A/N: Well, as it turned out (ironically) I DID get the name wrong last time....and that's sad. So, yeah, I'm redoing this chapter. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Ahem. This is an answer to a challenge (my first challenge! Woo!) I don't really understand how challenges work, so I'm sorry if I get something wrong. This story probably won't be too action packed, like The Time Turner. More to deal with personal demons. Angst ensues...
Disclaimer: I own nothing!! Rowling owns it all!! I'm just a sad, sad soul who didn't think of Harry Potter first!!!
ONE STEP CLOSER
CHAPTER ONE: NIMURA KIKYO
The death of Severus Snape had not made their circumstances any easier. If truth be told–things were even worse than before. Hermione had not thought the war would last this long. It had been years!
Six years since the war had begun. Six years since Cornelius Fudge announced that he believed Dumbledore. Six years since Sirius died as the first casualty.
Six years of more death and treachery and hatred...
As Dumbledore's speech rolled off his tongue smoothly, these points were carried out multiple times. Mainly his speech was meant to encourage the Order–an increasingly more difficult task. The first true battle had occurred during the last year. Before that the "battles" were only of words and politics–and a few scuffles here and there. The First Battle (or the "Battle of Darkness," as it was called by Death Eaters) had been a bloody fight over the course of four days. The "light" had lost so horribly that even Dumbledore had trouble pulling them all back up again.
This particular meeting was the first in months. After The First Battle Voldemort had let up a bit. His Death Eaters had been starved for victory, and the final coming of their wish had gotten to their heads quickly. A counterattack had been evident among the Order's members, but Dumbledore had quickly pushed the prospect away. Their losses had been too extreme to do anything worth while. The last meeting had taken place immediately after their surrender in the First Battle. Dumbledore's purpose was to prevent anyone from becoming too discouraged–to lighten their spirits. He'd explained that they would certainly not counterattack at this critical time. In result, Harry had announced that he would be leaving to study. Harry had been gone ever since and the war had cooled down.
As it was, the surprise meeting proved to be going quite the same as the last one. Dumbledore–amazing as he was–showed his age at last. Hermione noticed only too well how he could no longer keep his shoulders high, how he had to grab hold of a table top just to stand himself up, how the twinkle in his eyes seemed to be gone. However, as long as the ignorant public didn't see it, they would be fine. They would be fine. She had to keep reminding herself that. It had to be true. If it was not true, what would happen to them?
Finally, after so much of Dumbledore's compliments and charm, he moved on to more pressing matters.
Hermione sat up. Before she had barely heard him. Now something of importance was sure to be spoken of.
"Now," Dumbledore said, pulling up to his full height and looking around at the many faces majestically. "I would like to press forward to other things."
Silence.
After looking around again, eyes beginning to shine again, Dumbledore said, "I assume that you all have been speaking to each other? Swapping rumors? I know that sometimes you all feel left out.
"I'd like to tell you all about what has happened. Voldemort, as you all know, has been lying low." He shrugged a bit and stroked his beard, "Well, as low as he can be. His Death Eaters, however, are finally getting restless. He's been trying to pull everyone forward for another attack while they still want to win.
"Attacks were set in Japan and in the US recently. I have reason to believe that new followers have come from America..."
Everyone's faces were low now. Everyone looked rather saddened. If only Harry had known how upsetting these meetings were, he would never have wanted to be a part of them in fifth year.
Ginny Weasley stood up. "How do you know all this?"
Dumbledore smiled ruefully. He glanced at Hermione, then addressed Ginny who was still standing, "Severus Snape died, you know this don't you, Ginevra?"
She nodded, frowning. "Voldemort killed him. He found out..." She trailed off.
"Exactly." Dumbledore said, closing his eyes respectively, "After Voldemort killed Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew I found another spy. As difficult as it is to join Voldemort's ranks at this point in time, I was lucky. Or...she was lucky."
Hermione looked down at her hands as Dumbledore looked openly at her.
She could sense everyone else staring.
