Author's POV
"Hermione!"
Minerva, Andromeda and Fleur rushed to the bed to look at the unconscious figure. Hermione was in all her naked glory but covered by a large and thick duvet. Severus placed a heating charm on the room to ensure that she would not get cold — there was a reason why she could not wear any clothes yet.
"Is she alright?" Fleur asked.
"Is she alive?" Minerva asked next.
The trio looked at Severus, not caring about Bellatrix and Narcissa who remained frozen by the door. "She's fine and still alive." I hope.
"She's been comatose for a couple of days, which I'll explain in detail later," Severus said.
Both Bellatrix and Narcissa paled as they looked at the man in terror, and — 'What are you going to tell them, Sev? Are you going to sell us out? We're going to die, they'll kill us!' — were the only thoughts playing in their heads.
"You!" Minerva was blazing with anger as she glared and pointed a finger at Bellatrix, then she stomped furiously towards the Death Eater.
Bellatrix stepped back in fear and Severus quickly stepped in front of her, ready to defend her if need be. He promised that there will be no harm to any of them, and he intended to fulfil his promise.
Minerva stopped in her track and her glares directed towards him. "Step aside, Severus! I have questions to ask her!"
"Then ask if you may, but I won't permit any violence in this house — especially not in front of Her Majesty!"
"Her Majesty?" They all asked at once and Severus cursed himself inwardly at the slip of tongue.
"I mean, Hermione. I won't allow any violence in front of Hermione," he stuttered slightly. Minerva regarded the man for two seconds before she turned towards Bellatrix again.
"Lestrange! What did you do to Hermione? Did you kidnap her from the Ministry? Tortured her until she became like this?" She snarled at the dark witch.
Bellatrix did not answer Minerva. She merely crossed her arms over her chest, but hidden from people's views were her finger clutching tightly at her sides. She turned her face sideways so to hide anyone from seeing the tears pooling in her eyes and the quiver of her lips.
Narcissa could take a guess at what her eldest sister must have been feeling but she could do nothing about it. She, herself was feeling remorseful of her actions towards the young witch.
"Enough, Minerva," the man said. "I told you I'll explain what happened to Hermione later. However, right now, I'll give you al some time to be with Hermione if you want but kindly refrain yourself from acting out of your temper. And be civil towards each other! I can't allow any disrespect towards Hermione. Can you at least do that?"
Minerva gritted her teeth in annoyance. Severus looked pointedly at her and breathe in relief when the witch reluctantly agrees to act civil with Bellatrix.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. When you're done here, find me in the dining room downstairs so we can start on our discussion," he said.
He pulled both Narcissa and Bellatrix into his arms, whispering "everything will be fine" in their ears before he left them and walked away. He went back to his room and collected all the items he needed before going down towards the basement.
Minerva went back to the left side of the bed and sat next to Hermione. Fleur was already sitting by Hermione's right side, her fingers caressing her soft cheeks. Andromeda was sitting behind Fleur, her hands gripping what would be Hermione's leg from above the duvet. Bellatrix and Narcissa slowly and cautiously made their way towards the end of the bed, not daring to go anywhere near their ex-professor.
Silence engulfed them for a few minutes as they soaked in the fact that Hermione — the person they had been worried about for days — was there, in front of them. However, the figure lying on the bed was not the same person as the Hermione they knew — her breathing slow but peaceful, her face did not show the usual cheeriness or the sadness (which she usually tried to hide from others), her honest brown eyes were closed and did not reflect the emotions of the girl.
Oh, how they missed those honest brown eyes so much.
Minerva traced her fingers on Hermione's serene face and whispered low but audible words, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let my anger consumed me, Hermione wouldn't have liked that." She let out a heavy sigh. "I was just worried about her and she's been missing for days. Hermione is the love of my life and I can't afford to lose her again."
She said to no one in particular and surprised herself at how vulnerable she felt at the moment. Tears leaked out of her eyes but she made no attempt to clear them away. She kissed on Hermione's forehead and lingered there for a moment, and when she pulled away, she wiped the tears that had fallen on Hermione's face.
Everyone was shocked at the heartfelt confession but they said nothing about it. Bellatrix felt a pang of guilt in her heart while Narcissa felt more heartbroken.
"I love Hermione too, but I hurt her deeply. It's something I regret the most and a mistake I will never forget for the rest of my life," Fleur said.
