Who did it pt. 3
It was a full three days before Thorfinn and Hermione made an appearance downstairs. Voldemort and the rest of his followers were seated around the table, discussing the articles which had been showing up in the Daily Prophet. They were debating the merits of whether or not to show them to Hermione. As Thorfinn led her into the room, they were surprised to see her wand strapped to her arm. They were even more surprised to see a wedding band on her hand. 'When the devil had they managed that little feat?!'
Voldemort seemed especially pleased at the sight of the ring, nodding at Thorfinn approvingly. Thorfinn nodded back and pulled Hermione close to him as they walked to the only empty seats left. They were seated across from each other on each side of Voldemort. Thorfinn was on his left beside Yaxley. Hermione was seated to his right with Fenrir Greyback to her right. She was visibly nervous at being the only Muggleborn in the room.
"Oi, Lady QuitThat! Nice to see you finally! Didn't think little Finn was ever going to let us meet you!" Yaxley exclaimed. Dolohov, who had just taken a sip of firewhiskey, did a spit take at the confusion on her face. Rodolphus and Rabastan were sniggering. Bella, although smiling, was also shaking her head as she face palmed. Greyback was chuckling softly.
"Excuse me?" she glanced at Thorfinn who shook his head. He held his hands palm up, indicating he was just as confused. Voldemort pulled out the newspapers and handed them to her silently. On the first day's paper was a full page picture of the Quidditch pitch up in flames. The headline screamed "The Quidditch Pitch Inferno of 1998!" Underneath was the subtitle. "WHO DID IT?" she frowned as she read the article.
They all waited for her reaction to her own appearance in the article. They weren't disappointed. "Hermione Granger, better known as Dark Lady QuitThat, is lesser known for her activities at the Battle of Hogwarts during the fall of the Dark Lord Voldemort, but the thirst for power was evident even then. In a shocking betrayal of her friends and a disgusting act of vandalism, she set the school's famously even Quidditch pitch afire!"
"WHAT?! DARK LADY QUITTHAT?! OHHHHH! THAT BEETLE! SHE'S GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME!" Hermione screamed angrily. "The fall of Voldemort? He isn't dead, that beetle brained bottle blonde! Who was her source?! Who the devil told her all that-?! Oh! Oh, you, I'll kill you, Ronald Weasley! Just because I don't like the Chudley Cannons?! Are you kidding me?!"
She jumped up and was stopped by Thorfinn." Whoa, princess! Where do you think you're going?"
"Me? I'm going to go kill Ron Weasley! And Harry Potter! How dare he just LET Ron accuse me, ME, of setting that fire! Seriously?!" she struggled as he picked her up. "Put me down, if you know what's good for you, Rowle! NOW!"
"Nope! Don't think I will, baby girl! You are entirely too upset. It's not good for the baby, you know." He said, winking at Yaxley. Yaxley hurriedly set his drink back down and stopped Dolohov.
"Baby? What ba-? Oh, Merlin! You did not! You better not have! Rowle! I told you I wasn't ready for children! You said the same thing! What the bloody hell did you do?!" she snarled at him. He smirked at her. Yaxley, Dolohov, Greyback and the Lestrange brothers were all howling with laughter. Bella had her head laid on the table, her shoulders shaking with amusement. The Dark Lord had a napkin over his mouth, hiding his own sniggers.
"Children are a natural byproduct of marriage. We're married so naturally we're going to have babies." He said logically. She stared at him in shock.
"Excuse me, Rowle, but I think you might have taken one too many Bludgers to the head! We are NOT married yet! There has been no marriage ceremony! I would know if I've been married! You said it was just a betrothal right now! YOU said that!" she sputtered at him. He simply took her left hand in his and lifted them in front of her. Her eyes widened at the sight of a wedding band on her finger. She gritted her teeth. "And just when did you do THAT, might I ask?"
"That first night, darling, you might have been a little, um, distracted then." He smiled charmingly at her. Greyback raised a brow as she let out a growl of pure rage, directed solely at her new 'husband'. "I could have sworn I told you we WOULD be married, one way or another, sweetheart."
"So you put a wedding band on me and declared us married?! That's not legal! It can't be, not if I didn't know what was happening!" she snapped.
"Actually, darling, hate to break it to you but he can do that, even if you didn't know what was happening." Yaxley drawled. "Most betrothals only go until the girl comes of age. The first time the couple sleep together is considered their first act of marriage, whether they've performed a ceremony or not. So he's correct. Even though you haven't performed a marriage ceremony yet, the two of you are married."
"But still, it's only been three days. Surely I'm not already pregnant! Bella? I can't be, can I?" she looked at the only other witch in the room.
