Chapter 19
"Awakened"
A week had passed since Hermione's birthday. She was back at work and busier than ever. All aurors and other witches and wizards were busy carrying out raids. Hermione had been to many just yesterday, only finding mangled bodies of tortured muggles.
"This is pointless!" Ron hissed as the band of aurors left the seventh house that day.
"Don't worry Ron, I'm sure we'll find something." said Hermione.
It was true that the Ministry was getting nowhere with the latest raids. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were always gone, only leaving behind a large mess in their wake. Neville had a melt down yesterday when a wall baring Bellatrix's name was in a room with several muggle bodies.
"At least were getting closer to finding Voldemort." said Harry.
The Dark Lord laughed a high, cruel laugh when he heard the news of the futile attempts of the Ministry to find him. His followers laughed with him, though not as loudly in fear they might anger him.
"The poor Ministry is running in circles while I, Lord Voldemort, carry out my dirty work." he said.
He walked around his followers, eyeing them.
"Tonight, I want us to move out toward London itself. I know a perfect little place where we can leave the Ministry a calling card." said the Dark Lord.
Hermione shuffled back into her office, exhausted from running around all day. She looked at her calendar.
"Great." she said as she saw the newly added raids for the rest of this week and next.
She fell asleep at her desk, for the chiming of the Ministry clock awoken her. Hermione stretched and yawned. She left the office with a sense of relief, though not looking forward to tomorrow's raids. She climbed into her car, looking forward to the calming drive home.
The night was clear and cool. The stars twinkled like tiny candles in the dark sky above. Hermione felt the cool rush of air enter through the sunroof.
Wormtail followed his master through the thick band of woods. All the other Death Eaters were waiting for him at their meeting place, a muggle shopping mall loaded with muggles doing their late night shopping. The Dark Lord was having fun setting a few houses he passed on fire. He couldn't apparate to the mall, in case the place was swamped with aurors. He preferred a nice, long walk. After all, who would dare risk their life by trying to interfere with him, the Dark Lord? He and Wormtail came upon a small, paved road.
"You go first." he hissed at Wormtail.
"Y-yes, Master." muttered Wormtail.
Wormtail cross the road, wand out, and inspected the other side of woods. Nothing.
"I-it's clear, my Lord." Wormtail shouted.
"Good." the Dark Lord said to himself as he began to step onto the road.
Hermione was enjoying the rejuvenating drive home. She could hardly wait to get home and fall asleep. Her back ached terribly, and so did every other part of her. She saw something about 100 feet ahead step onto the road.
"Oh no, not another deer." Hermione said to herself.
Her car's headlights shined on the figure. It was not a deer. It was a person. The figure, dressed in black robes, stopped dead center in the road. It turned its head toward Hermione's direction, the face hidden in the shadow of its hood. Hermione slammed on her breaks, but knew it was useless. It all happened so fast, but in slow motion. She watched as her car skidded toward the figure, watched as her car struck the figure, the figure struck her windshield, busted it, and rolled off the hood and onto the ground in front of the car.
Hermione's life soon came back into correct speed. She realized what had just happened. She hit someone! What if she killed them? Hermione unbuckled her seat belt, leaving her wand in the floor, and rushed out. Her lights danced off the figures black robes. Hermione bent over the figure, which was huddled in a ball.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" she cried, tears flooding her eyes.
She reached for a pale hand. It was very cold and had long, slender fingers. Hermione checked for a pulse. Yes, there was one. She heard a raspy breath coming from the hood. Hermione slowly raised her hand to reach for the hood, and just grasped it before a cold, pale hand grabbed hers. The figure shot up and grabbed Hermione by the throat, causing her hair to fall into her face. She felt herself being lifted up on to her feet as the figure towered over her.
"How dare you hit me with your muggle contraption!" hissed a cold voice.
Hermione struggled to pry the cold hands from her neck.
"How dare you touch me with your unworthy hands!" the figure hissed.
The figure dropped Hermione and reached into its robes. Hermione panicked. Her wand was in her car.
"Now, you will pay for it." said the figure.
Hermione knew this was it. She was going to die. She knew who the figure was. He was Lord Voldemort. Hermione stood up slowly and looked at him, his wand pointing at her. A gust of wind blew from nowhere, causing the hair in Hermione's face to fall back gently against her shoulders. The lights from her car illuminated her beautiful face. Her cheeks were red and so were her lush lips. Her cinnamon eyes were full of horror and defeat. Her chocolate- color hair blew gently around like a dark halo. Her necklace gleamed in the light and a faint aroma of dark vanilla clung to her. Voldemort saw his finger marks on her neck and shuddered. Hermione looked straight into the glowing red eyes.
"No! It cannot be!" said the Dark Lord.
His eyes wandered over the features of the woman before him. Her long, gorgeous hair flowed around her. Her face was just as it always was, simply perfect. Her cinnamon eyes were full of fear. He let his eyes trail down to the necklace, her necklace. He lowered his wand.
