The Little Gift of Life
"Good," said Moriarty, "Now, what time did I arrive?"
"Exactly two hours and five minutes ago," replied Madam Malkin, "I've had a room prepared."
The said room was bigger than Harry had anticipated. Hermione looked around and saw a fleece. It was beautiful, golden and well-preserved. And it reminded Hermione of a story her father had told her when she was child; Jason and the Argonauts.
Considering that they had already met a Greek gods not long ago, Medea Malkin could be the Medea of that story.
"I really liked Hermione the first day I saw her," said Madam Malkin, "I saw myself in her."
"I'm sorry for asking, but … are you Medea, like the Medea who married Jason?"
Madam Malkin laughed.
"Well, to set your mind at ease, I've never poisoned the clothing I sell."
Hermione's face went pale. Harry was confused.
"Who's Jason, Hermione?" he asked.
"Harry, I think I have to buy you a book about Greek mythology," said Hermione. "Your knowledge of it is atrociously poor."
"Medea has behaved herself pretty well for the last century, Mrs Riddle," said Stiltskin, "Actually, from the moment she met James she never committed another crime."
"My father has had a very strong influence on me," said Madam Malkin.
"Father!" exclaimed Harry and Hermione.
Moriarty looked up.
"Hold on! You were the daughter of King Aeëtes!" said Hermione.
"No," said Madam Malkin amusedly, "I was the daughter of Circe, and was adopted by that pathetic man."
"We don't have time for family matters," said Moriarty.
"Of course, Patéras."
"We are not going anywhere before I find out who Professor Moriarty was back then," said Hermione firmly.
"Haven't you guessed already? He was Odysseus, or as the Romans called him Ulysses, the man responsible for Troy's fall."
Madam Malkin smiled wickedly in a way Hermione had never seen her to do.
"You kill people's trust in me, Medea," said Moriarty dryly.
"We can continue this conversation in the past, Hermione," said Madam Malkin, "All you have to do is call him Odysseus." She pointed at Moriarty.
Moriarty frowned and gave the time-turner to Hermione.
"Stiltskin and I shall grab your shoulders," he said, "This particular time-turner should be capable of pulling our weight."
"Yes, minus Stiltskin's left arm!" said Medea.
"That was really funny," said Moriarty dryly and then he gently grabbed Hermione's shoulder, "Two hours, Hermione."
They were yanked up as if they were moving really fast, yet Harry realised that they were in fact motionless. They weren't moving, the world was. Harry couldn't register the shapes and colours passing by him vanishing like sparks. Just for a second Harry saw something odd. A face that lasted a bit longer than other things.
"Begone, Kronos!" cried Stiltskin.
But the face had already disappeared.
They suddenly hit the ground and the world around them shook without affecting them one bit.
Medea Malkin was right where she had been before.
"Did you just yell at Kronos, the Lord of Time?" said Moriarty to Stiltskin angrily.
"I'm not afraid of him."
"Well, I am!" said Moriarty, "I don't want to appear in an era where a T-Rex can eat me up!"
"Must be PTSD, last time he insulted some deity it didn't end well," said Madam Malkin.
"Oh, you mean the Odyssey!" said Hermione.
Moriarty looked outright murderous. His face was as white as chalk.
"Must have brought some bad memories back, James," said Stiltskin, "Why don't you take a seat?"
Moriarty refused to do so. He just looked at his daughter and shook his head.
"You are as mischievous as your mother, Medea. Your tongue is sharper than any sword."
"Have you told them about Olivander, Patéras?"
"He will tell them himself. He obviously had when I saw him today… or will see."
Stiltskin smiled and faced Madam Malkin. "I assume the tunnel to Leaky Cauldron is ready."
"You're standing on its entrance," she replied, "I'm a witch of my word. I hope you will be keeping your word as well."
Stiltskin sighed and gave Medea a little box.
"The invisibility ring that you had requested," said Stiltskin.
"My mother's!" said Madam Malkin with a satisfied smile. "It was mine anyway."
"We will be going, Medea," said Moriarty.
"Yes, good luck. I hate you!" said Medea unexpectedly.