"When I married Roddy, we came back from a month long honeymoon already expecting a child, darling. Your Muggles have a saying, don't they, 'it only takes once.' Even if you cast a Contraceptive charm, it wears off and has to be recast each time." Bella told her gently.
"But, but how c-can I, I won't, I, I can't go to school pregnant! I'll be setting a bad example for the younger students!" she wailed. She slumped against his chest. He patted her back.
"I did cast the charm each time, Hermione. I did tell you I'm not ready for children. BUT just because I did cast the charm doesn't mean it worked each time. My mum and dad also cast the charm each time. They were married for ten years before they had me. Each and every time, without fail, they cast the charm. But here I am. The healers even told them sometimes the charm is overridden." He told her.
"So, I might have to wait nine months before I can kill Ron Weasley and Harry Potter? They lucked out. I possibly might have cooled done by then! But that beetle! She's going back into her little jar!" she griped.
"So you really did keep her in a jar then?" Yaxley questioned her, chuckling at the thought.
"Oh, yes! One whole year, she was in that jar. I think this time I might keep her there longer, much longer! And put fewer air holes in the lid! See how she likes that, stupid, nosey beetle!" she grumbled. "Still, none of this explains why they thought l was the one who set that fire!" she snatched the paper back up.
Voldemort waited for her to finish the article. "Oh, Merlin! They think you set the fire, too?" Hermione went off into gales of laughter. "Oh, THAT'S why you took me! Rowle and Yaxley ran off to the pitch. So you took Rowle's new toy!" Voldemort just shrugged at that.
"You know, we're going to have to go back, at least to defend ourselves. It might be unpleasant but we have to clear our names!" Hermione said.
"No, I have no wish to be arrested for arson nor do I intend to lose MY best arsonist to the Aurors." Voldemort nodded at Thorfinn who, as anyone in the room could confirm, had been used more than once to set buildings aflame! Hermione remembered then that her new husband WAS a bit of a firebug.
"Well, we have to do something! I can't finish my education if I can't go to the school without being arrested." Hermione reasoned.
"Looks like we have a job to do then. We need to find out who it actually was who set or ordered that fire set!" Yaxley told her. Hermione blew a strand of hair out of her face. She picked the paper again. After she reread that article, she read the rest of the articles. They chuckled as her muttered threats to Rita Skitter became more and more bloodthirsty.
"So, who's up for Quidditch?" Rowle asked. Hermione whipped around to glare at him. "What? You're a bookworm. You get to do what you do best. I'm a Quidditch player. I do, too. Win-win, Mrs. Rowle." He set her down as all but Voldemort rose up and prepared to leave.
Voldemort and Hermione just looked at the Quidditch players with an equally disbelieving look…. Then they looked at each other and it's this "there is no light and dark. There's bookworms and Quidditch players." Both threw their hands up as they realized they were going to have to figure out the real culprit on their own.
"All right then. Let's get to work, shall we?" Hermione said briskly. She busied herself finding some parchment and quills. "Now, I know it wasn't me who set the fire. I was fighting Rowle. You weren't the one who set the fire. You were fighting Harry. So if neither of us set it, then who did? Or who ordered it set and blamed us for it?"
"Any other time, I'd have had Rowle setting the fire but I knew he wouldn't touch the pitch. He's too Quidditch crazy to fire on ANY pitch, let alone the Hogwarts pitch. Besides, he was right there in front of me, him and Yaxley. Those two can be struck off the suspects. Neither Bella nor the Lestrange brothers would do it. Dolohov wouldn't either. All of them were right in plain sight of me the whole time. Those are my innermost circle except for the Malfoys."
"It was Lucius who stopped and grabbed Rowle and Yaxley to go fight the fire. As much money as he spent each year making sure the Slytherins had the best equipment, I don't see him firing the pitch either." Hermione nibbled the end of the quill thoughtfully. "I don't recall seeing Draco or Narcissa, for that matter!"
"So it could have been one of them or it would have to have been one of my lesser ranked followers or someone from the other side." Voldemort reasoned.
"Hmm, obviously it wasn't Harry or Ron. I was fighting. A good chunk of our side was Quidditch players but there were a few besides me who could care less for the sport." Hermione mused, writing those names down on the parchment. "How did the fire even start? Who was the first one to notice it?"
"Those are very good questions, my dear. Yaxley has been in contact with the Ministry, Order and the school as he IS still technically the Head Auror. You might want to ask him when they come back from their game." Voldemort told her. She made a note to herself.
"So why are you so hell bent on killing Muggles? You know, of course, they outnumber us a thousand to one. Even if you killed every Muggle in Britain, you'd still have Scotland and Ireland to weed out and that's only counting the main islands. Don't even get me started on the mainland. Why not just start with taking over Wizarding Britain and go from there, without killing people?" she asked him. He considered her question seriously.
