Chapter 42
"A Faint Glimmer of Hope"
Hermione found Dumbledore in his office, having sent away the last of the students home. Fawkes was fast asleep on his perch. He looked quiet tired for large bags had formed under his eyes and his hair was a mess. Hermione sat down in front of him.
"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, placing a small, soft hand on his old, wrinkled one.
He felt so horrible about falling for Voldemort's trap. He left his school, feeling that it was safe, only to come back and everything he lived for destroyed. Many students and professors were dead while many were missing. His beloved school was closed. He had no hope, no courage, no strength to carry on. A tear streaked down his cheek. What was he to do? What could he do? He looked up at her, his soft, sad blue eyes starred into Hermione's warm, worried cinnamon ones. That's when he remembered why he was here. He was here to help this young, brilliant woman save the world.
"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked again.
"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. I almost, for just one second, felt like giving up," he said in a tired, sad voice.
"Don't you dare say or think or even do such a thing," cried Hermione.
Dumbledore took her small hands in his and cried. He let out his emotions. Hermione cried herself, having never seen her strong-willed, brave professor break down like this. They both got up and hugged each other. Hermione buried her head in his soft blue robes as he patted her head. She was like a daughter to him.
"I won't, I won't," he cooed. "I realized that I can't do so when this very world needs saving. I can't bare to think of giving up when the very glimmer of hope that can save us all is right here in this room, in my arms."
Hermione looked up and smiled. Yes, they did have a chance to save everyone, to save this world. No matter what it took, no matter what happened, Hermione was prepared to do anything.
"You know that ring I had?" she asked.
"Yes," said Dumbledore.
"Well, he asked me to marry him, and I said yes," she said.
Dumbledore looked at Hermione.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
"My dear girl, that only means he actually does love you. He may believe he is doing it to gain your powers to destroy the world, but his heart is screaming out that he is in love. Yes, it appears that Voldemort has a fault in his wonderful plan. Long ago, when this world came to be, the very ancestors that merged into the magical Smith family were destined to give birth to the very girl who would revolutionize the magical world. It was written in the stars to do so. You may wonder why such evil would be allowed to walk the earth like Voldemort. It is to teach the world to be prepared for dark times that the future may bring, whether they be written in the stars or come unexpectedly."
"You were born as Katrina Anne Smith to fall in love with Voldemort, to change him, but the death of your parents somehow changed your fate that was written in the stars. You joined him to reign terror instead of prevent it, that is why you grew weak. Your body was giving way and breaking down for your soul was destined to a new body, one that you have now. You died as Katrina and came back as Hermione, the resourceful, beautiful, courageous girl who has a second chance to save us all. There is no flaw this time. I know you will never harm another creature, even if your very life depended on it."
His words rippled through Hermione's mind. What he was saying was true. This was her chance to once and for all fulfill her destiny.
"We must find him. We must find...Tom," said Hermione.
She racked her brain to remember what he had said about where to find him.
"Where hell on earth is as real as magic." Dumbledore said.
Hermione closed her eyes, trying to picture a place like hell on Earth. She felt herself leave her body and travel far away. She felt herself landing on harsh, dry ground. She surveyed the area before her, a vast, dead land of dead trees, no grass, but harsh, dry ground. Magical fences had been put up, to grow higher and higher if a person were to try to go over it or shock someone to death if they tried to go under it or through it. The sky above was as red as blood, prevailed by scattered winds and thick, dark clouds that seemed to never go away. A dry, bare wind blew through here. Hermione looked around and knew where she was. She turned her eyes up toward the castle she once called home. It's many towers piercing the sky and it's stonewalls covered in moss and crumbling. A dark forest surrounded the place, once green and breathtaking, but now an eerie part of this place.
She walked into castle, choking at the sight before her. There were large, steel cages all about the place. Sick and sad looking men, women, and children were in them. Death Eaters tortured many while Dementors hovered over cowering people. Hermione saw Harry and her parents, trying desperately to call to them, but they could not hear her. Harry sat there, beating his fists against his head. She left him, walking up a flight of steps up a large, oak door. She pushed the door open, her hair flowing around her. She walked up to a chair turned toward the wall and saw a crown of dark, ebony hair.
"Tom." she whispered.