"Have a nice day, and I hate you more!" was Moriarty's even more surprising answer.
Moriarty snapped his fingers and the carpet under their feet disappeared. There was a trapdoor right under Mr Stiltskin's feet. He stepped back and Medea opened it with a flick of her wand. Once they got downstairs Hermione lit the cave with Lumos.
"Use Fiendfyre!" ordered Moriarty.
"No!" said Hermione firmly.
"Yes, you have started to fear using it. That is dangerous. Come on!"
Hermione ignited the fire reluctantly. She tried to tease Moriarty but he showed no fear.
"Let it engulf me!" he said.
Hermione did not dare to do it.
"Have faith in yourself,"
Stiltskin chuckled at Hermione's terrified expression.
"Please!" Hermione pleaded.
"Maybe you shouldn't force her," said Harry.
"I know what I'm doing, Harry, so keep your mouth shut if you please."
"You are not being sensible, professor!" said Hermione.
"I don't need sensibility. Right now, you need confidence."
Hermione let the fire spread a bit.
"See, you shouldn't fear it."
Moriarty stepped forward and walked.
"Professor, could you explain why your daughter hates you?" asked Hermione.
"Medea hates me because of the Trojan Horse,"
"Well, she should, you, apparently destroyed Troy and practically committed mass genocide." said Hermione.
"That's what it was," admitted Moriarty. "We killed every single soldier in Troy. That was much better than what gods had in mind."
"What did they have in mind?" asked Harry.
"Killing every single man or woman in Troy because they had disgraced their chosen king. They had Helen and it was a terrible humiliation. We couldn't use magical means because of a certain goddess. You cannot believe what lengths some Magi go to keep their promise Harry. Mr. D is the main addressee, but other Magi were at fault, too. Which is why I cursed all gods and they decided to have some fun with me."
"That was a fair price for those who you had killed, my friend," said Stiltskin.
"I don't think so. I still feel I need to repent."
Harry felt sorry for Moriarty, but Hermione just looked at him coolly. Harry transfigured Hermione and himself into the fake characters they had created.
The end of the tunnel was dimly lit. Hermione who was ahead of all walked into a very small and dim room. Stiltskin walked in right behind her.
"Well, this place is dreadful!"
"Nonsense!" said Moriarty, "This room is perfect." He then looked at the small trays on the take and said, "Team B had breakfast."
"Yes, they have left already."
Moriarty stood straight and closed his eyes.
"So, here is what we are going to do. I will be that grumpy Japanese man you saw on the stairs of Gringotts and Mr Stiltskin will be Hermione's mother. We've already been spotted by the people downstairs. Our purchase will take more time than our past versions, because we have more to buy. But worry not! People on our side won't even notice it. We will use the time turner to go back to Order exactly when we should."
"This is a lot of trouble you're going through," said Hermione, "What if Morningstar has a spy within the Order of Phoenix?"
Moriarty smiled and looked at Harry knowingly.
"He thinks we have one," said Harry.
"Then why are we going through all this?" asked Hermione. "And everyone knows about the time-turner…"
"Well, that's how deception works, my dear." Moriarty tapped his wand on a desk and a hat appeared on it, "Schemes within schemes. I'm afraid you cannot know my scheme until its final stages. That is the only way it will work."
Moriarty took his magical skull out of his pocket and suddenly the skull started to smoke. The smoke slowly took the form of a hat and then solidified.
"This is a disguise hat," said Moriarty. "It works much better than Polyjuice Potion. However, I'll have to magically glue it to my hair to retain my disguise."
"And I will have some of Mr. Potter's special Polyjuice," said Mr. Stiltskin as he drank from a small flask.
Their journey was not eventful. The most exciting thing was meeting their past versions. Which was really quick. For the first time in a while Hermione was okay with her new character; No one hated her. No one knew her. No one cared about her.
Stiltskin and Moriarty were excellent at playing Muggle. They would react to every magical phenomenon and ask very stupid questions. Hermione almost laughed when Moriarty asked why the sodding shop owners couldn't accept his regular bills. The Goblins tried to be patient with him and said that it was how things were in the magical society.
