Chapter 7

Hermione sat in silence at the affirmation. She wanted to stand and pace across the floor but seeing as she could stand on her own at the moment, she settled for leaning forward with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Her teeth clenched at the pain, trying to keep any noise that signaled it from escape her mouth, but a low groan managed to do just that. She felt Harry's comforting hand rub her back as he leaned in whispering that everything will be okay. "Hermione, it will be okay eventually, but you need to sit back. You are hurting yourself more by sitting like this." Harry lightly pushed her to lean against the back of the couch when she nodded her head in acceptance.

"Hermione, we know you have a lot of questions, especially after what have just told you. You can go ahead and ask them; we will try to answer them as best we can," Sirius's soft voice spoke, cutting through the tense silence. Hermione's mind was swimming with questions, too many questions. She wanted to voice all of them, but she didn't know how to ask them. She didn't know which one to ask first; they were flying by, demanding to be asked first. She was simply at a loss for words, too many that she couldn't speak at the same time.

Looking towards Bellatrix, Hermione opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She nervously looked over the faces of the three adults sitting before; if she wasn't holding Harry's hand right now, she would have fainted under the stress. Settling her gaze back onto the dark witch, Hermione finally found her voice. "That woman in my dream, the one who brought me to meet you, was she a family member of yours? There's quite a bit of familiar characteristics between you two." This was not the question that she had meant to ask first, but it's safe to start off with a simply question, right?

Bellatrix was definitely not expecting this question to come up first, but nonetheless knew that it would come up eventually. If she had to admit it, she was expecting a question of 'why is this happening?' but girl was still obviously processing the information that she had recently learned. Clearing her throat, "oh, that would be our twice Great Aunt Elladora." Bellatrix replied simply. So, she right about the familiarity. "She was your governess before she brought you here to us. She cared very much for you, like a mother would a daughter, but she wasn't able to stay. She unfortunately had to return back to her own time." The dark witch sent her a comforting smile after finished speaking. All Hermione could do was nod her head in understanding.

Looking down at her lap, she spoke up her next question. "Why did she have to bring me to the future? What was so bad that caused her to bring me here in this time instead of Black Manor in 1905?" Hermione just couldn't understand why she was here if she was born in 1901. Narcissa had spoken about the dissonance between the Romanovs and this some group but it still wasn't adding up. There has to be more to it.

Narcissa chose to speak up this time. She could see the pained look in Bella's eyes as the dark witch looked upon Hermione. It hurt her to see the little witch in a lot pain and stress. "It was for you and your brother's protection. That night, you and your brother were meant to die along with the rest of your family. If Elladora were to simply bring to our ancestral home in 1905, they would have easily found you. They had known who she was, they knew she was a Black. The first place they would think to look would be here. No, the only place that you would truly be safe was here in the future. They would not be able to track you; new name, new home, new time, zero chances of tracing."

"But why?" Hermione pressed.

Narcissa sighed, "Aside from the influence your parents had on the world and the model they set forth, there was a reason as to why they were able to rule for centuries. Royal families across the world have been known to be overtaken by a stronger or more cunning house who took their places and ruled until the next house overtook them. However, the Romanovs, your House, had over taken a House that had rule for close to a millennium and ruled for centuries onward until the destruction of the monarchy. It takes great amounts of power to be able to do that, not just influence, but magical power. It has been said that one fully matured Romanov witch or wizard could possess the power that could match the power of wizards or witches like Dumbledore, tenfold. Just simply imagine the combined powers of the entire House could do." Narcissa paused her monologue, gaging the young witch's reactions. She simply nodded at the information, however, the only amount of surprise that adorned her face were the widening of her eyes.

"That's exactly what they thought too. The things you could accomplish when one of the most powerful houses that has ever graced this planet backing your beliefs and supporting your agenda. That is why they sought out the favor of your mother, but she remained unyielding in her stance. She remained firmed in her belief that there an order, a balance that needed to be maintained, siding with neither side. These reasons are what led to where you are today. They attempted to kill your entire family, not because of their influence, but because of their… your power. Eliminate the most powerful, and then nothing can stand in your way."

"So, they sought to kill me because…" Hermione asked.

This time, Bellatrix spoke up, "not of who you were at the time, but to who you would become," she said simply. This struck a chord in the auburn-haired witch. However, another thought struck her mind.

"You keep saying they, who are they?" Hermione looked towards Narcissa, who she aimed her question at.

Narcissa sent a fleeting glance to her sister and cousin before returning her gaze before speaking. "Well, at the time, witches and wizards were plagued with fear by the horrific atrocities that were committed by Gellert Grindlewald, but no one truly noticed the actions of the one wizard that was always linked to him." Narcissa paused at the shocked expressions of the two teens.

They had heard of Grindlewald; Hermione even went as far as to research more about the dark wizard. They also knew of the wizard in which Narcissa was talking about, "Dumbledore?" both of the teens ask at the same time.

The blonde witch nodded solemnly at the teens, "yes, Albus Dumbledore." She turned her gaze over to Sirius, signaling for him to speak next.