The figure in the chair spun around, but just before Hermione could see him, she felt herself falling back to her body. She was back at the school in Dumbledore's office. She looked at Dumbledore.
"He's at an old castle, the one I used to live in when I was Katrina," she said, feeling sad.
"Come. Let us prepare to go. Know this, the journey ahead many be our last. Walk the path with a knowing heart." said Dumbledore.
Hermione stood up, but felt a wave of sickness wash over her. She sat back down, her vision blackening a bit. Dumbledore rushed to her side.
"My dear, are you alright?" he asked, worry deep in his voice.
Hermione put a hand on her head to stop it from spinning. She felt so sick.
"Here, let me take you to Madame Pomfrey," said Dumbledore as he helped Hermione up.
Hermione allowed herself to be taken to the Hospital wing, despite her protests that she was fine, except for a bit of feeling tipsy. She was sat down on a bed as the nurse bustled here and there, asking Hermione many questions as she performed spells and such to determine Hermione's illness.
"Well, I have been feeling a bit weird lately. I've been cold, then hot, then cold, and then hot. I've been so depressed lately, that I indulge in food, though I usually don't do so, and I've felt nauseated all the time," said Hermione to Madam Pomfrey. "And when I exercise, it never seems to help me feel better."
Madame Pomfrey took all this into mind, performing the last few of her spells and disappeared into her office. Dumbledore stood beside Hermione, holding her hand and assuring her she'll be just fine. After a while, Madame Pomfrey came back.
"Well, Madam Pomfrey, give it to me straight, am I going to die?" Hermione asked with a weak smile.
Madame Pomfrey giggled and Dumbledore chuckled.
"No, no my dear, you are far from death," she said.
Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
"Good, than that means I just have a nasty flu-like bug or something," said Hermione.
Madam Pomfrey smiled at Hermione.
"Oh no my dear, you do not have anything wrong with you, well, anything unnatural for your state of health," said Madam Pomfrey.
Hermione wrinkle her brows in confusion and propped herself up on her elbows.
"Well, then what's causing me to be like this?"
Madam Pomfrey took in a breath.
"My dear, you are pregnant."
"A Faint Glimmer of Hope"
Hermione found Dumbledore in his office, having sent away the last of the students home. Fawkes was fast asleep on his perch. He looked quiet tired for large bags had formed under his eyes and his hair was a mess. Hermione sat down in front of him.
"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, placing a small, soft hand on his old, wrinkled one.
He felt so horrible about falling for Voldemort's trap. He left his school, feeling that it was safe, only to come back and everything he lived for destroyed. Many students and professors were dead while many were missing. His beloved school was closed. He had no hope, no courage, no strength to carry on. A tear streaked down his cheek. What was he to do? What could he do? He looked up at her, his soft, sad blue eyes starred into Hermione's warm, worried cinnamon ones. That's when he remembered why he was here. He was here to help this young, brilliant woman save the world.
"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked again.
"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. I almost, for just one second, felt like giving up," he said in a tired, sad voice.
"Don't you dare say or think or even do such a thing," cried Hermione.
Dumbledore took her small hands in his and cried. He let out his emotions. Hermione cried herself, having never seen her strong-willed, brave professor break down like this. They both got up and hugged each other. Hermione buried her head in his soft blue robes as he patted her head. She was like a daughter to him.
"I won't, I won't," he cooed. "I realized that I can't do so when this very world needs saving. I can't bare to think of giving up when the very glimmer of hope that can save us all is right here in this room, in my arms."
Hermione looked up and smiled. Yes, they did have a chance to save everyone, to save this world. No matter what it took, no matter what happened, Hermione was prepared to do anything.
"You know that ring I had?" she asked.
"Yes," said Dumbledore.
"Well, he asked me to marry him, and I said yes," she said.
Dumbledore looked at Hermione.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
"My dear girl, that only means he actually does love you. He may believe he is doing it to gain your powers to destroy the world, but his heart is screaming out that he is in love. Yes, it appears that Voldemort has a fault in his wonderful plan. Long ago, when this world came to be, the very ancestors that merged into the magical Smith family were destined to give birth to the very girl who would revolutionize the magical world. It was written in the stars to do so. You may wonder why such evil would be allowed to walk the earth like Voldemort. It is to teach the world to be prepared for dark times that the future may bring, whether they be written in the stars or come unexpectedly."