The atmosphere in the room had somehow turned gloomy, and everyone seemed to think of their own mistakes or confession to be made — as if they were making confessions in the chapel.
"Hermione, I wish I could apologize to you and win your heart again. Je t'aime, ma Cherie, please wake up." Fleur kissed Hermione's lips, savoring the softness she had been missing for a year. She pulled away, stood up and walked away from the bed, fingers wiping the corner of her eyes.
Both Minerva and Fleur were gone and probably went downstairs to where Severus was waiting for them. The only conscious people left in the room were the three Black sisters.
"Bella, Cissy…" Andromeda's agitated voice captured her sisters' attention. "I want to apologize to you both, I want to tell you how sorry I am for leaving you, but I think now is not an appropriate time. Can we speak later, just the three of us?" She said as she looked at them and nervously waited for their answers.
Narcissa's reply was instant with a nod of her head, while Bellatrix pursed her lips tightly and only after half a minute, she let out a defeated sigh.
"Fine, we'll listen to your apology later," the eldest sister said.
Andromeda almost choked on her tears as she silently cried in joy. One step at a time. She looked at Hermione and went down to kiss near her lips, at a spot where Hermione had once kissed her.
"Thank you for giving me the courage, my dear, and for assuring me to not give up on this hope. Please wake up soon so I ca thank you properly." She kissed Hermione's cheek again and left the room, leaving her two baffled sisters behind.
'How on earth did you get so many people to like you, little one?'
Bellatrix was next to sit beside Hermione on the bed, her face was painted with nothing but grief and remorse. She raked her trembling fingers through Hermione's bushy brown hair, but she stopped when her emotions became too much.
"You really are a pretty little thing," she whispered.
She suddenly broke down, body quaking with regret and guilt as she cried. "I'm so sorry, little kitten… Please forgive me, please… I'm really sorry… for hurting you and not trusting you…"
Narcissa sobbed when she heard the soft whimpers. The day had merely begun but she already felt her energy drained with the various surprises and emotional turbulence. She did not realize when Bellatrix had stopped apologizing and moved from the bed, but only when she felt the grip on her arm, she stopped sobbing.
"Cissy?" Bellatrix wiped the tears on her sister's cheeks. "Take your time, I'll see you downstairs," Bellatrix said and Narcissa nodded her head meekly.
She did not wait to see Bellatrix left the room, as she made her own way towards Hermione. She sat next to the unconscious figure, her eyes following as her fingers trailed on the smooth skin of Hermione's face. Her heart constricted and tears were about to fall again, but she withheld strong.
Slowly, she laid her head down near the junction between Hermione's neck and shoulder, inhaling the smell that was so Hermione — her mind flew to the memory of inhaling the sweet smell during her meeting with the girl at Malfoy manor last Christmas.
"Hermione—" her breath hitched as she whispered the beautiful name, "—you have so many people who love you, and care for you. I doubt that my feelings for you are worthy enough to be counted for, darling." She sobbed.
"But it hurts me to keep these feelings for so long and I'm truly sorry for what I did to you, for causing harm to happen to you Please, please wake up soon so that I can properly confess my feelings for you and apologize for everything. I'm so sorry, Hermione." She left a soft kiss on Hermione's shoulder, at the spot where she had once kissed before.
Although Narcissa felt guilty for her behaviour towards Hermione, she could not deny and hide her feelings for the girl any longer. She wanted to be the one who can be with Hermione, in the end — not Minerva, not Fleur, and definitely not her sisters. She took another look at Hermione before finally parted and made her way downstairs, to where the others were waiting for her.
Hermione was having a conversation with her parents while strolling around the lake when suddenly there was a soft glow throughout her being. She did not realize it until her parents pointed it out to her and looked at her bewilderedly.
"What's happening?" She asked, perplexed as she looked at her glowing hands and body.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let my anger consumed me, Hermione wouldn't have liked that... I was just worried about her and she's been missing for days. Hermione is the love of my life and I can't afford to lose her again."
Hermione heard the echo of a voice — whose she recognized instantly. "Min?" She gasped and turned around, trying to find the source of the voice but found none.
"The time has come, my child."
She turned her body in a flash towards the Goddess, who was suddenly standing behind her with Anastasia by her side.
"What has? What's happening?" She asked again but was met with silence.
Camilla and Joseph stood silently next to their daughter as they held each other's hands. The glow slowly became brighter when more words echoed around them and rang Hermione's ears.
