Hermione was one of the last ones to arrive at the meeting. She knew this because only three chairs were empty on the large array of fifteen occupied seats. One chair, of unique designed patterns, stood empty at the other end of the table
The whispers and hushed exchanges that were taking place had immediately died as soon as her presence was noticed. Every head in the room turned to look at her.
In another time, in another life, she would have been scared, easily intimidated. As she was right now, their vitriolic glares meant nothing to her.
Even in the dimmed lights —just one lit candelabrum hung from the ceiling was the provider of light, accentuating the atmosphere of secrecy. — she could see every stare ranged with different emotions, bafflement, curiosity, disgust, hate.
As for herself, she projected confidence in her eyes, gazing forwards, her shoulders up, her chest out and her chin high. Just like her mother taught her. It seemed that all the Death Eaters were present. This must be a special night, Hermione thought. Voldemort had to be up to something big if he gathered them all together.
What little she had learned about him was that the man preferred short and more personal gatherings. Individuals ones. A smart strategy, the girl commended. Just telling his allies the things they needed know, nothing more,
With silence reigning, the sound of her steps echoed across the room. Hermione sensed the attempts of someone trying to do Legilimency on her
'That won't do.' She put on several mental barriers, shutting out anyone who attempted to get in.
Occlumency and Legilimency were essentials abilities to have if she wanted to be inside with this pit of snakes; she learned them long before coming here.
Whispers began to rise again, speaking the same questions they been have asking among them before. 'Why is she here?' 'What is the Dark Lord thinking?' 'Why would he invite a mudblood?'
'She is Potter's friend!' 'I saw her in the Department of Mysteries fighting with Potter side by side.'
Tonight, she felt invincible, her intentions were to relish on the feeling as much as she could. Their ignorance and uncertainty were a sort of relaxing balm to her broken soul.
As she approached her chair, Greyback positioned before her, intentionally blocking her path. A growl rumbled in his chest.
Bored-looking brown eyes looked up to his face, totally unimpressed by the cheap intimidation display. "Is there something you need from me, Fenrir?" She asked, giving him a small innocent smile.
The girl furrowed her eyebrows as the air turned almost unbreathable. When she slowly craned her neck towards the man, it almost made her gag. Merlin, the odor was disgusting.
Greyback growled, showing his canines. "Your little stunt earlier managed to hit me" His hands opening and closing, claws digging into the skin of his palms.
Some werewolves, Hermione noticed, seemed to have obvious secondary effects from the Lycanthropy curse. In his case was a large amount of fur on the face even in human form, the short but very sharp claws, his teeth didn't look pretty much human-like either. Unlike the types of Lupin, Greyback couldn't walk freely in the wizarding world without immediate discrimination. Well, if he wasn't a Most Wanted by the Ministry anyway. But still, this werewolf got the worst of the lycanthropy gene pool. If she didn't abhor him so much, she would let herself feel at least a tiny bit of pity for him.
"And you want me to do what? To kiss it better?" Even though the smell was murdering her nose, her smile stretched wider.
"I want to get even." said the werewolf, stepping closer into her personal space.
Hermione couldn't hold back a bark of laughter; her shoulders slightly trembled in amusement. 'Oh, scratch that, Fenrir got the worst of any kind of gene pool. I'll smite him before he can even growl at me again.'
Noticing that the werewolf wasn't laughing with her, her eyes went wide in mocking surprise. "Oh, you are not joking? You are serious!" Her smile went wider again. Hermione gave him a measuring look. He looked like a moron that could barely hold a wand from the right end. "Well big boy, here I am" The right hand already grasping her wand under her grey robes, ready to fire.
Severus Snape was a man that couldn't be easily taken by surprise. The professor personally prided himself on always being two steps ahead of his adversaries. In fact, he couldn't recall the last time something shocked him. Distressed him? Yes. Pleasantly surprised him? Yes. Saddened him? Yes, that too.
And yet, when he stepped into the room just in time for the gathering. He saw her. Quite shocking to see a ghost, —not that the potions master was ever scared of such spectral manifestations, — the astonishing part was that this ghost appeared to be very much alive. Considering that, not so long ago, it has been stated her official death. All her close friends mourned her, even held a small intimate funeral at Hogwarts.
He was witnessing a new development, not even he saw it coming.
But alas, the girl was alive and kicking. This begged for an explanation, he thought as his five seconds stupor left him. After all, incredible feats required even more incredible explanations.