Harry couldn't stop feeling nostalgic as they went shop by shop buying things as a first year needed.
"Joe, do you want a uhm… pet or familiar as your letter says?" asked Moriarty disguised as Peter Yang.
Harry shook his head. He had Hedwig and then he remembered that Hedwig was going to Ilvermorny with Mr. Stiltskin and Mr. Rattenfanger.
"Are you sure? I'm not a pet person myself, Joe. I guess you're just like your father."
"Maybe next year," said Mrs. Molina. "I've already told Margaret that she's getting hers next year if she's responsible enough."
"What else we ought to buy, Mrs Molina?"
"Let me have a look."
Mrs Molina - Stiltskin - skimmed the list quickly and finally said, "A wand! How exotic."
"It sure doesn't get more exotic than dead spiders we purchased earlier."
Olivander was waiting for them. His shop was empty and a bit dimmer than usual.
"Ah here you are," he said. "Please come in, Professor."
"So you recognise us anyway," said Stiltskin.
"I recognised the children. Their magic is easy to detect for me."
"Tell me your names!" said Olivander.
"I am Margaret Molina," said Hermione, "and this is Joe Yang."
"Pleasure to meet you Margaret and Joe. I am Anubis!"
Even though his words were uttered softly Hermione thought she had heard the thunder. Suddenly it began raining outside.
"Aren't you Mr Olivander?" asked Harry.
"Well, of course I am. I couldn't possibly let humans know my name. Especially those who I don't trust. You are Magi, family in a way."
"Who is he?" Harry whispered to Hermione who was paler than a ghost. She obviously knew something about Anubis.
"Anubis is the Lord of the Dead,"
"I also go by Pluto and Hades. You might also recognise my daughter Hel. But please, do call me Anubis."
"They require new wands, Mr Olivander." said Moriarty.
"Of course they do," said Olivander, "Come forth, children."
"Here we have a few that could choose you?" said Olivander, "Wands are sentient. Of course, if you tell that to wizards and witches they would freak out, but you children … you must get used to it. We Magi can transmit our magic through almost anything. We can do things Magical folk can only think of and muggles can only dream of."
"How long have you known?" asked Harry.
"That you would one day do great things? From the moment I saw you."
"Did you tell Professor Moriarty about it?" asked Hermione.
"No, I did not. I would never betray my kind to a human."
"Then why did you side with that guy?" asked Stiltskin.
Olivander's gray eyes pierced Stiltskin's soul. He just looked at him for a few seconds before answering, "The Mad Scientist was truly great. He was the rightful king. It's a pity that he has disappeared."
He faced Harry, "Right then, I have this wand for you, Mr Potter. 12 inches, rosewood and Odin's hair smeared with the blood of Kronos."
Harry refused to even touch the wand. It was most likely cursed.
"I guess I could give up having a wand," he said nervously.
"Try the damn wand, Harry!" spat Moriarty
The moment Harry touched it, the entire world shook, or maybe it was just him. He couldn't be sure, but something had moved. The wand shimmered for a second before everything went back to normal.
"I made this for you the day after we met."
Olivander smiled before facing Hermione, "And for Miss Granger I have the best of the best, 13 inches pine and fur of Hell-hound.
Hermione, too, was hesitant to take her wand but there was no choice. The wand was pleasantly cool and when Olivander tried to snatch it Hermione refused to give it to him.
"I knew you would love it. You should try making Fiendfyre with this one. It would make your fire much more alive."
"I hope I'm not being rude, but why did you call us Potter and Granger?" asked Harry.
"Because those are your real names. We Magi have been cursed to never bear our true name for humans. The curse has included you as well."
"How much for the wands?" asked Moriarty.
"Your head!" said Olivander with a dead serious tone.
Moriarty just stared at Anubis.
"It's free of charge." snarled Olivander.
"Oh, good! For a second I thought you meant it." said Moriarty with an awkward laughter.
"Give me the time-turner, Miss Granger." said Olivander. "I will set it for the exact moment you have to go back to."