Taking the cue, Sirius sighed before opening his mouth. "At the time, he would have been around 24 years of age when the events happened at the Alexander Palace. It was just 7 years prior when the future Headmaster graduated from Hogwarts and ended his relationshipwith Grindlewald. There was a terrible accident that led to their separation, but that, however, did not stop either wizard from continuing on their journey for more power. And with power came influence, and I don't think I need to remind you of the Headmaster's already master skills of charm and manipulation." He paused and saw twin nods from Hermione and Harry. "He held these ideals of maintaining an oppressive caste system here in the British Wizarding World. Ideals that he uses today to spread lies about people who are perceived as 'dark' or who side with the Dark Lord. He believed that those with more magical prowess should be the ones to rule. And by extension believed—and still believes—the muggleborns and magical creatures are inferior, that they could never be as powerful as a pureblood."

This shocked both the boy and girl. Never once did they question the Headmaster, but, it did make sense. He had a way of overpowering people, just by his words. However, this revelation also confused Hermione, "wait, if he believes that, and you are fighting him, what you believe in?" She was looking expectantly towards the two Black sisters.

Bellatrix looked to be about to reply, but another voice beat her to it. "Well, that, dear child, is a question that I can answer," Hermione and Harry both abruptly stood up at the smooth voice that had just walked into the library. "But that will have to wait till later, unfortunately," as the Dark Lord spoke, both teens immediately-or as fast as Hermione was able to—had their wands out pointing at dark wizard. However, as fast as she stood up was as fast as she crumbled to the floor.

In an instant, Hermione clutched her abdomen and let out a loud groan. Bellatrix was immediately at her side, but Narcissa and Sirius abruptly stood with their stares fixed onto Harry who still had his wand raised at the Dark Lord. "Harry! What did I tell you before we came here?" the Black wizard hissed, causing the bespectacled teen to falter but he still kept his wand arm up. "Put it away Harry!" Sirius hissed again, but again the demand was ignored.

"It's alright Sirius," the Dark Lord silkily to said wizard, "he's angry, I understand that. But Harry," He said as He looked directly into Harry's eyes. "This is not the time for us to have this conversation or do this. This time is for Hermione, we need to give her that respect." This further enraged the teen boy.

"RESPECT?! RESPECT?! What the hell do you know about respect, especially towards Hermione?" Harry demanded earnestly, still brandishing his wand.

"I know a lot more than you think, boy. Now, please, Put. Down. The. Wand," the Dark Lord spoke lowly and slowly. Hesitantly, Harry lowered his wand arm. It was that moment that he realized that Hermione was still doubled over in pain, but he couldn't do anything for Bellatrix was wrapped around his friend trying to help her.

As Harry was having his one-sided standoff with the Dark Lord, Hermione was doubled over in pain after her sudden movement. As her knees hit the floor, she braced herself with one arm, while clutching her abdomen with the other. Though as quickly as the pain ran through her body, she was immediately wrapped in warmth. It distracted her from the searing pain as she clutched on to one of arms holding her. She could faintly hear them whispering to her. "Hermione, love, please, can you hear me?" came the whispered voice of Bellatrix. She should be wary or try to distance herself from the dark witch, but she couldn't do, she didn't want to do that. Instead, she pressed herself more into Bellatrix's body, seeking the warmth, love, and safety that it guaranteed. Hermione gave the raven-haired witch a small nod. "Okay then, can you stand with me?" Again, she received another small nod. Slowly, but surely, Hermione stood up with Bellatrix supporting her.

"Hermione…" said witch turned her head in the direction of her best friend and saw a guilt-ridden frown on his face. However, her attention was grabbed once again by Bellatrix, who placed her soft hand on the girl's face turning it towards her own.

"Hermione, sweet girl, would you be alright if Narcissa and I took you somewhere more private to check your wound? I want to make sure that no further has been done." Bellatrix had spoken softly with a concerned expression on her face, but others in the room had heard it—not that she truly minded. However, Harry did.

"No. She is not going anywhere alone with you," Harry spoke with a hard and stern expression.

Before anyone else could speak up, Sirius took the honors, "Harry, that's not your decision to make, it's Hermione." The Black wizard had said this kind but left no room for questioning.

Hermione turned back to the pleading dark witch, wow, this is a complete contrast to the woman I saw that day at the Department of Mysteries, she thought. And then she turned to look at Harry's pleading face, but she knew he had nothing truly to worry about. She had felt safe with the dark witch, there was really no other way to describe it. "Harry, it's okay. I'll be fine. I…I trust her. I know she won't hurt me." She could immediately feel the waves of happiness that was emanating from the witch behind her. She couldn't help the small smile the spread across her face at the feeling.

Soon enough, Hermione was being guided by Bellatrix and Narcissa towards when Narcissa voice resonated throughout the library, "while we tend to Hermione, maybe it would be a good time to have that conversation." Narcissa spoke as sent a pointed look to Sirius. With one last glance towards the three wizards, Hermione slowly made her way out into the hallway.

Crap! Sirius thought.