Chapter 1: The Beginning
So it had begun. Those were the exact thoughts that ran through her head once she arrived home in the suburbs of London. The home where she felt the safest when growing up as a child. A bully was bothering you? Run home. If it was raining and you were currently being drenched? Run home.
Now though?
No. Home, as much as she loved it, did not feel safe. She could do nothing. Perhaps she would wait day by day with this ever-growing knot in her stomach, until eventually she either exploded or it happened. The real antagonizing question was: "What was the it?" Dumbledore said her house would be watched and guarded. Somehow, they only made her more nervous.
She sighed once more, and continued staring outside her window at the front of the house. She touched her chest gently, wincing slightly at its tenderness. The thought of having this mark on her chest began to rile her up.
And a riled up Hermione Granger wasn't very good.
She had been watching outside for any movement for the last three hours and twenty-three minutes. Not fun when being hypnotized. Crooshanks, her watch-cat, seemed undisturbed by the tension that seemed to fill his masters. She sighed. Here came her logic.
Crooshanks, being half a magical animal, was completely content and unaware. Usually, if something wasn't going to good or he had a strange feeling, he would be pacing like she would be. It put her at ease, and she hoped her half-kneezle was right.
Her thoughts drifted back to Harry and Ron. Poor Harry! The only figure that acted like a father to him had perished behind the mysterious veil. She saw the look in Harry's eyes. The look of absolute sadness. The look of heartbreak. It killed her to see him that miserable. She had resolved to find the resolution (like always) to this ever-growing madness that corrupted the Wizarding World.
Hermione walked back to her bed, before slipping under the covers carefully. Bless muggles for air conditioning. She could only imagine how hot and humid it was outside. Her scar had an eerie glow to it. It wasn't bright like the nightlights she used to have in her room when she was young. It just looked like magic. She sighed and closed her eyes.
Little did she know, her life would never be the same the moment her eyelids shut gently.
It was dark, extremely dark. She looked around at her environment, her eyes glancing quickening left and right. She noticed a tall and gloomy house. It seemed familiar to her. She couldn't quite place it. It was night for sure, and there was a calm breeze blowing. It was almost comforting. Almost.
She walked aimlessly until she found a group of all too noticeable people. The black hoods that adorned their bodies stood up to the void sky. Their masks of evil hid their faces from each other. The horrid man that took the happiness out of everything stood at the center addressing them. She crept closer, her silent footsteps informing no one of her presence. She hid behind a large tree that surround the clearing where the house was located.
"My friends! My allies! My brothers!" He began, his red gleaming eyes peering around at the group. "I am ashamed! Ashamed! So ashamed of your performances at the Ministry. The only one who may have been slightly acceptable was our dear Bella. If you would?" He said, staring at the wretched woman. She stepped from the circle graciously, and kneeled before Voldemort.
"My Lord," she said, her voice cracking. He took off her mask and looked deeply into her eyes.
"What of your husband?" He asked quietly. Hermione cringed inwardly. He was talking to her like…an equal? Hermione nearly choked when the next thought came through her mind?
Lover?
Could he even...?
She shivered in disgust and continued watching.
"He is dead My Lord. Taken care of," she replied. Her voice was softer to. Hermione thought she was about to vomit.
"Excellent," he whispered. "You may be seated over there, for no harm shall come to you." She walked next to his "throne" and sat beside it. He looked to the rest of his followers and sneered. "Tonight, we shall commence with our original plans. Lucius!" He bellowed.
Malfoy stood and walked gracefully over to the Dark Lord. "Yes My Lord?"
"Gather your men in approximately fifteen minutes. Here is the address," he said, giving Malfoy a slip of paper. Lucius bowed and resumed his previous position.
"As I was saying. Tonight, we shall strike the great Harry Potter. Oh, I do not mean physically. No, no. We are going to hit a bit farther from home actually. Tonight will be the murders of the mudblood and Potter's sidekick, Hermione Granger!"
Hermione, now fully aware gasped. What the hell was going on? She had to wake up had to escape. Voldemort was about to continue but then he stopped. He closed his eyes, his lids moving frantically. That's when she felt a slight pressure in her head. She fought it roughly sending him away, and wrenching her eyes open. The last thing she saw were the gleaming red eyes of the Dark Lord.
She nearly jumped out of bed when she regained consciousness. Now she was extremely nervous. Was it going to happen for real? She grabbed her wand and ran to the window. She waited. And waited. And waited. She glanced at one end of the street and then to the other.
When she glanced back at the far end at the street she screamed. There they were. Twenty death eaters were heading towards her house. She looked to the other side and saw twenty more death eaters causing destruction. They stopped at each house and began setting them a flame. She ran from the window and ran into her parents' room.
The dark and large luxurious room of her parents was silent, as if nothing was going on. Her father's gentle snores engulfed the room. His arms were wrapped tightly around his mother, whose soft features could be noticed from the doorway. She took a deep breath and ran over to their bed.
"Lumos!" The giant room immediately lit up.
"Mum! Dad! Get up now!" She whispered fiercely. They began to stir, and she began to shake them.
"What's wrong sweetheart?" Her father asked, his voice hoarse from sleep.
"We've got a major problem. Throw on some shoes now! Quickly!" She urged. They jumped out of bed (well as best as possible) and put on their slippers.
"Do you mind explaining what the -" her mother began but a humongous BANG! was heard from the end of the block. Her mother glanced confusingly at her father. "Why is your wand-"
"No time Mum!" She cried. "There are Death Eaters attacking our block. And they're coming for us! Remember, the terrorists I told you about!"
Her parents became deathly pale. Her mother clasped onto her father tightly.
