she was, unmoving, and watched in horror as her husband pressed himself flat against the wall. One of the Death Eater's advanced, causing Henry to cower even further. The man raised his wand, light gleaming off its polished surfaced, and prepared to strike. Suddenly, with the only ounce of courage he could muster, Henry dove forward and tried to grab the wand from the man's hand.

"Damnit!" cried the man, taking a step back.

Henry missed the wand, but did manage to pull the hood from the man's head, revealing a platinum blonde head that Annelise knew all too well. Henry, tripping over the area rug, released the hood and fell to the floor. He lay, sprawled on his stomach shaking horribly, all courage gone.

"Bloody muggle," spat the man.

In his anger, the man landed a swift kick to Henry's side, issuing a groan from the helpless muggle. Annelise stood stock still as the Death Eater raised his wand once more, laughing maniacally as he did so, goaded by Henry's whimpers.

"One less muggle in the world," he sneered. "Avada Kadavera!"

There was a blinding flash of green light, once it receded Henry had ceased to move. His shaking had stopped, as had his whimpering, and the sporadic rise and fall of this chest had ceased. The Death Eater, still enraged, kicked Henry once more, causing the body to flop in a rather disgusting manner.

"Now, for you," he said, turning to Annelise.

"Aw, can't we play with her first?" asked another man. Annelise could hear him smile sickly.

"Not today, Nott," said the other man.

"You spoil all my fun Malfoy," Nott sneered.

That name was all it took to get Annelise moving. As quickly as she could, she ran around the sofa and grabbed her purse from where it hung on the coat rack. The Death Eaters, stunned by her abrupt movement, fumbled with their wands just as she drew hers.

"What the hell is this?" cried Nott. "She's supposed to be muggle!"

"Yes, she is. Granger is a muggleborn. How the hell did she get a wand?" Lucius hissed.

"Why don't we just kill her and ask questions later?" whispered Crabbe, who had thus far remained silent.

"It's that sort of attitude that can get you into trouble," said Lucius, remembering previous occasions when Crabbe had done such a thing, angering the Dark Lord.

"I know you want to kill me," said Annelise in a rather shaky voice.

"However did you think of that?" asked Nott sarcastically.

"But," Annelise glared, "I don't think your Lord would be very happy if you did."

She knew it was a very risky and stupid thing to do. She was supposed to hide herself, be careful, and not tell anyone who she was under any circumstances. However, with three Death Eater's standing in her living room with their wands trained on her, she thought that this was a circumstance where the rules needed a little bending. She thought it was time to be revealed, and return to the wizarding world.

"And why, pray tell, would he be displeased?" asked Lucius, intrigued.

"Because, Lucius, I would think he would want his wife alive," Annelise smirked.

"The Dark Lady is dead," Lucius spat.

"No," said Annelise, mustering up all her courage to do this one act. "She is very much alive,"

She took a deep breath and pointed her wand at herself, whispering a soft spell. Her glamour melted away, leaving behind a dark haired woman with onyx eyes trained upon her attackers. Gasps sounded around her and Lucius tore off his mask. His eyes were wide in disbelief, as were those of his companions. Cautiously, he took a step forward, wand dropping to the floor, astounded by what he saw. Annelise could not help the smirk that spread across her face; she had rendered Lucius Malfoy speechless.

"It can't be," he breathed, "You haven't been seen in sixteen years."

"I've been here, hiding," she said.

"Why didn't you return?"

"I didn't know anything. Hermione doesn't like to talk about the war, so I rarely know about the goings on in our world. She tells me very little, not wanting to upset me," she lied.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Lucius," Annelise smiled. "Hermione is alive, and currently residing in Hogwarts, along with my son."

"Son?"

"Henry wanted a child of his own. So, I gave him Tom," she said.

Lucius looked thoughtful, mulling everything she had said over in his head. After all, he had just learned that the one girl who seemed to best his son at everything, by all rights should. To think he was trying to defeat the heir to the dark throne. However, something pricked at the corner of his mind.

"I knew there was something odd about you. When I saw you in August. There was something in your eyes that seemed oddly familiar." Lucius said

Annelise laughed a little, in spite of everything. Even after all the years away from the wizarding world, from the people she knew and cared about, after everything had changed so drastically, some things remained constant. Lucius still never missed a thing.

"You're coming with us," he said gruffly.

"I know,"

"Once we send up the Dark Mark the Ministry will be here within minutes,"

"I understand,"

"My lady, we must hurry," said Lucius in his most courteous tone; one he reserved only for the Dark Lord and Death Eaters of higher rank than himself.

