Disclaimer: 30 chapters ago I realized that I don't own Harry Potter. And it appears that I re-realize the same fact every time I -singsong voice- I think not!
Author's Note: MY GOODNESS! I never thought that I would write a story with 30 chapters! I knew this one would be long….but I never thought this long…well, I'll stop rambling and continue
I wish I could see all of your reactions when you find out who's voice it is…..
DMHG 2GETHER 4EVER, do you mean something like this?…
Previously on 525,600 Minutes:…we found Hermione accompanying Harry, along with Ron, as Harry traveled to Godric's Hollow. Hermione is furious at Malfoy. Ryn is on her way to Godric's Hollow with Malfoy going with her. The End of chapter found our hero's at Godric's Hollow as a mysterious voice spoke: "Well, well, well. What have we got here?"
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Thirty
Hermione, Harry, and Ron whirled around, wands at the ready, at the sound of a new voice. Hermione's whole body gave a sigh and she lowered her wand at the familiar face. "Ryn. You scared us."
There, standing by a cluster of trees was Ryn. Arms across her chest, smirking and leaning on one tree.
"Pity, isn't it?" Ryn sneered, an evil, uncharacteristic smirk, playing across her lips.
Almost immediately Hermione knew something wasn't right. She narrowed her eyes, and stared at her friend. "Ryn, is something wrong?"
"Hm? Oh, no, no, no. Everything is just," she paused as if thinking for the right word, her smirk growing more evil by the second. "Perfect." it was almost a deadly threat.
Hermione didn't like what was going on. She usually felt safe when a member of the Order, and a friend, was around. But now, something was different, and she didn't like it at all. There was something in Ryn's eyes. Something hidden, deep, and it was dark. This wasn't the Ryn Hermione had met.
Silence passed in the warm, chilly night. Harry and Ron looking around Godric's Hollow from where they stood, while Ryn and Hermione had, what would look to a bystander, as a staring contest.
The silence seemed to creep on when, "EXPELIARMUS!" Ryn shouted. Hermione, Harry and Ron's wands went flying out of their hands as they were slightly knocked to the ground, all of their eyes wide with surprise.
As Hermione stood, she saw Ryn pocketing all three of their wands in her robe pocket.
"Ryn," Hermione started slowly.
"What do you think you're doing?" Harry and Ron yelled together.
Ryn just gave a dry laugh.
"Ryn, what's going on. Why are you acting so…" Hermione didn't even know what to say.
"Strange?" Ryn finished for her. Hermione just gave her a curious look.
"Ryn, have you gone mad?" Harry asked, trying to suppress his anger.
"No." the girl replied.
"Then give us our wands back!" Ron interfered, his face growing red.
"No." Ryn stated simply, once again.
"What do you think you're playing at? Voldemort co-"
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Ryn yelled, at Harry. The words rang in the deadly silent night.
Hermione stared, dumbfounded, at Ryn. She had rarely talked to Ryn about Voldemort, but when they did Ryn had always said his name. She never once cringed at the sound of it, or acted like this. Hermione hated the situation more and more as the seconds ticked by.
Hermione looked over at Harry and Ron. Both of their faces showed immense shock. Hermione could see fear and worry in Ron's eyes. And Harry, she could tell that he was getting nervous. As much as his body was trying to stop it, he was.
"Now," Ryn's voice was calm and collected. "I realize that I have yet to answer your question, how rude of me. What was it again? Oh yes. What am I doing? Well, the answer is quite simple actually." She paused in her speech as her smirk grew even wider. "This."
With the flick of Ryn's wand, Hermione felt herself being pulled at the stomach. The force was so strong that she could touch her toes with her finger tips. As fast as the feeling came, it was gone as she felt her back hit something solid, and felt herself sitting on the ground. It didn't take any time for Hermione to realize that the 'something solid' was Harry and Ron's backs, and that the three of them were bound together by some invisible ropes.
"Ryn!" Hermione half gasped, half yelled.
"What in bloody hell's name is the matter with you!" Ron yelled.