"Thank you, Anubis," said Stiltskin.
"Don't thank me. I didn't do it for you. I did it for my own reasons and my silly sentiments for human kind."
Hermione did not waste any time activating the time turner. They returned to the same spot they had been only it wasn't raining anymore and Olivander was sitting.
"To the Fireplace!" said Olivander.
Harry and Hermione wanted to jump to it, but Moriarty asked them to change into their adult version. Olivander pointed at Harry and Hermione with his index and they immediately turned into their real versions.
"Wow, I didn't know you could do that," said Stiltskin.
"Of course, I can. You should have expected it. However, this is truly nothing compared to what I have learnt from your godfather, The Mad Scientist." said Stiltskin.
"I'd take Rumplestiltskin a thousand times over him, Anubis!" said Moriarty.
"Naturally!" exclaimed Olivander loudly. He then retreated to the back of his shop.
"Man, That guy is creepy!" said Moriarty before rushing them to the fireplace.
Harry didn't know how, but Olivander's calculations had been exact. When they arrived, no one said they had been late. It was as if they had not gone for a second round of shopping.
That evening, Order had a very important meeting regarding Harry's travel arrangements.
"I've already told everybody here about our plan. You all know at least some part of it, and some of you have actually asked to be obliviated when Harry and Hermione go to Hogwarts. That is an honourable request which I will oblige in my own way. I will lock the memory in your heads in a manner that only I can unlock it. Even the strongest forms of Magic cannot extract that information from you."
Lupin nodded approvingly. He had been the first to suggest Obliviation.
"Lord Voldemort has no knowledge of our plan. I would be grateful if no one tipped him." continued Moriarty, "Our enemy is the master of deceit, but is not immune to it, so even she can be fooled."
"Harry and Hermione are from now on Joe and Margaret until the winter solstice on the 21st December. You must not contact them! You cannot acknowledge them! You must be strangers until the threat is gone. No one outside this room can know."
Hermione pouted and rested her head on Harry's shoulder.
"Don't worry, guys," whispered Ginny, "It's just for a few months."
"There is always a chance that despite all our efforts things go in the wrong direction. We are to be prepared. I have already made sure my unspeakables are ready."
Mortiarty looked at Dumbledore waiting for him to talk.
"This year is going to be very difficult," said Dumbledore, "Nevertheless, we will stand and push the darkness away. Bright days can only be brought by hope. It is something that we must never lose, my dears."
He stood up and continued, "To protect his daughter, Lord Voldemort has acquired a permit to have a couple of his Death Eaters in Hogsmeade."
Moody scoffed, "And we're in that mess because you had to make a deal with Voldemort, Albus."
Moriarty coughed. "That's one hundred percent my fault, Alastor."
"It is your fault," said Moody, "But you are a civil servant, a government employee and one of the higher-ups in the Ministry of Magic where ethics are deplorable. Albus was the man out of this dirty political game you lads play. I have always respected him, because he used to be independent. Now, he's become your puppet."
"Hear, hear! I'm just trying to stop a tragedy, Alastor. If you don't like me, I could leave anytime you want. If you think I'm disturbing what you do here, I won't be bothering you anymore. However, you should know that there is a very dangerous person after Harry and Hermione…"
"I already know that! We have been told, boy! We know what's at stake, but you stepped over some serious boundaries. You let Voldemort go free. He's a disaster waiting to happen."
"I agree, Alastor. What is your solution?"
Moody just stared at him having no answer to give.
"We go and fight them?" said Fred.
"Yes, and while we're busy with Voldemort, Morningstar makes her move to wipes us out," said Harry. "I don't like Voldemort one bit, he murdered my parents, and I'm pretty sure he wants to kill me, too."
He stood up and walked to Moody. "I have seen Morningstar, and she can do things that Voldemort probably couldn't dream of."
Moody did not respond; he simply gritted his teeth and sat.
"I'm sorry that you feel this way, Alastor." said Dumbledore, "Yet I'm afraid we have little choice here. The survival of Magical beings as independent people is at stake."