"I love Hermione too, but I hurt her deeply. It's something I regret the most and a mistake I will never forget for the rest of my life... Hermione, I wish I could apologize to you and win your heart again. Je t'aime, ma cherie. Please wake up."
"Fleur? Min? Why are your voices full of despair?" Hermione shouted a bit louder this time, thoroughly confused about what was happening. However, her voice was met with another silence and it sounded sorrowful to the others.
The glow went brighter.
"Thank you for giving me the courage, my dear, and for assuring me to not give up on this hope. Please wake up soon so I ca thank you properly."
"Andy?"
"I'm so sorry, little kitten… Please forgive me, please… I'm really sorry… for hurting you and not trusting you…"
"Bellatrix? What—" She was surprised at hearing Bellatrix's voice, not knowing what to make out of the situation anymore.
"Hermione—" Her breath hitched at hearing her name uttered from the last voice. "—you have so many people who love you and care for you. I doubt that my feelings for you are worthy enough to be counted for, darling... But it hurts me to keep these feelings for so long and I'm truly sorry for what I did to you, for causing harm to happen to you. Please, please wake up soon so that I can properly confess my feelings for you and apologize for everything. I'm so sorry, Hermione."
"Narcissa…" She whispered breathily, no longer cared to ask for an answer.
Her heart clenched and she felt slightly painful — because of what, she did not know. Her eyes were closed and the words uttered by her soulmates were playing in her mind, she did not see that her being was glowing the brightest — almost blinding to the others.
After a while, she gave up trying to decipher the situation. Calmness and serene consumed her again while the light dimmed slowly until it diminished completely. She opened her eyes and cast them towards her audience, one by one until they settled on the Goddess.
"Lady Athena," she spoke softly but with due respect. "Would you please explain what just happened? Why did their voices sound so painful and heart-breaking? Exactly what is happening in the real world?"
Hermione did not look at the Goddess with meek composure as she was before. Instead, she stood firm and sounded determined but worried all the same.
"The time has come, my child. They were finally gathered in one place by the lost soul and he will deliver to them what they belong — the truth and their soulmate," Athena explained.
"I see." Hermione nodded in understanding. "But why was I glowing?"
"The glow was due to your body being touched by them. The voices you heard were the whispers they said to your being."
Touched by her five soulmates, only then will they be complete.
"Does this mean that we are now complete — whatever it means?" Hermione asked as she remembered a sentence from her prophecy.
"Maybe, maybe not," Anastasia answered in place of her mother. Hermione tilted her head in confusion.
"You see, there were different meanings and opinions of being 'touched'. The deities had a debate about this issue. You and your soulmates' souls can only be completed, either simply by touching, hugging, kissing, or being intimate with each other. We figured the only way you could tell is by achieving those stages in your relationships," Anastasia explained.
Hermione gasped and her face flushed red. The thought of having intimacy with her soulmates sent shivers down her spine, her heart beat rapidly inside her chest. It took everything for her not to moan in front of her parents — who noticed the change in her demeanour and tried their best not to laugh at her, as Camilla elbowed Joseph at his side.
"My child, it is also time for you to make your decision — either to proceed to the next life and leave the world behind, or to go back to the real world and be what you were destined to be," Athena spoke with gentleness but one could note the tone of haste in her voice.
"I understand, Lady Athena." Hermione said.
Hermione looked at both of her parents, who already had their arms opened to welcome her in. Tears were pooling in all their eyes as they embraced each other tightly. She did not care about their coldness any longer, she would not want to let them go She knew if she let go, there would be no other chance for her to be with them, to speak with them, and to feel like she still had her parents with her — something she had craved for in her life.
"Mia…" Camilla whisper as she look at her daughter.
She broke down at her mother's tearful but loving voice. Hands that were caressing her hair and rubbing her back were registered in her mind — stored permanently in her brain's long-term memory disk.
'God, please, let this feeling remains longer.'
"You could have what you wished for, my child, if you decide to stay with your father and mother," Athena spoke softly, startling Hermione from her thought.
"Mia, look at us." Joseph said and smile at her.
They broke apart and Hermione tried to look at her parents but failed due to the blurriness in her vision. Her hands were shaking as she tried to clear the tears away but they just never stopped. Her body trembled and her legs felt like jelly, she wobbled in her stand until she was being engulfed in another hug.