"You mean, like a dictatorship? Hmmm, I've never thought about that angle before. Would it work, though?" he mused.
"Of course it would work. The people were already too terrified to say your name before. They're even more terrified now. It would be simply a matter of shifting key Death Eaters into key positions throughout the government, like Pious Thicknesse, for example. If you didn't want to be front and center, leave him in office to be the official face of the government while you pull the strings in the background. It would work, I'm telling you!" she insisted. She began scribbling her ideas madly as he leaned forward to discuss them.
Some time later, the Quidditch players came back to find them in a lively argument over which followers would be best suited to the positions she pointed out. Voldemort and Hermione glanced up from arguing to realize there were more people flowing into the room than before. It seemed even more of his followers had decided to return to his side. Pious Thicknesse led Travers, McNair, Mulciber and Avery into the room. Every one of them arranged themselves at the table. Thorfinn picked Hermione up and sat down with her in his lap.
"My faithful followers, I have an announcement to make. Thanks to the wise council of young Mrs. Rowle, I have decided we are no longer making attacks to get our point across. We are simply taking over the Ministry and Hogwarts. The Daily Prophet shall print only what we want printed. We are in power and we shall stay in power, without needless violence. To that end, I have appointed Mrs. Rowle as my personal secretary. If the opposition wants to contact me, they will have to get through her." Voldemort waited as his followers cheered loudly, congratulating Hermione.
"Yaxley, Hermione has some inquires about the fire that you might be able to answer better." Voldemort told the Auror.
"Does anyone know how the fire started? How long was it on fire before it was noticed? Who was the one who first saw the fire?" Hermione asked her questions at a rapid fire pace.
"They think it was a stray spark from somewhere. It had to be on fire at least thirty minutes before anyone noticed. I believe Lucius was looking for Draco and Narcissa when he glanced out a window and saw it." Yaxley answered, waiting to see if she had any more answers than he had.
"Thirty minutes. All right, I have to figure out who all was outside the castle thirty minutes prior to Rowle tying me to that table!" Hermione was again chewing the end of her quill. As dinner was served, Thorfinn had to take the quill and parchment out of her hands and remind her that she needed to eat because she was (possibly) eating for two now. The Death Eaters unobtrusively watched her. Thorfinn had to conclude that her parents were right. She did eat but it was such small amounts that he didn't see how it could have filled her up.
As soon as she finished eating, Hermione went back to her research. The longer she stared at the list of names, the more she became convinced that she knew the culprit. Now it was just a matter of telling everyone. She put aside that research in order to work on Voldemort's new political campaign. She earmarked names and positions that she felt would bring about the results he wanted without killing Harry. The Horcrux was already gone but he had still tried to kill Harry. She could clearly see that she wouldn't be going back to the right side. So she might as well make herself useful to him.
Voldemort watched the young woman. She had the same energy and drive that had sustained him years ago. It had pushed him through many political rallies. He wondered himself when it had all begun to change. Exactly when had he turned from a politician to a cold blooded murderer? He couldn't even remember now what had caused him to fear a prophecy so bad that he murdered most of a family in an effort to stop it. Why had he started craving eternal life? What was even the point of WANTING eternal life? Especially when he knew that everyone around him would eventually die, then where would he be? Alone, no followers and no power, that's where! Maybe it was time to pass the baton, especially since he knew his Horcruxes were all destroyed, thanks to her, Potter and Weasley. He decided that if he had to give his powers to anyone, it might as well be the young Muggleborn witch in front of him.
After dinner, Thorfinn swept her up, leaving her paperwork behind, and carried her back to bed. The Death Eaters knew it would probably be another day or two before they saw them again.
Voldemort pulled Yaxley, Dolohov, Bellatrix and Greyback off to a side room to discuss the shifting of his powers. He needed to know if they would still throw their support behind her. Yaxley and Dolohov were the first two to agree. Bellatrix was right behind them and Greyback mentioned that it would be his honor to be head of security for her. Now that he had her honor guard set up, Voldemort went back and told the rest of his followers there would be an important ritual happening in the next couple of days.
Thorfinn kept Hermione hemmed into their room another two days before they reemerged. By this time, Hermione was sure if she hadn't been pregnant before, she definitely would be soon. She let him know right fast that she would expect a Muggle wedding ceremony in addition to the Wizarding ceremony, if this wasn't just a big prank he was playing on her. Her father would kill them both if he didn't get to walk his baby girl down the aisle! Thorfinn assured her again that he was dead serious about marrying her. They came down, discussing when would be the best time to introduce him to her parents. She told him first they would have to go to Australia and lift the Memory charm she had put on them.