"I agree," said Remus, "I don't know a lot about Morningstar, but she is clearly more dangerous than Voldemort."
"Is there anyone here who hasn't seen the memory collection?" asked Moriarty.
"Everyone has seen it, James," said Albus, "Some are less convinced."
Fawkes sang sadly next to Dumbledore.
"Severus, have you got any messages from Voldemort? asked Dumbledore.
"The Dark Lord has been awfully quiet recently, yet he asked if Mrs. Riddle would be kind enough to visit tomorrow?"
"Are you kind enough, Hermione?" asked Moriarty.
"I wouldn't mind going if I had to," replied Hermione, "But do I have to?"
"No, of course not. It's up to you. He's your father after all."
"Hermione my dear, do not feel pressured," said Dumbledore, "Tom is not going to make things harder for us. He is simply trying to see if you are on his side as his daughter."
"Which is why I'd rather you didn't go," said Moriarty.
"Well, I am going to visit him then!" said Hermione.
"What?" said Harry suddenly sitting upright.
Moriarty sighed, "I thought you didn't wish to go. I was just trying to affirm your own opinion."
Perhaps Hermione had become too sensitive to Moriarty or whoever this man was. She was not going to change her decision, though. She was not going to be anyone's puppet.
"You are not going to make me stay, are you?" she said.
Moriarty said that he would do nothing to influence her decision.
"You are a free person," he said.
Sometimes Hermione wondered if Moriarty could scan her mind despite her natural defences against Legilimency, and this was one of those moments.
"Can I go with her?" asked Harry.
"Oh, that would be tempting fate, wouldn't it be?" said Stiltskin.
"Harry, please have some common sense! You tell him, little bird." exclaimed Sirius.
"Are you suggesting that I need a bodyguard?" said Hermione, her voice dangerously high.
"Of course not!" said Harry immediately, feeling his lover's anger.
"Do you feel the same, Ginny?" asked Hermione hotly.
"I think they need protection from you, Hermione. I am sure everyone knows that."
That was not the best answer Ginny could have given because it made Hermione feel terrible. She remembered that damned New Years Eve when she had decimated Death Eaters.
She stormed out and went into her room falling in her bed and started to cry. A couple of minutes later, someone knocked.
"Go away!" said Hermione.
"It's me, Lucinda! You want me to go, little bird?"
Hermione stopped crying and looked up. Lucinda was standing by the door frame with a gentle smile.
"Only Sirius calls me little bird."
"He does so much that I am getting used to it and have adopted it."
Lucinda sat next to Hermione and hugged her.
"You are such a great kid, Hermione. Did you know that? I'd give anything I have just to get a daughter just like you."
"Oh come on. You don't want your daughter to be a carbon copy of Bellatrix Lestrange."
"Haven't you realised that looks don't matter to me? What's here," she put her index on Hermione's chest, "matters so much more."
"Lucinda there is a muscle that pumps blood, that's all."
Lucinda laughed.
"You are so Lucius when it comes to metaphors."
"Well, in that case, beneath this skin lies a killer, Lucinda. I am a killer. For the last nine months I've been avoiding it, but it keeps coming back to me. I could feel them turning into ash."
Lucinda sighed and sat closer to Hermione.
"I think you might need some mind healing, the problem is that you are a natural Occlumens and that makes you a very difficult patient. Moriarty suggested it, but there is no way I'm letting him get into your mind like that."
"I thought you trusted him," said Hermione with curiosity.
"I trust him in certain matters, but when it comes to mind healing there is no way I'm going to let a man like him enter an innocent mind like yours."
"Are you afraid he is going to corrupt my mind?"
"No, but he's not healthy himself. Human Brain is not designed to last so long and store so much information in itself. Even though it's functioning remarkably, Moriarty's mentality must have endured some heavy damage, and seeing your mind could actually be more damaging to him than it is to you."
"But he taught Harry Legilimency, didn't he?" said Hermione, "He taught Ginny, too. And all the other people who were in the Occlumency class."
"Mind healing is much more different and intimate, Hermione. Even I didn't dare do it. Despite what I said earlier, you might have to let Moriarty heal your mind, you know, if your feelings get worse."