Alive, but who knows for how long, seeing that she was throwing herself in harm's way by provoking Greyback.
He stepped from the shadows that were keeping his presence hidden and swiftly approached the pair. "I see you are still recklessly stupid, Granger." The man said in his slow monotonous voice. If Hermione was surprised to see him, it didn't show on her face.
"Well, Greyback here wanted to give me a demonstration of something, isn't it, wolf?" Not even for a second, her gaze strayed from him. Her hand itched to pull out her wand.
"The only demonstration will be me eating your entrails" He snarled.
"Not before you end up engulfed in flames." Someone else's might say that the aversion she felt towards him was at the very least unjustified. The ones who knew her would say that she was being an utter hypocrite. Knowing this didn't change her position in the slightest. She still despised him.
The tension broke at the first noise of a knob being turned. Voldemort stepped into the room with Nagini beside him, and Wormtail trailing behind them. Hermione was the first to withdraw from the petty quarrel, immediately stepping away; she rushed to her respective chair.
One day, she thought, one day she would provoke him into a duel. Break his pride, and show him she wasn't someone to be messed with.
"Welcome, my dearest friends." Greeted the Dark Lord.
Just at the opposite side of the table, tar-looking eyes were fixed on her; sulfuric hate glistened in them. Her mouth displayed an ugly curve that could only be interpreted as pure disgust. Hermione didn't need to see what was going through the woman's mind, her face told her everything she needed to know and a little more.
'Trust me, the feeling is mutual.' Still, she had to admit it was better than she expected it. Considering that this was the first time they officially met face to face, in neutral circumstances, that is.
Her eyes traveled to the people beside the dark-haired woman, the Malfoys. The dignified man she used to see before was still there, sitting, sure of himself, yet his aspect seemed a little worn out. Narcissa looked fine, just as today's morning. Draco, he barely has seen his ex-bully around his own home. She cared not for him.
The Dark Lord sat at the end of the table as it was the tradition, his long fingers grasped both edges of the long ebony furniture, projecting power and authority, looking the very bit of intimidating and frightening wizard that he was. The descriptions didn't do him justice. His ruby red eyes shined brighter than the ashen white of his skin, his handsome cloak was as dark as the void itself. When he moved, the end of the garment extended in the air like black foam.
At first, the mere sight of him used to send shivers through her spine, Voldemort was intimidating even when he was in a placid, sedated mood. And while the shivers stopped after the first weeks of cooperating with him. Hermione considered that she might never get fully used to his unsettling presence. Right now, it wasn't about how he looked like, more than it was about what he was capable of what made her wary of him every time they shared a room.
"How wonderful to see all of you gathered tonight." A smile formed on his lips. He made a pause to address everyone with his eyes, which in turn, looked at him expectantly. Hermione learned that Voldemort's powerful abilities weren't just of magical nature. His influence over them was quite powerful too. "Tonight, we begin planning to finally infiltrate the ministry."
Everyone smiled, cheered and some even hit the table in a celebratory manner. Multiple short exchanges started to run across the table. Everyone held to varying degrees of enlivened expressions on their faces; except for a few members.
Snape's face remained impassive, Hermione didn't know how to react, so she copied the expression of the man sitting to her left, and Bellatrix, watching her like a hawk who was about to kill its prey.
A tug, like a finger pulling delicately the cord of a guitar, began to drone in her chest. The brunette knew this could happen. As she said, this was the first close encounter with that thing. Luckily, the vial she drank earlier would continue helping her decrease the intensity of the symptoms.
When everyone quieted down once more, the Dark Lord continued his speech, "But first," Red eyes drifted towards the girl on his left. "I would like to welcome the newest member to our circle: Hermione Granger." The smiles and talk immediately died. Nobody cheered this time.
Hermione stood up, then gave a respectful bow towards everyone in the room, looking none the wiser. "I thank you, my Lord. For bestowing me the opportunity to sit in this room." Her eyes raised to meet with the Lord's. He was pleased.
Unfortunately, most of the members at the table didn't share the Lord's feelings.
Internally, she took pleasure and amusement of being the receiver of the nasty looks, ranging from disgust, confused, distrusting, anger. Not everyone looked at her as if she was the worst thing to happen. Narcissa and Severus remained unconcerned.
She couldn't blame them. This new development would throw anyone out of the chair. How outrageous. The first impure sitting among half and pure-bloods wizards and witches.