"Are you trying to get us killed!"
The three friends tried as they might to break free from their invisible bind, but it proved to fail.
Ryn rolled her eyes. "Oh please. I knew you guys, especially you two," she looked at Harry and Ron. "could be thick, but your surpassing what I believed to be your limits. And," she looked at Hermione, "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now." her voice was cold and evil.
Hermione sat there, glaring at Ryn, trying to make her know she wasn't scared, though she really was. No sooner did Ryn's words sink in did images begin to fly across her mind. Ryn running from Potions, Ryn's empty seat at dinner, catching Ryn talking with Lucius Malfoy in the Forbidden Forest, the dementor attacks, and more absences from Ryn. Hermione felt stupid for not realizing it before. She should have realized it the minute Ryn stepped out of the shadows minutes ago.
Hermione's eyes opened wide, and she could tell that fear was etched across her face. She looked up at Ryn, who was now circling herself, Harry and Ron. "No," even though she knew it was true, Hermione didn't want to believe it. "No, you can't be. You can't be a-a- Death Eater. A spy, for the death Eaters?
"Took you long enough. I'm rather surprised you three didn't confront me about it at school. And especially after the dementor attacks. Once I saw you and Malfoy," she pointed at Hermione, "I knew you had followed me. So do tell, I have been dying to know, why didn't you confront me?" she stopped dead in front of Hermione, sneering down at her.
Hermione stared determinedly back at Ryn. "Because we trusted you." Ryn began to laugh.
Harry finally seemed to snap out of his shock. "How could you? How could you betray us? How could you be a spy for them! How could you go against Dumbledore, against your own sister!" anger was building in Harry.
She shrugged. "I believe the question you're looking for, Potter, is why did Nymphodora betray her sister? Her family? She's the one who betrayed us and left for the "good" side." she paused and a far off look appeared in her eyes.. "I never understood why. Did she really think she was doing the right thing by joining them, did she actually think that she could help good prevail." she paused again, and seemed to come back to reality. "Don't give me that look Weasley. Do you really expect your cause, your side to prevail? You're no match for what we have, no match at all. You will see, good never wins." she whispered.
"Yes, it does." Harry said, barely audible.
Ryn, looked to Harry and lowered her face so that she was eye level with him. "Only in fairy tales, Potter. But this, this is reality." she smirked. Harry glared at her, if looks could kill Ryn would be six feet under.
"Ryn." a new, icy voice stated from the depths of the shadows. Ryn snapped her head up to where the sound came from. Hermione couldn't see who it was, but from the look on Ryn's face, Hermione knew she wasn't going to like it.
"Lucius." Ryn stated, her face growing into a smile.
Hermione whirled her head around and saw Lucius Malfoy coming out from the trees. "Did you get it." Lucius said, ignoring Hermione, Harry and Ron and walked straight towards Ryn.
"Yes." she paused, as if double thinking what she was going to do. "It's right here." Ryn patted her robe pocket.
"Well," Lucius snapped. "Hand it over." he stuck out his arm, waiting for Ryn to put what ever he wanted in it.
Once again Ryn slightly hesitated, before digging into her pocket and pulling out a wand.
"Hey! My wand!" Hermione yelled, trying to break free of the bind to get it as Ryn placed Hermione's wand in Lucius' out stretched hand.
Lucius cackled as he pocketed the wand, and then finally faced the trio. "Well, well. I see you've done well, Ryn. I had my doubts." he looked at Ryn with narrowed eyes. "But you seemed to have proved me wrong. Ryn nodded, and stepped back, away from Lucius and the three friends.
"Have anything to say Potter? You can't get out of this one you know. And it's about time too. And you two. The Weasley and the mudblood, along for the adventure once again. Let me a sure you, that your fates will be just as nice as Potter's here." Lucius looked like Christmas had come early. "I'd like to see you get out of this one. No one's here to save you now, and no one will be coming."
"That's where you're wrong." Lucius' head shot in Hermione's direction
"Did you say something to me, Mudblood?"
"Yes, is that a problem?" Hermione spat.