"Hermione Granger is posing as a formerly thought dead woman named Nimura Kikyo. The woman was pureblood Japanese. She died in some sort of accident when running from Japanese legal forces for murdering two Muggle-born witches. Later, Hermione and I found out about her, and Hermione joined Voldemort disguised as her. She was with three wizards when she did so. All three had been Kikyo's friends and they believed Hermione when she said that she faked her own death."
Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up now, "How did she disguise herself? If the woman is dead, how did Hermione...." He trailed off, cleared his throat, and said, "You cannot use polyjuice potion to steal the face of someone who is dead."
Dumbledore looked fondly at Hermione. "I am thoroughly amazed at everyone's ability to keep secrets from me." He looked at everyone else, eyes twinkling.
"Hermione, if I get the story wrong, please correct me.
"I believe that when they were still in school, Harry and Hermione began looking at the subject of metamorphosis. They wanted to find a way to change Harry's appearance to help him pull away from the public eye. They couldn't use polyjuice potion, of course.
Dumbledore smiled proudly as he went on, "Hermione invented a Metamorphosis potion. This potion let's you look like whatever you can imagine. Once you decide on what you want to look like, you force yourself to become it and this new 'disguise' is in place for at least eight hours."
Everyone looked at Hermione respectfully.
"Now. With all that said, I would like to speak with a few select people."
Everyone looked back at Dumbledore curiously.
"Kingsley, Bill, and Hermione. You three need to stay here. Everyone else, please see yourselves out. Our next meeting will be held, unless there are complications, in two weeks."
Everyone shuffled out, talking quietly among themselves, to leave Dumbledore alone with Hermione and the two men. The large room caused their footsteps to echo, making it seem as if there were at least a hundred more people there. Hermione solemnly wished this were so.
When they'd all gone, Dumbledore walked forward and shut the door behind the last person. He turned back toward the three who were still sitting, watching him.
"Kingsley." Dumbledore began, "I believe you know what I wanted to ask of you. Is it decided?"
"Yes." Kingsley said, popping his knuckles absentmindedly. Dumbledore looked serious at this news.
"It will only cause more death." Dumbledore muttered.
Bill and Hermione exchanged a glanced.
Dumbledore then looked at Bill, "You are being transferred back to Egypt, are you not?"
Bill nodded.
"Right. I ask you to try to get more members while you are there, Bill. Also, I think we'll try to get our hands on..."
Bill nodded, smirking a bit.
Hermione was used to this sort of thing. Dumbledore knew that most people didn't want others to know what Dumbledore personally asked of them. He did his best to keep everyone's secrets.
Unless, of course, the secrets were too important to be kept secret.
Dumbledore paused before addressing Hermione. "I want you to get closer to Voldemort."
Hermione stared. "You mean, even closer than I already am?"
"Yes." She glared. "Do anything to can to get closer. I know this is hard for you...but I want you to be in his inner circle. I know from experience that anyone in Voldemort's inner circle is always knowledgeable of his plans..."
They all looked down.
--x--x--
Hermione glared at her reflection, then rolled her eyes, thinking about how stupid it was that she was doing this. Practicing. She never practiced. Or at least she never used to practice.
If she didn't, though, she knew that it might lead to certain death.
Still glaring at herself, she wondered again why she was doing this...Then she smiled ruefully at her tilted eyes. The woman who she was posing as wouldn't be thinking such thoughts! She would be wondering why she wasn't already raised higher in the ranks of the Death Eaters. A whole five months since she'd been initiated and she still hadn't been given a higher position.
Of course, that was what Hermione was thinking too. She had used every ounce of her reserves to even get this far...and she was afraid that this was her peak.
Tired of glaring, Hermione just settled with looking at herself in the mirror.
Her hair was waist-length and black. Her eyes were–of course–Japanese. They were black over a small nose and full lips. She was rather shorter than the real Hermione was. She looked exactly as Nimura Kikyo should look. Hermione smiled, then finished brushing her straight, straight hair and went out into the silent corridor.
She was surprised that they'd actually let her do this. She wasn't a pureblood. Far from it. Why could no one else do this thing?
The fact was, they'd offered. Even little Mrs. Weasley had offered to take Hermione's place. Apart from the fact that Mrs. Weasley was obviously too weak to take this on, Hermione had insisted on this because there was nothing else for her. She would have done it, even if someone else had.