It said something, that someone had still to object. Did everyone here fear the Dark Lord to such extent that even if his decisions were questionable, nobody would argue with him? Maybe it wasn't needed, there was the option that Voldemort himself would be in the generous mood to provide explanations to their many questions.
A deep voice, coming from one person that she didn't recognize, asked. "My Lord is this wise?"
"She is friends with Harry Potter," Yaxley said.
"She might be a spy!" A shrill voice added to the mix. Hermione recognized her as Alecto Carrow.
"She was fighting along with Harry Potter in the department of mysteries, of course she is a spy!" Dolohov replied.
"Then what is she doing here?" …Ah, Lucius. Of course.
"What do you have to say to these accusations?" The Dark Lord asked her.
'Could he trust her?' 'Is she a spy?' 'Is she truly friends with Potter?' 'What is she doing here?' Voldemort had the answer to all those questions. That was all that mattered. Not them. They could think whatever they wanted and it changed nothing.
"While I can't answer the first question. I may enlighten all of you on the rest with a single example."
All eyes were on her. The brunette knew that no matter what her words contained; those judgmental, bigoted looks wouldn't change.
She walked behind the seated members; brown eyes stared intently at the black-bearded man. "Antonin Dolohov can attest my loyalties" She spoke out loud.
Unintelligible murmurs roused, everyone turned to see Dolohov
Dolohov released a breathy chuckle. "She is crazy, I don't know what she is talking about." His body language was open, confident. Arrogant.
Hermione tilted her head slightly, insinuating that he was the one who is confused "I think not, Mister Dolohov. You just have to answer honestly." She started walking slowly towards the man who shot her a nasty curse not a few months ago.
"Now, while you and the rest of the Death Eaters were waiting for your one-way trip to Azkaban. During midnight an Auror visited your cell. Do you remember that, Mister Dolohov?"
The man swallowed but did not answer.
"This Auror tortured you. Knowing that nobody was around, this Auror used Crucio on you. After an eternity of your wailing and shouting." She remarked the last words with a mocking tone. "Did or didn't you receive twelve wands and note from this Auror?"
"…Yes." his earlier smile quickly turned into a frown. He twisted in his seat; the brunette assumed he was recalling the good times.
"And did or did not the note specifically read: Free the rest of your partners. Fail and you'll die." She paused for a moment allowing the information to be absorbed by everyone in the room "Well, you see. I was the Auror." A small smile manifested on her face. She couldn't stop it, even if she wanted it. "It is amazing what a little bit of information about the Aurors schedules, and a batch of Polyjuice can do."
"Look at it this way, ladies and gentlemen." For the first time in the night, she decided to look at them, truly see their faces and memorize every single one of them, so it will remain embedded in her memory, to savor the expression. "Were it not for me, you all be smooching with Dementors right now."
"As for the rest of your accusations." It was her turn to look at them as if they were the impure ones. "Well, there is a reason why it is I, who is sitting next to our Lord and not you."
Their reactions were, overall, contained. Something that Hermione found disappointing. Some looked down at the table, while others showed restrained contempt. Even Bellatrix didn't seem to look as if she was about to throw her the killing curse, now she looked at her as if she wanted to practice Crucio on her.
The brunette turned around to face Voldemort "But if my Lord says that is not enough to prove my loyalty, I will keep trying. I'm ready for any task my Lord is willing to give me." She gave him a soft bow, trying to convey that she meant her words.
Not fully understanding the heavy implications in her statement until much time later.
"Your eagerness is welcome, Hermione." Replied the dark wizard, satisfied with how the girl acted. He made a motion with his hand for the girl to take her seat again.
"Now, we have wasted much time with this. Let's start.
Time passed quickly, even quicker when the discussions were about committing nefarious deeds.
The meeting ended up with a lot of viable plans to overtake the ministry, now there was the small conundrum of which one could bring effectively their plans into fruition. And of course, there were a few loose ends here and there but that's what the Death Eaters were for, to tighten them up. Hermione made a few proposals at which the Lord agreed to some of them. Snape added his insights in between.
Hermione wanted to say she was surprised to see Severus Snape, but that would be a lie. She always saw something in him that made her believe in the possibility of him being a dark wizard. A Death Eater.
"Everyone, leave!" Voldemort waved his hand in dismissal. "Except for Hermione and Bellatrix, I have a task for both of you."
After the room was emptied, Voldemort stood up from his chair making a motion to both women to follow him towards the table; maps and pieces of parchment flew to position on the wall.