"Why you little. How dare you speak to me like that!"
"You think you're so smart and clever. Thinking you're better than everyone else. If your so great as you think you are then why is that your most hated enemy is a seventeen-year-old wizard and his two best friends. I'd say you're nothing but a coward if that's your enemy."
"How dare you! CRUCIO!"
Hermione felt pain like she had never experienced before. She felt like she was on fire, like something was cutting her, and like she was melting all at once. Her muscles ached, her bone trembled, and her mind screamed for the curse to end. Power and strength was draining from her. Suddenly, when the pain was reaching the point of past unbearable, it all stopped.
Her breathing was heavy, and her head felt like it was made of stone. She slowly lifted her head see Lucius Malfoy standing over her, looking more evil than ever.
"Leave her alone!" Hermione saw Lucius' head snap to the left, and Hermione's slowly followed suit, to see who had spoken the words. She had been expecting Harry, or Ron to be the one who had said it, but even they were looking in shock in the direction of Lucius. As Hermione's pained eyes fell onto who had spoken, she didn't know whether to yell in joy, or be filled with anger.
Walking defiantly into the clearing was Draco Malfoy. Head held high, and wand pointing directly at his Father.
"Draco, I told you to stay hidden!" Ryn yelled, but Malfoy ignored her.
Lucius smirked. "Draco, my son. How nice of you to join us."
"Leave her alone." Draco said again.
"That's right." his voice showed no mercy for his son. "You've taken a liking to the Mudblood." everyone in the clearing scowled at the word Mudblood. "Draco, think of what you're doing? Liking the mudblood. Come back to our side, the side you belong on." Lucius' voice held something that resembled pleading in it's words.
Draco looked directly into his Father's eyes. "Why should I join you when all you do is murder those whom you love!" Draco felt the anger that had built up inside of him these past months come rushing into him, and at his father.
"Draco." Lucius was definitely begging.
"NO!" Draco yelled.
Lucius frowned. "Then, son, you-you leave me n-no choice." In all of her encounters with Lucius Malfoy Hermione had never heard him speak in such a shaky tone, or look so crestfallen. "Accio Wand!"
Draco watched in horror as his own wand flew out of his tight grip and towards his father, who caught it. Once again, Lucius flicked his wand and the next thing Draco knew he was sitting on Hermione's right, bound by the same invisible ropes as Hermione, Harry and Ron.
"Here." Lucius sneered, throwing his son's wand at Ryn. "Hold it." If it were at all possible Lucius had become more furious and more evil than minutes before.
"What a shame." Hermione spoke in a weak voice. "Putting your son to the same fate as you see for us." Hermione had no idea why she was saying this. She was terrified, and she knew that her saying these things would only end up in her getting hurt. But she didn't care. This was the man who had put her parents in St. Mungo's, the same man who had killed her father. And any chance that she had to insult him in any way she was going to take.
Lucius glared at her with so much hate that Hermione thought she actually felt pain and he hadn't even done anything. "Crucio."
Once again the unbearable pain came to Hermione's body. She wanted to scream so bad, to let all the pain out, but she couldn't. She tried all her might to, but she couldn't. It was like her mouth was glues shut. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the curse was lifted.
Hermione's breathing was deep and heavy, and her body couldn't even support her anymore. So, much against her will, she found her head laying on the familiar spot of Malfoy's shoulder.
Lucius began talking again, but Hermione didn't hear a word. She saw his mouth moving, but it was like the words weren't reaching her. She groaned as the after effects of the pain became stronger. Things were so blurry around her. The only thing she could clearly see was the form of Ryn in the distance. She watched as Ryn slowly raised her wand with a shaky hand. Then, for the first time in what seemed like hours Hermione heard some one speak.
"STUPEFY!"
Author's Note: -smiles- well, did you like it? Tell me what you think!
Thank you everyone muchly for your reviews! They're great! And I love hearing from you guys…Thank you all so, so, so, so, so, so MUCH!
More to come soon
Your humble Author,
The Lonely Goatherd