"Mia… You don't want to come with us. That's not what you wish for, Honey. Tell me you want to go back and continue living your life," Camilla whispered in Hermione's ears. Joseph did not say anything but he stood near, providing whatever comfort and support he could.
"I don't want to lose you again, Mother, Father…" Her voice broke as she sobbed harder.
"You won't lose us, Mia," Camilla said with the tone of a promise.
"You won't lose us," Joseph repeated with more assurance.
"But I don't get to touch you, to hug you and kiss you two anymore," Hermione wailed like a petulant child.
"It's all right, Mia. There are plenty of other people who I'm sure are willing to do all those things with you."
Leave it to her father to make a dumb joke at a horrible time, but Hermione snorted anyway while Camilla slapped on the man's arm. Joseph merely laughed in delight.
However, dumb the joke was, it managed to deliver the intended effect. Hermione calmed down and finally broke apart from the embrace. She cleared the tears away and looked at her smiling parents.
"I love you both so much!" She exclaimed as cheerful as she could, not wanting to make them worry.
"We love you very much too, Mia. Forever and always," Camilla assured.
"Forever and always," Joseph reaffirmed.
The pair took their turn to kiss on Hermione's temple and cheeks. They then held each other's hands and Hermione had never felt so blissful in her life. She looked at them as if they were having a silent conversation, until both her parents nodded their heads at the same time.
Hermione memorized her mother's pair of black eyes, her long and straight black hair, and her loving smile. Then she turned t her left to memorize her father's pair of brown eyes, his short and curly brown hair, moustache and beard, and his proud smile.
Deep in her heart, she knew she would never lose them. They will always be in her heart and in her memory, wherever she goes. With a resigned sigh, she nodded her head towards them. She let her hands go and turned to face the Goddess and the demigod.
"I'm ready. Bring me to the real world again, please," she said with utter determination in her voice.
"Are you fucking kidding me!?"
The mood in the dining was nothing but foul. Severus studied each of the five ladies who were everywhere but sitting at the round dining table with him. They seemed to be lost in their heads until he cleared his throat, breaking them from their trance
"Help yourself to the tea and sandwiches. And please, make yourself at home," he said, his tone more inviting.
The group of ladies looked at each other before they took a seat each, facing the enigmatic man. Cups of tea and plates of sandwiches were served in front of them magically. Sitting in the second seat from his left was Minerva, then Fleur, Andromeda, Narcissa, and Bellatrix.
"Allow me to say this again, welcome to my humble abode," he started with a typical opening speech. "There isn't much here but it's a home for Hermione, so that means it's a home for all of you too."
"Is this where Hermione went to every holiday?" Minerva quickly interjected.
Severus merely nodded in her direction. "Since the summer after her third year," he added. "She's been helping me with some work."
"No wonder I couldn't find her anywhere," Minerva retorted.
"More importantly, what happened to Hermione?" Fleur asked. Narcissa and Bellatrix flinched in their seats.
Severus regarded the look of worry in three sets of eyes and fear in the remainder. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "During the battle at the Department of the Mystery, Hermione was brought back to the Malfoy Manor for a private investigation—"
"I assume right that it was Lestrange who took her?" Minerva said while glancing at the female Death Eater, who was now looking smaller than ever. Severus ignored the woman.
"She was questioned and then locked in the cellar. When Lucius Malfoy went home, he—" Severus clenched his jaw to quell his rising anger. His eyes were fiery as flashes of Hermione's lifeless state in his arms were playing in his mind.
What he did towards Hermione were downright cruel, unforgivable, and inhumane," he said with a rise in his tone. "Nevertheless, he had been dealt with and met with his own punishment."
"What did Lucius do to her?" Andromeda asked.
"You wouldn't want to know, trust me." He looked dejectedly at them. "But one thing I can say for sure is that he caused an interruption in the balance of Hermione's magic, causing her magic to become unstable and was unleashed, possibly towards him," Severus tried to explain as briefly as he could, going into detail would only cause emotional turbulence.
"What happened to him?" Fleur asked, her eyebrows raised slightly.
Severus glanced at Narcissa, who slowly nodded her head as if to allow him to tell them the truth. "Lucius Malfoy was dead."
Gasps filled the room as three pairs of eyes widened in shock.
"He deserved it!" Bellatrix spat and crossed her arms in anger.
"Bella, shut up," Narcissa whispered low but was still heard by the others. Bellatrix huffed.