Lucinda could not understand her. How awful she had felt since the incident and how much worse it had become as time has passed.
"Hermione, are you alright?" she heard Harry outside the room.
"I'm fine. Come in."
"I'm going to leave you guys alone," said Lucinda, "Sirius is waiting."
When she left, Hermione let the deafening silence continue. Harry did not try to break it. He, too, was upset.
"Harry, I don't know who I am anymore."
"I know. I mean I get it. I feel the same. I didn't mean …"
"I know," said Hermione with a smirk.
"What are we going to do? During these four months and after that. We are hated by almost everyone and we won't be able to defend ourselves."
"Exactly , it's awful to be judged for having the wrong parents. You suffered as both Muggle-born and Pure-blood. Well, almost a Pure-blood; your father is technically a Muggle-born."
"Oh, I hadn't thought about that! The Dark Lord, Voldemort, is technically a Muggle-born." said Hermione in awe.
"Yes, which is very, very sad because Voldemort could've been good. He could have shown the world that bloodline isn't everything even though it is not effectless either… That's not what I want to say. I just … I just think we humans are sometimes very limited in how we utilise our brain. We are very short sighted most of the time."
Hermione did not bother correcting one small detail. Harry, according to several people at least, wasn't a human.
There wasn't much time left for students in the Order. Soon they would have to go back to Hogwarts, where Professors Dumbledore and Moriarty had worked all their knowledge into the wards. Where they had a personal bodyguard disguised as a teacher. And let's not forget Salazar Slytherin himself who had built the castle. Yet Harry and Hermione knew there had to be more to Moriarty's plan.
Hogwarts was in a defensive mood, because an enemy, a timeless one that is, was plotting to come and take one or maybe two very important individuals to sacrifice and literally rip through the world and bring back the nightmare of mankind: The Magi.
Ironically this fragile world was protected by a human and his Magi allies who did not want Magi to rule it.
**HR**
"I am ready!" said Hermione for the thousandth time. She wanted to go to Voldemort.
"If you don't want to go, you don't have to," said Moriarty for the millionth time.
"But I do, Professor. Now, will you please let me?" she asked defiantly.
Moriarty nodded and walked away letting Lucius and Severus take her to her father.
"We need to side-apparate." said Severus, "The Dark Lord evacuated the old Headquarters."
"After it was severely damaged by Fiendfyre," said Lucius.
"I'm really sorry," said Hermione.
"For my burnt house?" said Lucius, "Don't worry, I've already rebuilt the missing parts."
"Lucius!" they heard a voice behind them.
"Yes, Narcissa," he said without looking back.
"Make sure Hermione is safe… please."
"I fear that I cannot do that, I might, however, I will try to protect Death Eaters from her. I don't think even the Dark Lord would dare to anger her."
Hermione heard Narcissa sob.
"Let's not waste precious time!" said Lucius cruelly. The Potion Master grabbed Hermione's hand first and then Lucius put his hand on her shoulder.
"One … two … three."
For a second nothing happened and then they felt the pressure come and go instantly.
"Wow, that was fast!" said Hermione.
Lucius and Severus seemed to be dizzy.
"That took much more effort than usual." said Severus as he tried to keep his balance.
"I concur," said Malfoy before coughing harshly.
Hermione didn't know what had happened, but somehow these two grown men couldn't handle side-apparating a 17-year-old girl.
"So where is the Headquarters?" asked Hermione.
Hermione was standing in an endless field and apparently it was going to rain soon.
"Walk three steps and then use your hands to find an invisible chain. Pull it and it will take you to the headquarters." said Lucius.
Hermione just did that and the chain did not take her anywhere. Instead the ground under their feet disappeared and Hermione found herself going down a hole, falling so swiftly that it could not be natural.
Suddenly, they were not falling but standing in a mine, filled with precious stones. Hermione tried to take one but it was stuck.
"Don't bother, Miss Riddle," said Snape. "Those will never come off. They are a part of this place's security measures."