Annelise nodded, stopping herself as she reached for her coat. To the rest of the wizarding world and, for a time, even her children, it had to look like a kidnapping. On Lucius' orders, Nott and Crabbe were mussing the house to give the appearance of a struggle. Annelise watched this with vague interest, all her attention focused on Henry who lay still on the floor. Ever since Tom's birth, she had deceived him, lied to him about who she really was. While he may have been happy not knowing, with his memory obliviated, Annelise still felt awful for keeping so many secrets on from the man she was supposed to love.

On their wedding day, she had sworn to be honest and faithful to her husband, yet she couldn't remember the last time she was honest with him. She had lied to keep him safe, but no good intention could justify what she was doing. Now she was leaving him, lying on their living room floor, for a world he didn't understand and a man he would never meet. A sick feeling welled in the pit of her stomach and tears sprang up in here eyes, rolling down her cheeks. All of her deceit, all of her good intentions…had killed him.

"My Lady, we must leave," said Lucius.

Annelise nodded, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. Lucius took her by the elbow, unsure of her aparating ability. He led her around the body of her husband, his face blank. As they passed, Annelise stopped, a tear falling onto his motionless body.

"I am so sorry Henry," she whispered, sniffling.

Lucius led her outside where Nott was conjuring the Dark Mark in the sky above the house. They stood for a moment after it was completed, staring at the neon glow of the skull and snake. It bathed the house and lawn in green, a gruesome calling card that stood for the entire world to see. One by one, they aparated away, leaving an open door in their wake.

It wasn't much later when Aurors and Ministry officials had flooded the Granger house, scouring every inch for clues as to Annelise's whereabouts. Medi-wizards transported Henry's body to St. Mungo's to determine the cause of death and to store him in the morgue. Others, however, were looking at the many family photos that adorned the walls and mantel. They knew that the children, who were currently attending Hogwarts, would have to be notified; come to claim the body of their father and sign many forms concerning his demise. They would also have to inform them of their mother's disappearance and establish their next-of-kin. This unpleasant task was given to the head Auror on the case. They all hated it, but it was a necessity in cases such as this.

X

Bernard Hanson had enough on his plate without the composition of a letter. As the head Auror on the Granger case, however, it was his duty. Grabbing a piece of parchment, he inked his quill and began to scrawl the formal, but sympathetic letter. He found that, as the war progressed, more and more of these letters were getting written, and no matter how many times he did it and how much of an inconvenience it was, he never got used to it. When he had finished, Bernard read it over, checking for spelling mistakes and that the correct information was enclosed. The letter read:

Dear Miss Granger,

It is my duty to inform you that there has been a Death Eater attack on your house around the hour of nine o'clock in the evening. There were two casualties in the attack, and we request your presence at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to properly identify one of there casualties. I regret to inform you that the whereabouts of your mother are currently unknown, a situation which will be better explained on a later date.

Please owl the Ministry of Magic to set up a proper appointment within the next few days.

I am sorry for your loss,

Bernard Hanson Auror, Ministry of Magic

Once satisfied, Bernard scrawled a similar letter to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, informing him of the tragedy that had befallen one of his students. Once finished, he stamped each with the Ministry crest, put them in two envelopes, sealed them with wax and left his desk for the local owlry. It was but a quick walk to such said place, and after paying the shop keeper Bernard looked around, frigid air swirling around him. The ground was covered with feathers and droppings and the cold October air filtered in through the open windows. Bernard rubbed his arms for warmth as he picked a rather large tawny owl to deliver the letters. Despite the cold, he was happy to get away from the office, which was covered in horrid Halloween decorations. He swore that on November first the first thing he was going to do was incinerate every last streamer.

The owl took off, a gust of wind whipping around the hairs on Bernard's head. With a sad sigh he turned and left, a cold rush of air hitting him hard upon exiting the building. By morning the letters would arrive at Hogwarts and yet another person would be pained by the deeds of the Dark Lord.

A/N: This is the chapter I have been waiting to write. I've known how it was going to play out for months, but it was a matter of getting the preceding chapters out first. I hope you like it.

Thanks to my beta Zvezdana!

Thank you's:

the police are coming- thanks!

Dumdumditz23- thanks!

ElizabethMalfoy- I won't drop this story, I promise. Thanks!

Callie- we won't see any Voldemort/Hermione interaction for a while. Thanks!

paprika90- yes, Constance is related to Hermione, but Hermione doesn't know who her family is, so she's in the dark. Thanks!