"You mentioned a private investigation, Severus. What is it about?" Minerva asked and Fleur joined her in looking at him with curiosity.
"It's about a prophecy that was found in the Department of Ministry," he said.
"Whose prophecy? Potter?" Minerva asks.
"No, not his. Hermione's prophecy, to be exact." Everyone shot their eyebrows up as he said this. "And it has something to do with all of you." More surprises it seemed.
"So, it's true, then?" Bellatrix shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"What is?" Severus asked nonchalantly.
"She said that she and I, we-we're soulmates! Is its bloody fucking true?" Bellatrix asks as she look at him angrily.
Gasps echoed around the room again and all eyes were on the raven-haired witch. Severus took his time contemplating to answer the question, intentionally trying to torment them from the truth.
"No," he said.
Bellatrix was stunned while the others let breaths of relief — especially Narcissa, who looked quite relieved and had a small upturn of her lips.
"Excuse me," Severus cleared his throat and captured their attention again. "I meant to say that it's true, but at the same time it is not," he said further, toying with his words and their emotions all the same.
Bellatrix instantly rose from her seat and grabbed on his robe. "Bloody hell, man! Which one is it?!" She growled at the man, feeling anger rising in her chest. 'How dare he played with my feelings!'
"Before that, let me ask each and every one of you a simple question," he said, eyeing the ladies one by one. Their faces portrayed the anticipation they were feeling. Bellatrix let him go and returned to her seat.
"What do you feel when you think about Hermione? Describe your feelings in three words or less," he asked. "It may seem like a simple question, but do think carefully before you answer, please."
Minerva, Fleur, Andromeda, Bellatrix, and Narcissa were sitting in silence. They seemed to ponder on the question and how to answer it with delicacy, honesty, and in the simplest words.
"Loved and cared," Fleur said first.
"Happiness and joy," Minerva said.
"Confusing, but mellow," Andromeda said.
"Gravitational pull," Narcissa said. All eyes looked at her, intrigued. "What?" She said, baffled at the sudden attention.
"What do you mean, Cissy?" Severus asked.
"Well, I mean… there's always this strong pull that attracts me to Hermione. I just can't stop looking at her," Narcissa said, the voice was above a whisper by the end as she looked away, embarrassed to admit her feelings.
"I can totally relate to that," Minerva said. The others nodded in agreement.
"Bella? What about you?" Severus asked, and all eyes were directed towards Bellatrix now.
Bellatrix shrugged her shoulders. "What Cissy said," she gestured at her younger sister. "Plus some complexity and complicated, I guess."
Severus nodded his head in comprehension. He smiled and chuckled to himself, causing others to shiver in creep as they regarded his strange behaviour.
"Alright, so let me explain. While it's true that you and Hermione are soulmates, Bella, however, you are not the only one." Hi eyes were sharp as he looked into Bellatrix's eyes before they shift towards the others.
"As a matter of fact, it was mentioned that Hermione has five soulmates in total," he said.
Hands flew to cover mouths and sharp intakes of breaths were heard as everyone stared at the man in utter shock.
"What—How—What did you say?" The female Death Eater voiced out.
"As I said, it is stated in Hermione's prophecy that she has five soulmates in total. They are said to be — The Blacks, the Veela, and the Tabby Cat," Severus proclaimed.
"Me?" They asked at once and looked at each other curiously.
Severus nodded. "Indeed, Hermione's five soulmates are the lot of you. The three Black sisters — Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa; the Veela — Fleur; and the Tabby Cat — Minerva," he announced to the bewildered ladies.
No one said anything as they looked at him in shock and disbelief. They were not surprised at the idea of being Hermione's soulmate, but at the fact that Hermione had multiple soulmates instead of just one.
Severus fetched one of the rolls of parchment paper amongst many and laid it bare on the table for them to see. "It has been written in her destiny since years — no, centuries — ago that she would have five soulmates in total, and they were specifically written that those five persons would be you."
Written on the paper was the prophecy, dated back to September 19th, 1140. The ladies looked between him and the paper in utter disbelief, as they read the words attentively.
"If you still can't believe me, then see it for yourself," he said.
Severus levitated the prophecy orb that he brought down together with his other things. The orb was put in the middle of the table, and inside it was the green mist swirling furiously like a tornado on a desert field.
"This is Hermione's prophecy orb which I believe she took from the Department of Mystery. Tell me you didn't feel something from being this close with the orb?" He said, but his words fell on deaf ears.