Voldemort had to hide. That was obvious, because surely Morningstar would come after him, so he needed to ward her away. According to Snape the Department of Mysteries had provided the said warding.
Inside the mine was well lit and pleasantly warm. The Death Eaters were shaking, though. It made Hermione wonder until she realised that she herself was the most likely reason. The mine got wider as they preceded. until they reached the end to find the largest underground base in Britain. Death Eaters had built houses in the area and it looked like a town underground.
"This place can accommodate Britain's magical society, in case Morningstar wins," said Severus Snape, "However, I truly doubt that anyone would be willing to come here. Death might be more welcomed."
"The Dark Lord resides in that large building made out of emerald. That is the heart of our protections."
It took them ten minutes to get there. The walls of the Emerald building weren't very tall, but they were thick, and the building was large enough to house a few dozens at least. Inside they could see only Voldemort sitting on a chair in the middle of his books which had occupied most of the space.
"This building needs more people in it." said Hermione.
"Or carpets," added Lucius.
"Ah Lucius, deliciously humorous as always," said Voldemort.
"Hello, sir." said Hermione.
"Uh, you get to call me father, Hermione."
Voldemort smiled. Hermione did not.
"You had me attacked!" she said icily.
"And you murdered most of those who were sent, in cold blood." said Voldemort, "Yet here we are, trying to salvage our relationship as father and daughter."
"That's funny!" said Hermione.
"You came to see me,"
"I have. I just wanted to see you gloat about how you are going to betray the Order of Phoenix."
"I will not do so," said Voldemort so sincerely that Hermione lost her breath. A few seconds later she started to laugh.
"I know it seems far fetched, but it's true."
"What?" exclaimed Hermione.
"Those people, they don't know what we are up against!" spat Voldemort, "If Morningstar wins the magical world is doomed."
"I would like to hear your take on that, dad!" said Hermione mockingly.
Voldemort looked at her with an amused expression.
"How much of Muggle literature do you know?" he asked.
"A bit."
"Come and sit. You two go away." he ordered.
Hermione naturally had to sit on the only seat available, which was Voldemort's.
"Have you read any religious texts? Your parents weren't religious, but I hope you have studied some of that Bible of theirs."
"I have, marginally,"
"Well, I was raised in an orphanage, so I've read it a few times. Morningstar is Satan. Literally that is."
Hermione stared incredulously at Voldemort who continued nevertheless.
"She wants to open our world to another world where the dead reside. She claims that she wants to bring back all the dead wizards and witches and create an immortal society. She might do it, but this cannot be without a catch my dear."
"She wants to bring back the Magi, I know."
"That man … Moriarty. How much has he told you?"
"He told me, well, everything."
Voldemort seemed surprised.
"What did he say?"
"That the Magi will enslave us,"
Voldemort nodded. Suddenly his face changed to his fake more humane face.
"Has he told you about his identity?"
Voldemort probably knew this part already. But Hermione hesitated.
"Cain," said Voldemort, "Do you know who that is?"
"He killed his brother."
"Indeed," said Voldemort softly. "Morningstar or rather Lilith tried to present a partial truth and cover it with her falsehood. She claimed that she unlike her husband is against human mortality, but I am not dumb. I know she will use and discard us. Someone of her caliber will try to dominate all."
"Isn't that what you do with people?" asked Hermione.
"Precisely, so when I say someone will do it to us, I know what I'm talking about. You should not trust Moriarty. He is old and cunning, a thousand times more than Dumbledore, so tread carefully around him."
"Is that why you wanted to see me?" she asked agitatedly.
"No," Voldemort paused, his face was very gentle as any normal human.
"Then what?"
"Can you keep this a secret, Hermione? because no one can know."
Hermionn looked at him suspiciously before saying yes.
"Bellatrix!" Voldemort said loudly.
A woman emerged behind the shelves and came into view. It was Hermione's mother, and she wasn't alone. She had a baby with her.
"This is your sister, Delphini," said Voldemort. "I think it was time you two met."
Hermione looked at Bellatrix in awe and then at the baby, and then she sat on the floor.
"I have a little sister!" was all she could say.
