Disclaimer : I don't own anything in the world of Harry Potter, that's J.K.Rowling's job. The plot is mine though.

Chapter 3 : Awakening

Hermione stepped cautiously through the door to the Room of Requirement and looked around. The room was as plain as she had ever seen it, much like the professor's office. She hadn't fully understood why she had been asked to come here this morning, but curiosity overcame her and she decided to see what it was about. The professor had stressed to her that it was completely optional.

That's funny, I thought he was going to meet me here? Oh wait, there he is.

He was sitting on the floor at the far wall of the room, his eyes closed and his back perfectly straight. As Hermione approached he opened his eyes. They were slightly unfocused, as if he was concentrating on something else entirely, but he voice remained totally clear.

"Are you sure you want to do this Hermione, it may be quite difficult."

Difficult? Hermione thought, Sounds interesting. I thought he was just going to make me believe in this magic?

"Yes I'm sure Professor, what do you want me to do?"

The professor considered this for a moment before continuing, "Basically I want you to throw everything you have at me. Forget your wand, point your hands at me and try to focus anything you can towards me. No, no. Not yet. Go and stand over there first," he pointed to a spot over the other side of the room, about six or seven meters away, "right, you can start when I say the word now. It might help to shout at me as well or something. Ready?"

Hermione nodded slightly, not quite sure what to do, or what she was getting herself in for. The professor took a deep breath and announced, "Now."

Hermione raised her arms and shouted rather half-heartedly, "Ahhh."

"Now."

"Ahhh," she shouted again slightly louder this time.

"Now!"

"Ahhh!" This time she really did look like she put some effort behind it, but nothing appeared to happen. The professor considered this for a moment.

"Hmm. Perhaps just trying to expel this block won't work. Close your eyes for a moment and try to think of something that really annoys you, or something you hate. Good things rarely ever come of these sorts of thoughts, but they do sometimes have their uses. When you have something, nod your head."

Hermione thought about all the things she disliked.

Quidditch, Umbridge, Harry's relatives, Malfoy… Malfoy, yes that could work. All those things he has said to Harry and me time and time again, thinking he is better than everyone else. He makes me so angry!

She was about to nod her head when another thought popped into her mind.

Voldemort. Voldemort ordering the deaths of entire families just for fun. Women and children killed needlessly to please that maniac's ego.

She nodded her head.

"Yes, that's a good one. Do not be alarmed but I may help you out a little here. I want to you to keep those thoughts in your head and this time just go when you are ready."

Hermione closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like during one of Voldemort's attacks. She could hear the screaming, the flashes of green light, the wailing of infants as their parents were cut down mercilessly. She could smell the burning of the buildings; feel the warmth of the flames against her face. As this went on she could feel something inside her, something almost bursting to get out. As she continued to think she began to give off a very slight glow. When she didn't think she could take it any more she raised her hands and shouted,

"AHHH!"

This time something certainly did happen. The air between her and the professor shimmered along like a wave. As it hit him, it forced him back a step. He could feel the power behind the wave and it was all he could do to stay on his feet, he knew most people couldn't have. But he wasn't finished yet. Hermione was standing in front of him breathing heavily, and he raised his wand towards her.

"Professor, wha… ouch!" Hermione looked down at her hand to see a small red burn. "Profe.. ooouch!"

It was much worse the second time. The curse hit exactly the same place, causing some of the already damage skin to peel away, and start to bleed.

"You useless girl!" The professor bellowed, all the time continuing to fire burning spells out of the end of his wand, "You call that magic? I must have been wasting my time dealing with a mudblood like you. I have seen more magic on the bottom of a cauldron. I am going to make sure you fail miserably in every exam you take this year."

He shot a particularly nasty spell at her shoulder, causing some of her robes to burn away leaving a rather painful burn. All the time he carried on using Legilimens to make her see the images of Voldemort she had seen before. He knew he was being tough, but he had no choice.

Hermione couldn't take any more. He hands and shoulder were in agony, and blood was flowing freely from her wounds. She couldn't get the images of the killing curse out of her mind. The screaming and the burning was just too much. She felt something snap insider her, and she drew every ounce of energy she had and focused it on the professor. There was a distant rumbling sound, and she screamed.

Being so soon after breakfast, there were still a fair number of students in the Great Hall. Suddenly everything on the tables began to shake. Cups and goblets tipped over, plates of food went crashing to the floor, and some of the lights began to flicker out. Pandemonium broke out as students and teachers alike tried to figure out what was happening. Only Dumbledore headed off quickly to the Room of Requirement.

The screaming sounded much like the wail of a Banshee. Hermione was standing there in the middle of the room screaming as loud as she could, while a massive bolt of energy shot out of her arms towards the professor. It would have hit him right in the chest, if it were not for the fact that the bolt was easily bigger than he was, covering most of the back wall. So powerful was it, that he was thrown back and suspended at least a foot off the floor. The wall around him was crumbling away, and bits of plaster and stone were falling off the ceiling.

There was a loud tearing noise, and the whole room flickered, as the powerful charms placed on the room by the Founders themselves were ripped apart, and the room became no different from any other. As suddenly as it started, the screaming stopped, and the professor crumpled to a heap on the floor, unmoving. Hermione collapsed as well, too weak to stand and shocked by what she had done. She couldn't take her eyes of the blue robed figure across the room.

Just then Dumbledore hurried in and glanced around. If he was surprised by what he saw he didn't show it. He just knelt down beside Hermione.

"Miss Granger. We need to get you to the hospital wing. Come on, it'll be all right."

"But, but professor…" she stammered, still staring at the far wall.

"Hermione look at me. Don't worry about the professor; he'll be just fine. He knew what he was doing. It's you I'm more concerned about, come on."

And with that he half led, half carried her out of the room and off to the hospital wing, without another glance behind him, leaving the other occupant of the room still lying there motionless amongst bits of plaster and what was left of the far wall.

A/N : Eventually, all will be explained.