The five ladies were looking at the orb and felt a strong pull towards the round item. They heard the soft whispers of their names echoed in their own minds as they rose from their seats. As if hypnotized, each stretched out their hands to touch the mysterious item.
When all five of them finally touched the orb, a gust of wind blew out of nowhere towards them, sending chills down their bones as they heard the whispers rang through their ears.
The one with the power to rule the world will be born
She was the queen in the past and she will once again be one
She is born noble and pure, yet hidden amongst the dirt
A gem amongst the snakes, A beauty hidden by scars
Mended pain through knowledge and understanding
Tossed between two sides, betrayed, tortured, broken and battered
In between her life and death, her power will be awakened
Touched by her five soulmates, only then will they be complete
The Blacks, the Veela, together with the tabby cat
With the power of dark, light, modern and ancient, nothing could defy them
She will be fair, She will be just
Narcissa was the first to pull away from the orb as her body shook with strong emotions. Bellatrix retracted her hand as if her fingers were burned from touching fire.
The other three slowly retrieved their hands but remained stoic, their feelings were indescribable. The orb stilled on the table, swirling green mist was no more. The room was filled with complete silence until two screams of sorrow and remorse pierced the bubble, they were currently in.
Narcissa cried in sorrow while Bellatrix wailed with deep remorse.
"Bella? Cissy?
Andromeda was looking at her sisters in fear and worry. She could not comprehend their reactions from just touching the orb — Hermione's prophecy orb.
Shaken, she pulled both the trembling Narcissa and Bellatrix into her arms and breathed a sigh of relief when neither of them pushed her away or denied her comfort.
"Severus?" She looked at the man worriedly. "What happened? Why did they become like this?"
His face stricken; Severus opened his mouth to answer the middle sister but was cut off.
I killed her, it's my fault! I'm sorry…" Bellatrix wept.
"Bella, you didn't kill her. She's still alive, Bella," he said softly.
"I might have as well. She didn't deserve it; I should have trusted her!" Bellatrix said, angry at herself. She pulled away from her long-lost sister's embrace, ignoring the fluttering of her heart from feeling Andromeda's warmth after years of missing her.
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked, but Bellatrix did not answer. She turned towards Severus and asked again. "Kill her? What does she mean by that, Severus?"
Severus rubbed his face and sighed. "Hermione was tortured with the Cruciatus Curse — multiple times — repeatedly."
Minerva and Fleur gasped. Andromeda stilled from rubbing behind her younger sister's back.
"Lestrange!" Minerva shrieked in fury, causing Bellatrix to flinch at the high-pitched voice.
"When Bella brought Hermione back to the manor, she asked her about the prophecy. Hermione told her that they both were soulmates," he explained.
"I didn't believe her. I thought she was lying," Bellatrix slumped in her seat, head buried in her hands. Her tears never stopped flowing.
"Hermione would never tell lies. You could have known if she's telling lies because she's bad at it," Fleur said.
That's what I said," Severus agreed.
"I didn't know her! And I'm a Death Eater if you've forgotten!" Bellatrix slammed her fist on the sturdy table. "How was I supposed to know how to act around her? I can't just randomly show strangers that I have multiple personas, can I?" Her fingers raked through her hair in frustration.
"What do you mean, multiple personas?" Minerva's fury backtracked as she looked at Bellatrix in confusion. She was ignored, however.
"But what does Cissy have to do with it? Why is she crying too?" Andromeda asked, hugging her shaking sister tightly in her arms. She ignored the wetness on her shoulder from Narcissa's tears.
"Because I didn't stop Bella," Narcissa answered, her voice croaked. She pulled away from Andromeda slightly and wiped her tears dry. "I envied her; she was prophesied as Hermione's soulmate when they barely knew each other. Because I was mad that my feelings were not reciprocated, I didn't stop Bella from torturing her."
Her lips turned downwards as she said the next words in harsh whispers, "and because I regretted telling Lucius that Hermione was in the manor. I caused her pain she did not deserve…"
Minerva was too shocked to even get mad anymore. 'Bellatrix? Multiple personas? Narcissa has feelings for Hermione and caused her pain?' She felt dizzy with every thought that was swimming in her mind.
Fleur stood up from her seat and went to stand by the wall, speechless to say anything. Andromeda was also speechless, but she stayed by her sisters' side. She could understand what they were feeling, and she knew that they both were regretting their actions.