"It cannot be! She is dead!" the Dark Lord said.
Hermione stood there, completely oblivious to what the Dark Lord was doing.
Wormtail had watched the whole scene, saw his master be struck down, saw him recover, saw him about to kill the woman, and then saw him recoil. eknew He knew who the girl was. No mistaking the girl that Ron Weasley, his former owner when he was pretending to be a rat, and Harry Potter, befriended and loved. Then, as if a fog were lifted, Wormtail hard a musky voice in his had say, "Upon the night that a lady consumed by darkness dies in body, her soul will seek refuge in a new home. That new home, a new body, will one day become a powerful person who will either lead the world to victory or it's doom. The stars will be just right upon her birth, and she will be the lady of darkness, only unable to be exactly who she once was, but with greater power than ever before."
The prophecy of the Dark Lady. Wormtail ran up to his master.
"M-my Lord. It is her!" said Wormtail.
"What are you talking about!" hissed the Dark Lord.
Wormtail recited the prophecy he had long ago forgotten. The Dark Lord looked at Hermione, who was still etched with fear. Could this be? Could his Katrina be alive? The Dark Lord walked up to Hermione. Hermione backed up against her car, hitting the bumper. She watched as the Dark Lord reached a long, pale hand out to touch her face. Hermione closed her eyes, expecting to feel a blast of cold, but felt something more odd, warmth. She opened her eyes, looking at the face hidden in the shadows of the hood.
"No!" said the Dark Lord as he drew back and turned around. "I cannot let you see me like this."
With one last look at Hermione, the Dark Lord said, "Soon," and disapparated, along with another person. Hermione stayed rooted to the spot, completely shocked. His touch felt so familiar. The way he spoke to her cried out something. Hermione sat on the hood of her car and touched her cheek. Then she realized something. Her heart fluttered madly. She jumped into her car an sped off toward home, knowing that the very answer may lie in a book she bought when she as eleven, a book called "The Magic of Reincarnation."
Dumbledore woke up in his bed with a jolt. He had seen it all. He was sitting in the car with Hermione, saw the figure in the road, felt the car hit the figure, saw Hermione crouch down to help the figure, watched the figure grabbed Hermione by the throat, watched as the figure's eyes looked Hermione over, heard Wormtail recite the prophecy, watched as the Dark Lord disapparated, watched as Hermione's eyes lit up with a thought. She felt it calling out to her, a past she once had, once lived.
"I must tell her now before it's too late." Dumbledore said.
"Awakened"
A week had passed since Hermione's birthday. She was back at work and busier than ever. All aurors and other witches and wizards were busy carrying out raids. Hermione had been to many just yesterday, only finding mangled bodies of tortured muggles.
"This is pointless!" Ron hissed as the band of aurors left the seventh house that day.
"Don't worry Ron, I'm sure we'll find something." said Hermione.
It was true that the Ministry was getting nowhere with the latest raids. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were always gone, only leaving behind a large mess in their wake. Neville had a melt down yesterday when a wall baring Bellatrix's name was in a room with several muggle bodies.
"At least were getting closer to finding Voldemort." said Harry.
The Dark Lord laughed a high, cruel laugh when he heard the news of the futile attempts of the Ministry to find him. His followers laughed with him, though not as loudly in fear they might anger him.
"The poor Ministry is running in circles while I, Lord Voldemort, carry out my dirty work." he said.
He walked around his followers, eyeing them.
"Tonight, I want us to move out toward London itself. I know a perfect little place where we can leave the Ministry a calling card." said the Dark Lord.
Hermione shuffled back into her office, exhausted from running around all day. She looked at her calendar.
"Great." she said as she saw the newly added raids for the rest of this week and next.
She fell asleep at her desk, for the chiming of the Ministry clock awoken her. Hermione stretched and yawned. She left the office with a sense of relief, though not looking forward to tomorrow's raids. She climbed into her car, looking forward to the calming drive home.
The night was clear and cool. The stars twinkled like tiny candles in the dark sky above. Hermione felt the cool rush of air enter through the sunroof.
Wormtail followed his master through the thick band of woods. All the other Death Eaters were waiting for him at their meeting place, a muggle shopping mall loaded with muggles doing their late night shopping. The Dark Lord was having fun setting a few houses he passed on fire. He couldn't apparate to the mall, in case the place was swamped with aurors. He preferred a nice, long walk. After all, who would dare risk their life by trying to interfere with him, the Dark Lord? He and Wormtail came upon a small, paved road.
"You go first." he hissed at Wormtail.
"Y-yes, Master." muttered Wormtail.
Wormtail cross the road, wand out, and inspected the other side of woods. Nothing.
"I-it's clear, my Lord." Wormtail shouted.
"Good." the Dark Lord said to himself as he began to step onto the road.
Hermione was enjoying the rejuvenating drive home. She could hardly wait to get home and fall asleep. Her back ached terribly, and so did every other part of her. She saw something about 100 feet ahead step onto the road.
