All right, so I was mean, SORRY! I said I'd post again! Review it guys, I will update after every couple of reviews, but only if people read!

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secretofavalon: thanks for correcting me, it is Apollo arguing with Artemis, not Aries

Recap: Circe has left for Olympus to watch a fight between two of the other gods. Hermione set off in the direction of the Wizarding village. What neither Goddess or Grandchild noticed was the two men crouching in the tall grain…

Chapter the Sixth

Hermione stared at her wand as she walked through the wheat field. How was she going to explain this? The whole point of keeping silent on her family history was so that she could gain favor with everyone herself, without any special treatment. Yet now she had a wand with a gem for a handle and a jewel at the base. Well, at least they'll have to stop calling me "Mudblood," won't they. It'll be interesting to see everyone tomorrow morning. Especially Draco.

Just then, Hermione heard a twig break behind her. Whirling around, she realized that she was still two miles from the school gates, and the safety of the grounds. Hermione immediately took up a defensive stance, as she saw two cloaked figures coming toward her, almost as if they were gliding. The silver light of the moon shattered on cold steel masks.

The two Death Eaters raised their wands, and Hermione immediately yelled "Expelliarmus"… but nothing happened. "Stupify!" Yet again, nothing happened. Circe's voice rang in her ears, "your magic has decided that it too wants to bind the Key to itself… The binding has already taken effect, but it won't be active until dawn."

Oh, no , my magic is bound until morning, she thought, just before the shorter of the two Death Eaters yelled, "Petrificus Totalus."

With that, Hermione found her body locked up, and try though she might, the spell kept her from moving at all.

"Well, Miss Granger," said the taller of the two men, in a voice Hermione easily recognized as Lucius Malfoy, "It is stupid for you to perform rituals wherever people can see them. You never know who is watching. Stupify!" With that, everything went black.

Why does my head ache so much? Why can't I move? What happened? Questions ran through Hermione's head as her vision began to clear. The scene before her immediately brought back her memory of the attack. Lucius Malfoy was standing on her right, and Draco on her left. That was terrifying enough, but the… creature… in front of her caused her to wish she was again unconscious. For lounging in a throne-like chair ten feet away, was Lord Voldemort.

"What isss thisss you have brought me, Luciuss?" the barely-humanoid snake hissed, "Isssn't thissss the Mudblood chit that chasssesss Potter?"

"Yes, my Lord, it is. It appears the girl was attempting to garner the favor of a goddess. A light caught my eye, and my son and I went to investigate. We found Granger kneeling in front of a woman. Her wand has become… interesting. She is not worthy of it."

"Of courssse not. It isss not for one asss impure asss ssshe to hold any wand," Voldemort turned to Draco, who was maintaining the levitation spell. "Do you have the wand?"

Draco nodded and held out Hermione's wand. Voldemort turned in his throne and said something in Parseltongue. Nagani, Voldemort's gigantic pet snake, slithered out, and approached Draco. The blond boy's eyes widened as the serpent wound it's way down the deep green carpet, and took the wand in it's mouth. As Nagani took the wand back to Voldemort, Draco visibly relaxed, and returned to maintaining the spell that kept Hermione aloft.

"I am pleasssed Missster Malfoy. Luciusss, the two of you dessserve a reward for ssso perfect a gift. I can feel the power contained in thisss wand. The Mudblood is yoursss to play with, but return her to Hogwartsss when you are through." Voldemort waved his hand at the Malfoys, and watched as they disapperated. Glancing back to a door behind the throne, he called, "Come in Ssseverusss. I have a job for you."

Professor Severus Snape walked into the room and knelt before the Dark Lord. He kissed the hem of Voldemort's robe, stood, and backed up to the base of the dais. "Yes, my Lord? What is it you would have me do?"

"Ssseverusss, you have failed to bring the Potter boy to me, but we have a… gift for him. I believe ssshe isss one of your studentsss. The Mudblood Granger isss being prepared for her return to the sschool. I feel the power in the girl'sss wand, but I cannot access it. It refusssesss to obey me. Asss sssuch, it doesss me no good. You mussst determine what is so ssspecial about that girl and her wand."

At this Snape was surprised. It was not often that the Dark Lord asked him to perform a certain task, but as he was Miss Granger's teacher, it was logical. It was the request about her wand that caught his attention. "May I see the wand, my Lord? I cannot determine it's specific qualities unless I am able to observe it's use."

"Take the wand, Ssseverusss. I must know what it isss before I can make ussse of it," Voldemort said tossing the wand to Snape. He knew that Voldemort was dismissing him, but he realized that if Miss Granger was being "prepared" for her return, she was probably being tortured.

Snape knew that he had to attempt to save Miss Granger, so he asked, "What am I to say about Miss Granger when the old fool asks? He is quite particular about Potter and his two friends. If she is hurt, he will suspect me."

"That isss true. I sssussspect you should go collect her before the Malfoysss have had their fun. They are in the Malfoy essstate. You may tell them that I wisssh you to take her back to the ssschool before ssshe is completely broken."

"As you wish, my Lord," Snape said. Without looking at the wand Voldemort had given him, he Apperated to the living room of Malfoy Manor.

A/N: Ok, everyone, one more chapter will go up tonight. Let me know how you like it so far.