"I'm sorry…" Bellatrix muttered under her breath.
"Me too…" Narcissa whispered.
"There's nothing we can do about it now, can we? The past is in the past. Can we just move on and think about how to make sure Hermione will wake up again?" Minerva said after a while.
"There's more you need to know before that," Severus said.
"Honestly, today has been nothing but surprises. I'm tired to feel astounded anymore, so go on, Sev, just say what you must, Narcissa said after she had calmed down. The others nodded, agreeing to her words.
"Well, all right then. To be honest, Hermione and I, we're actually not from this era," he said as a matter of fact. He eyed them warily, but they were just staring at him with curiosity in their eyes.
He conjured Hermione's favourite book — which he forgot to take from his study — and showed to them. "Have any of you read this book before?"
Five pairs of eyes read the title of the old book — Morgan Le Fay: The Once and Future Queen, written by K.A. Pendragon. They nodded to him but could not follow his thoughts.
Until one person shouted from across the room, "wait!"
"Wait!"
Everyone sought out the person who shouted from across the room — it was Fleur. The girl hurriedly went back to her seat an pointed a hand towards the book.
"May I?" She asked politely.
Severus nodded his head, smirking to himself — happy that at least one person could get the message he was trying to deliver.
Fleur flipped the pages until it stopped at a certain page and presented it to the others. "Look!" She said.
"What is it, Ms. Delacour?" Narcissa asked.
"Fleur, please," she replied hastily. "Look at the prophecy written in this book."
Andromeda took the book from beside her and read the passage loudly, easing others from the trouble.
"The queen from the dark will be born anew. Though born in the pure, she will be hidden in the dirt. She will have the beauty and the mind with the most knowledge. She will be cast aside, and she will be torn apart. In the brink between life and death, she will meet her five counterparts. Only together then their souls are complete. The queen from the dark will be born anew. Side by side, they will rule what is theirs." Andromeda finished reading and gasped, but the other three ladies remained in befuddled.
"Madames, can't you see? The prophecy and Hermione's prophecy, they are the same!" Fleur exclaimed aloud.
"But what does this mean?" Minerva asked.
"All right, I give." Bellatrix held her arms up in surrender. "Severus?"
The man smiled at the group of fazed ladies. "You are absolutely right, Fleur. The two prophecies are actually the same. Only the book version is a modified and edited version."
"How do you know? Which one is the truth?" Minerva asked.
"Both are true — the original prophecy is the one which you had just listened to, and this." He pointed towards the paper he showed before. "The book's prophecy, I wrote and modified it."
"You're the author?" Fleur asked.
Severus nodded. "I am. K.A. Pendragon was my alias — King Arthur Pendragon."
The ladies gasped. So much for being tired of surprises.
"Let me tell you a story," he said. The five ladies had their ears perked up as they were intrigued to know what he was going t say. He chuckled at their undivided attention.
"If you recall the story in the book, Queen Morgan had a vision of her future, where she was prophesied to be reincarnated — in a new body. Before she let go of her last breath, she put a curse — or a blessing — on her half-brother, King Arthur, to be reincarnated with her. After she died, Arthur decided to devote his time in making preparation for her reincarnation, and he wrote this book about her."
Severus paused and took a sip of his tea. "So, here's the thing. After decades and a couple of reincarnations, King Arthur is finally reincarnated as me — Severus Snape — while Hermione is the reincarnation of Her Majesty. Basically, in my body is the soul of my past self — King Arthur Pendragon, ruler of Camelot and Head of the Knights of the Round Table. And in Hermione' body is the soul of her past self — Queen Morgan Le Fay, ruler of Avalon, and future ruler of this world."
Severus finished his speech by levitating his famous sword and shield by his side. Everyone knew that no one could wield the Excalibur except the true owner, and having the real sword by his side showed that he was the legendary man. He chuckled at the bewildered look on the five ladies sitting in front of him.
You're joking," Bellatrix said.
"You're kidding," Andromeda said.
"What—Huh—what?" Minerva stuttered in disbelief.
"Au contraire, I'm telling the truth," he said. "In fact, I have known about you all for centuries, before you were even born. Still can't believe me?" He raised one eyebrow as he looked at them.
Five heads shook from side to side.
Severus took another old parchment, cleared the table, and laid the parchment open. As he unrolled the scroll, a drawing appeared on the paper out of nothing, as if he had done some transfiguration on it.