"You were born as Katrina Anne Smith to fall in love with Voldemort, to change him, but the death of your parents somehow changed your fate that was written in the stars. You joined him to reign terror instead of prevent it, that is why you grew weak. Your body was giving way and breaking down for your soul was destined to a new body, one that you have now. You died as Katrina and came back as Hermione, the resourceful, beautiful, courageous girl who has a second chance to save us all. There is no flaw this time. I know you will never harm another creature, even if your very life depended on it."
His words rippled through Hermione's mind. What he was saying was true. This was her chance to once and for all fulfill her destiny.
"We must find him. We must find...Tom," said Hermione.
She racked her brain to remember what he had said about where to find him.
"Where hell on earth is as real as magic." Dumbledore said.
Hermione closed her eyes, trying to picture a place like hell on Earth. She felt herself leave her body and travel far away. She felt herself landing on harsh, dry ground. She surveyed the area before her, a vast, dead land of dead trees, no grass, but harsh, dry ground. Magical fences had been put up, to grow higher and higher if a person were to try to go over it or shock someone to death if they tried to go under it or through it. The sky above was as red as blood, prevailed by scattered winds and thick, dark clouds that seemed to never go away. A dry, bare wind blew through here. Hermione looked around and knew where she was. She turned her eyes up toward the castle she once called home. It's many towers piercing the sky and it's stonewalls covered in moss and crumbling. A dark forest surrounded the place, once green and breathtaking, but now an eerie part of this place.
She walked into castle, choking at the sight before her. There were large, steel cages all about the place. Sick and sad looking men, women, and children were in them. Death Eaters tortured many while Dementors hovered over cowering people. Hermione saw Harry and her parents, trying desperately to call to them, but they could not hear her. Harry sat there, beating his fists against his head. She left him, walking up a flight of steps up a large, oak door. She pushed the door open, her hair flowing around her. She walked up to a chair turned toward the wall and saw a crown of dark, ebony hair.
"Tom." she whispered.
The figure in the chair spun around, but just before Hermione could see him, she felt herself falling back to her body. She was back at the school in Dumbledore's office. She looked at Dumbledore.
"He's at an old castle, the one I used to live in when I was Katrina," she said, feeling sad.
"Come. Let us prepare to go. Know this, the journey ahead many be our last. Walk the path with a knowing heart." said Dumbledore.
Hermione stood up, but felt a wave of sickness wash over her. She sat back down, her vision blackening a bit. Dumbledore rushed to her side.
"My dear, are you alright?" he asked, worry deep in his voice.
Hermione put a hand on her head to stop it from spinning. She felt so sick.
"Here, let me take you to Madame Pomfrey," said Dumbledore as he helped Hermione up.
Hermione allowed herself to be taken to the Hospital wing, despite her protests that she was fine, except for a bit of feeling tipsy. She was sat down on a bed as the nurse bustled here and there, asking Hermione many questions as she performed spells and such to determine Hermione's illness.
"Well, I have been feeling a bit weird lately. I've been cold, then hot, then cold, and then hot. I've been so depressed lately, that I indulge in food, though I usually don't do so, and I've felt nauseated all the time," said Hermione to Madam Pomfrey. "And when I exercise, it never seems to help me feel better."
Madame Pomfrey took all this into mind, performing the last few of her spells and disappeared into her office. Dumbledore stood beside Hermione, holding her hand and assuring her she'll be just fine. After a while, Madame Pomfrey came back.
"Well, Madam Pomfrey, give it to me straight, am I going to die?" Hermione asked with a weak smile.
Madame Pomfrey giggled and Dumbledore chuckled.
"No, no my dear, you are far from death," she said.
Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
"Good, than that means I just have a nasty flu-like bug or something," said Hermione.
Madam Pomfrey smiled at Hermione.
"Oh no my dear, you do not have anything wrong with you, well, anything unnatural for your state of health," said Madam Pomfrey.
Hermione wrinkle her brows in confusion and propped herself up on her elbows.
"Well, then what's causing me to be like this?"
Madam Pomfrey took in a breath.
"My dear, you are pregnant."