"Oh no, not another deer." Hermione said to herself.
Her car's headlights shined on the figure. It was not a deer. It was a person. The figure, dressed in black robes, stopped dead center in the road. It turned its head toward Hermione's direction, the face hidden in the shadow of its hood. Hermione slammed on her breaks, but knew it was useless. It all happened so fast, but in slow motion. She watched as her car skidded toward the figure, watched as her car struck the figure, the figure struck her windshield, busted it, and rolled off the hood and onto the ground in front of the car.
Hermione's life soon came back into correct speed. She realized what had just happened. She hit someone! What if she killed them? Hermione unbuckled her seat belt, leaving her wand in the floor, and rushed out. Her lights danced off the figures black robes. Hermione bent over the figure, which was huddled in a ball.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" she cried, tears flooding her eyes.
She reached for a pale hand. It was very cold and had long, slender fingers. Hermione checked for a pulse. Yes, there was one. She heard a raspy breath coming from the hood. Hermione slowly raised her hand to reach for the hood, and just grasped it before a cold, pale hand grabbed hers. The figure shot up and grabbed Hermione by the throat, causing her hair to fall into her face. She felt herself being lifted up on to her feet as the figure towered over her.
"How dare you hit me with your muggle contraption!" hissed a cold voice.
Hermione struggled to pry the cold hands from her neck.
"How dare you touch me with your unworthy hands!" the figure hissed.
The figure dropped Hermione and reached into its robes. Hermione panicked. Her wand was in her car.
"Now, you will pay for it." said the figure.
Hermione knew this was it. She was going to die. She knew who the figure was. He was Lord Voldemort. Hermione stood up slowly and looked at him, his wand pointing at her. A gust of wind blew from nowhere, causing the hair in Hermione's face to fall back gently against her shoulders. The lights from her car illuminated her beautiful face. Her cheeks were red and so were her lush lips. Her cinnamon eyes were full of horror and defeat. Her chocolate- color hair blew gently around like a dark halo. Her necklace gleamed in the light and a faint aroma of dark vanilla clung to her. Voldemort saw his finger marks on her neck and shuddered. Hermione looked straight into the glowing red eyes.
"No! It cannot be!" said the Dark Lord.
His eyes wandered over the features of the woman before him. Her long, gorgeous hair flowed around her. Her face was just as it always was, simply perfect. Her cinnamon eyes were full of fear. He let his eyes trail down to the necklace, her necklace. He lowered his wand.
"It cannot be! She is dead!" the Dark Lord said.
Hermione stood there, completely oblivious to what the Dark Lord was doing.
Wormtail had watched the whole scene, saw his master be struck down, saw him recover, saw him about to kill the woman, and then saw him recoil. eknew He knew who the girl was. No mistaking the girl that Ron Weasley, his former owner when he was pretending to be a rat, and Harry Potter, befriended and loved. Then, as if a fog were lifted, Wormtail hard a musky voice in his had say, "Upon the night that a lady consumed by darkness dies in body, her soul will seek refuge in a new home. That new home, a new body, will one day become a powerful person who will either lead the world to victory or it's doom. The stars will be just right upon her birth, and she will be the lady of darkness, only unable to be exactly who she once was, but with greater power than ever before."
The prophecy of the Dark Lady. Wormtail ran up to his master.
"M-my Lord. It is her!" said Wormtail.
"What are you talking about!" hissed the Dark Lord.
Wormtail recited the prophecy he had long ago forgotten. The Dark Lord looked at Hermione, who was still etched with fear. Could this be? Could his Katrina be alive? The Dark Lord walked up to Hermione. Hermione backed up against her car, hitting the bumper. She watched as the Dark Lord reached a long, pale hand out to touch her face. Hermione closed her eyes, expecting to feel a blast of cold, but felt something more odd, warmth. She opened her eyes, looking at the face hidden in the shadows of the hood.
"No!" said the Dark Lord as he drew back and turned around. "I cannot let you see me like this."
With one last look at Hermione, the Dark Lord said, "Soon," and disapparated, along with another person. Hermione stayed rooted to the spot, completely shocked. His touch felt so familiar. The way he spoke to her cried out something. Hermione sat on the hood of her car and touched her cheek. Then she realized something. Her heart fluttered madly. She jumped into her car an sped off toward home, knowing that the very answer may lie in a book she bought when she as eleven, a book called "The Magic of Reincarnation."
Dumbledore woke up in his bed with a jolt. He had seen it all. He was sitting in the car with Hermione, saw the figure in the road, felt the car hit the figure, saw Hermione crouch down to help the figure, watched the figure grabbed Hermione by the throat, watched as the figure's eyes looked Hermione over, heard Wormtail recite the prophecy, watched as the Dark Lord disapparated, watched as Hermione's eyes lit up with a thought. She felt it calling out to her, a past she once had, once lived.
"I must tell her now before it's too late." Dumbledore said.