"This is a drawing made by our royal painter, right after Her Majesty had the vision of her future. As you can see, it was dated back to the day — September 19th, 1140. I have kept this in my possession for centuries, it was sealed and warded so as to not let it get out, be stolen or modified by anyone, so you can trust in its authenticity."
Each of the five ladies was becoming more perplexed as they studied the portraits. On the paper was written in one heading — The Blacks, the Veela and the Tabby Cat — and the portraits of five ladies in two rows.
On the first row were three portraits with the exact looks of the three Black sisters — from left: Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda — while on the second row were the portraits with the exact looks of Fleur and Minerva, except that—
"This one doesn't look like Minerva," Andromeda commented.
The said person remained silent but her heart was pounding hard in her chest. 'How on earth?' she thought to herself.
"That's actually what Minerva looks like, without all the glamour she wore on herself," Severus simply answered her.
"How do you know? Did Hermione tell you?" Minerva was astounded.
Severus shook his head at the woman. "I can see the real you beneath all the glamour and charms, from the first time I saw you years ago. I didn't need Hermione to tell me about it, and I'm sure Hermione also said the same thing?"
"Yes, she told me with exactly the same words," Minerva nodded reluctantly. She pulled out her wand and flicked it to vanish the charms and glamour she put on herself. Appeared in front of Bellatrix, Andromeda, Narcissa, and Fleur for the first time was a woman stranger to them. She had dark brown hair, sharp eyes and nose, and she looked younger compared to Minerva McGonagall that they knew.
"Are you really Professor McGonagall?" Fleur asked, her eyes wandered around the woman's new features.
Minerva nodded hesitantly. "I am, and please call me Minerva, Fleur."
"Wow, you really are gorgeous, I could kiss you!" Bellatrix exclaimed, making the woman blushed red.
"Indeed, you're beautiful, Minerva," Andromeda said in agreement.
"I see that both of you still have your crushes on Minerva. How many years has it been since our school years?" Narcissa mad a remark and laughed merrily. Fleur joined in and chuckled. Bellatrix and Andromeda stuck their tongues out at their youngest sister while Minerva flushed redder at the compliments.
"But they're correct, you are beautiful, Minerva," Narcissa said.
"Thank you." Minerva smiled shyly. 'Why am I blushing like a teenager?!' Severus cleared his throat. "I also would like to tell you who Hermione really is," he said, his tone was all seriousness.
"There's more?" Bellatrix whined. "Just how special is she?"
"Very special, you'll be surprised," he said with a wide grin.
"The truth is, she comes from one of the most renowned families the world."
"The Granger?" Narcissa asked in confusion, she had never heard of that family's name in her social circle. The man shook his head. "No. She was adopted by the Granger since she was a babe, but she was actually born into the Most Ancient and Most Noble family, one of the Sacred 28 Pure-blood families, the—"
Beep—beep—beep—
A loud, continuous beeping sound suddenly echoed around the room and startled everyone. They looked around to make out the source of the noise until Severus jumped from his seat — knocking his chair backwards — and held out his hand. The wristband he wore on his left hand was beeping loudly, signaling to him of the sudden change of Hermione's heartbeat.
"Shit!" He muttered and immediately left the room. The others quickly followed behind him.
"What happened, Sir?" Fleur asked worriedly.
"Yeah, Sev, what's that noise?" Bellatrix chimed in.
"Something must have happened to Hermione. I placed an enchantment on my wristband to alert me for any changes in her heartbeat," he explained in a rush. One hand waved over the wristband and the sound immediately stopped.
The moment they stepped into Hermione's room, there was nothing that could explain for the sudden alarm. There was no indication that someone broke into the room — or anything like that — and no changes to Hermione's physical being. She still looked serene lying on the bed, lifeless.
However, Severus should have known better. He pulled the duvet down — not caring about her nakedness — and covered his hands over her heart, sensing the erratic heartbeat beneath his palms.
When he tried to assess the magic inside, he was shocked at what he found. Hermione's magic was running amok, clashing uncontrollably as if there was a duel or a fight event ongoing inside.
Suddenly the heartbeat changed again. However, this time, his face drained in colour.
"How is she, Sev?" Narcissa asked, her voice was barely heard by him.
Paled, he turned towards them. "Help, please… I need your help, please save her!"
Hermione's heartbeat was getting weaker with every passing second.