"What are we going to do?" Her father asked, a look of rage on his face.
"We must not be seen. We are going to hide, understand?" Her parents nodded. "Crooshanks!" She cried. The cat came running in, its face now holding a look of dread. "Do you trust me?" She asked her parents they nodded. Hermione casted a Disillusionment Charm on both of her parents. They gasped and she shushed them.
"Don't let go of each others hands, all right?" They both whispered a soft
"yes."
"Are we going to loose everything?" Her mum asked quietly. Hermione sighed and nodded a yes.
"As long as we have each other, nothing matters."
The screams of her neighbors reached her ears as the laughter of their tormenters neared more rapidly. What the hell was she going to do? She had gotten her family into this mess by going to Hogwarts. She had to get them out.
"Follow me," she said, as ideas flashed through her mind. They ran down the stairs to the main floor, the glow of the fires set reaching their eyes. The death eaters had were just five houses away. An idea sprung to her head.
"Accio paper! Accio pen!" She said quickly. Paper and pen flew into her open hands. She began writing furiously, her parents looking curiously.
"What are you writing?"
"A fake note. Read."
Dear Hermione,
Your father and I left for the conference this afternoon. We won't be home for the rest of the summer. Have fun at Shelly's!
Love Mum and Dad
"What's this supposed to do?" Her father asked. Hermione smiled smugly, despite their predicament.
"It's a diversion. They'll think no one is home."
Her mother affectionately replied," so clever."
Hermione then led her parents into the basement. "C'mon. C'mon," she said urgently. They walked deep into their basement, considering their house was rather large. After finally reaching the computer room, they stopped to breathe.
"What now?" Her father asked. Hermione sighed and looked at the windows. They could easily climb through them, yes. But what if they crawled out to the Death Eaters? No.
"Point me," she said.
"What?" Her mother asked her. Hermione waved them off and looked down at her wand. It pointed north in the direction they came. She looked around, her eyes calculating. If they were attacking the block from the east and the west, then that meant they were south and at the back of the house.
"Ok, we're at the back of the house. They might surround the house, but if we get out now, the chance is less. We're going to crawl through the window and out into the backyard. We're going to hide in the farthest corner by the shed. They cannot see you, but they can see me. I want you guys to get to safely first. Understand?"
"But Hermione, you're our daughter! We're supposed to protect you!" Her mum cried, her eyes welling with tears.
"This time Mum, you can't. This gets personal too. Look we'll be fine. Let's go," she said.
Her invisible father helped both girls through the window. Hermione went first, and let Crooshanks out. "Crooshanks," she whispered. The cat looked in her direction. "If you sense anybody, stop." The cat gave somewhat of a nod, as always, and began leading them through the backyard. From a distance, Hermione could tell many of the houses were nearly burnt to the ground. The amount of people that died on her behalf suddenly hit her. She had to do something.
"Damn Gryffindor bravery," she muttered. They reached where the shed that was farthest from the house. Hermione looked at her parents sadly. "I am going to put an anti-flame charm on the shed so they don't put it on fire. Then, I'm going to put an illusion on it, so they won't even know where it is. Please trust me and do not leave? Only leave once I come for you. I want you to ask me when I lost my first tooth so we can both verify each other. I love you both; know that. If anything happens, do not leave until someone from the Order arrives. I'm going to leave you with enough food for a month. Ok?"
She felt two invisible people hug her tightly, while invisible tears landed on top of her hair.
"We love you too."
Hermione nodded and ushered them inside the shed. The dark mark was sent up into the dark sky, illuminating it with its ugly green light. Hermione conjured bundles of food at a rapid rate, and proceeded to set up the illusion and charms.
After her parents were taken care of, she crept along the fence. She stood in the shadows, praying to whatever Supreme Being to keep them all safe from harm. Their evil laughter rose, as they were right outside her house.
"That little bitch put wards up!" One man cried. She moved along the fence, still in the darkness.
"Well, we shall get through them. She's only sixteen," the voice of Lucius Malfoy rang through her. She was about to charge for revenge, when her logic came into play. Revenge against forty death eaters will get you nowhere Hermione. She crept back towards the fence. "Where the hell is the-"
"Shh," a soft voice whispered. She pressed her ear to the fence to listen more closely.
"Ian? Where's Mum? Where's Dad?" another voice asked.
"There gone," the young boy responded.
"Evan? Ian?" Hermione whispered; her eyes focused on the house.
"Whose their?" Evan asked frantically.
"It's Hermione Granger, you're next door neighbor. Are you all right?" She asked gently, her heart racing frantically in her chest.
"We're ok. But Mum and Dad…" Ian trailed off.
"It's ok boys. Relax. Is the house gone?" She asked cautiously. She heard Evan sniffle. "Boys?"
"Yes," Ian replied.
"Ok. It will all be explained eventually," she said slowly, noticing the kitchen being lit up by a wand. "I want you to stay there and not to move. Do not speak. They are in my house. Please be silent," she whispered. There was a loud bang and the back door of their house was flung open. There was an eerie silence. Lucius Malfoy and the rest of his men stared aimlessly around the backyard.
"What the bloody hell is that?" Asked an anonymous man. He pointed to the large in ground swimming pool that took up her backyard.
"I believe it is a pool of some sort. Like an enormous lake or tub. There's no sign of them," Lucius replied.
The sirens of the British police alerted the Death Eaters. Lucius looked around one last time before turning to his followers.
"There is nothing else we can do. They're not home. I can't believe Goyle said they were home. Burn the house and lets go. MOVE QUICKLY!" He bellowed.
"Incendio" the men bellowed, setting her house on fire instantly. With a bunch of "pops" they disapparated into the night.