"The request is simple yet it requires discretion and timing." Hermione followed the imaginary line the white ashen finger traced over the north of the United Kingdom. "Here" The pointed what looks like a small town "And here" another town southeast from the first. "These are the places where Igor Karkaroff has been seen lately." Black dots appeared on the map between both towns. "It is believed that he is hiding in any of those marked areas"
Hermione remembered that name. Karkaroff, he was the headmaster of Durmstrang. A scary-looking man. He was a powerful wizard; a veteran practitioner of the dark arts according to Victor Krum. And of course, an Ex-death eater.
"You want me to find him, my Lord?" Asked Bellatrix excited at the proposition.
The brunette took notice of how Bellatrix said 'me' instead of 'us'. As if she wasn't present at all.
"No, your task is not to find him. Karkaroff is not stupid, he'll smell your miles away before you get to him." Three red dots appeared inside the towns. "Who he won't see is Hermione; a face nobody has seen in those lands. We can use this as an advantage."
Before Hermione could add her thoughts, Bellatrix stepped closer to Voldemort "My lord, are you sure the mudblood is reliable?" Venom coated her tongue.
"The same thing could be said about you." The girl calmly retorted.
"How dare you!?" Bellatrix bared her teeth. "Unlike you, filth! I have been most loyal to the Lord."
"I wasn't questioning your loyalty." Instead of engaging the woman further, the young witch directed her attention at the Dark Lord. "She is mentally unstable, my Lord. Do you believe she isn't going to be a liability in this mission?"
One wand came from its holster. "You better shut your mudblood mou-"
"Silence! Both of you!" The girl's shoulders tensed at the raspy but no less frightening tone of Voldemort's voice. She shut her mouth obediently.
If only her counterpart would have done the same...
"But my Lord-"
Hermione didn't see an early sign in the man's body language; a blink, a twitch on his muscles, anything that would have warned for what he was about to do. And when the brunette finally saw it, she was already levitating along with Bellatrix.
Voldemort cast a non-verbal Aguamenti. The spell was strong enough to wrap them in a large sphere of water levitating in the air. The sphere was huge, it almost touched the high ceiling of the drawing-room. Feet and hands moved desperately, swimming against the whirlpool towards the closest surface. However, the internal currents drag them to the center at every attempt.
Hermione saw the first bubbles of oxygen leaving her lungs; he was going to drown them.
And just as suddenly as it was cast, the spell broke.
Both women fell on the floor, loudly coughing and gasping for air. "I hope this will serve as another reminder to not question my decisions, Bellatrix." The dark witch coughed water as a response. Hermione wanted to ask if this was a reprimand for Bellatrix, then why she was included in the punishment?
For the first seconds, she felt like she was about to pass out. And damn that bloody tugging in her chest that has been bothering all night didn't help her situation. She shook her head and stood up as fast as she could, not taking any risk of angering the man further.
"Hermione you'll survey the black areas." Voldemort continued his explanation. "These two red dots are the contacts." One dot appeared in the first village, then the second dot on the village down south. "They will inform of any activity they see of Igor; your main task is to find where he is. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord"
"When you find him, you'll notify Bellatrix with this coin" He put the coin on the girl's hand. "Bellatrix you'll be the one to kill him and Hermione will act as your support."
"An owl will arrive these next days; the contacts are waiting for Igor to appear again, assuming that he hasn't moved from the area. You'll be leaving immediately after that. Be ready" He gave them one last look and turned around, ignoring the witches' presence. They were dismissed.
Hermione grasped her wand tightly as she walked towards the exit; she could hear the click of Bellatrix's heels trailing close behind her. It was easy to guess what was going to happen right after they leave the room. Bellatrix would threaten or attack her or maybe both. 'Because she is a psychotic woman.' She seemed predictable like that.
A multiple set of strategies ran in her brain. The dark witch would be the first to attack so a Protego was the only option, then maybe she shall hit her with a Stupefy or an Expeliarmus. An Incarcerus could be better; it won't do any good to hurt her. That, of course, if she could hit her. This was Bellatrix Lestrange, after all. Her infamy preceded her.
She held her breath as the door began behind them.
The brunette was ready to fight and…
Bellatrix walked past by her.
Dark locks bounced up and down, the would be lost in the dimmed corridor if not for the alabaster skin of her naked shoulders making a contrast of black and white in her body. The brunette watched how the already dried up retreating figure disappeared in the farthest corner.
The girl looked down at her robes; drops of water continuously falling on the carpet.
She felt foolish.