As they entered the dining room, they were startled to see everyone stand and make a double line for them to walk down. It ended at the mantel where the Dark Lord awaited them. Hermione noted his slightly labored breathing. Now that his Horcruxes were no more, the effects of aging were making themselves known. She remembered that Harry had told her the diary was the memories of a sixteen year old boy. That had been fifty years, at the time Harry had the diary. By the time he'd gone after Harry's family, he'd have to have been in his thirties, surely no older than his forties. Which meant the wizard before her was anywhere between his late sixties to late nineties.
Voldemort watched them approach. They were the perfect match, in his eyes. She was the Golden Girl of the Trio for the light wizards. Because of his hair, size and young age, Thorfinn was called the Golden Boy of the Death Eaters. His large size perfectly fit around her petite build. Together, these two would continue his legacy of introducing new laws to the Wizarding world.
"Hermione Granger-Rowle, please step forward." Hermione stepped up until she was practically toe to toe with him. "I have no heirs of my own. But I don't want my line to end. I am officially naming you as my legal heir." He took a small knife and cut a small wound on his finger. In the bowl on an end table beside him, he let three drops of blood fall. Next he reached for Hermione's hand. After a similar cut, he put three drops of her blood into the bowl. "With these words, I now unite our blood and declare Hermione Jean Granger the heir to my fortune and title. From this day, she will be known as Lady Riddle. She will be my legal daughter, soon to unite our family with the Rowle family. Do you accept this honor, Hermione?"
"Yes, I accept this honor, my lord." She gave in gracefully, knowing better than to refuse and try to fight her way out of the situation.
"Please, turn around, daughter." She and Voldemort faced his followers. "I present to you, my daughter, Hermione Jean Granger, Lady Riddle, soon to be Lady Rowle." The Death Eaters all cheered and clapped loudly. The bowl flared up in green flames, signifying the completion of the ritual. The Dark Lord put his hand on her shoulder. "There is one more part to be done. Hold up your wand, dear." Hermione held it up and watched as he laid the tip of his wand against it. A bright light grew around the wand tips and glowed brightly for several minutes. When it faded, the Dark Lord's wand fell from his hand and he slumped to the floor.
Hermione was beside him in a flash. She felt for a pulse, then leaned down to listen for a heartbeat. She put her fists together to pump on his chest. She leaned forward to feel and see if he was breathing. Nothing. No pulse, no breaths, no heartbeat. The Dark Lord Voldemort was dead. She looked up at Thorfinn. "He's gone."
"Well, Lady Riddle. We need to finalize the paperwork. He had everything drawn up and signed before the ceremony. All I need is your signature, then I can formally file the paperwork with the Ministry." Yaxley told her. She turned to him and nodded.
"What was that bright light around our wands?" she asked curiously. He looked at her and smiled.
"That, my dear, was old blood magic. That's why he needed your blood. He transferred his powers to you. That's why he passed on. His powers were the only thing keeping him alive since the battle. Now you have your powers and his as well." Hermione looked shocked. He chuckled. "That's why you are now Lady Riddle."
Hermione sat back on her heels. SHE was now Lady Riddle? "Does that make me? What was it you called me the other day? Dark Lady QuitThat?"
Yaxley laughed out loud. "No, sweetie. That was what the article called you. I was just teasing you that day!"
"By the way, I've narrowed down the list and I'm pretty sure I know who was responsible for the Quidditch pitch Inferno." She was looking at him uneasily, remembering how he and Thorfinn had reacted to the news. Yaxley leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "It was me. I was the last one who cast Incendio when we were blowing up the wooden bridge."
Yaxley considered her. "And, uh, WHY were you blowing up the bridge?"
"We were blocking access for those who couldn't Disapparate over to the school. Actually, McGonagall was the one who gave us permission to do it. Some stray sparks must have been blown down to the pitch. The flames did go quite high. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it." Clearly she was expecting them all to be angry at her. Thorfinn's brows had shot up in surprise.
"No matter, sweetheart. It was an accident. You didn't mean to set the pitch afire. That's all that matters." Yaxley stood up and pulled her to her feet. They went to the dinner table where she signed all the necessary paperwork. Greyback lifted the body of Voldemort and carried him to the next room, laying him on the couch. After signing the papers, Hermione followed and sat with him until Ministry workers arrived to take the body and the papers. She made arrangements, with Yaxley's help, for him to be buried in the Riddle Family Cemetery.
"I'll need to go back, at least long enough to tell Harry and Professor McGonagall goodbye. I need to, Thorfinn, please." She pleaded with him. He sighed.
"All right, but I'm going with you and if they make one wrong move toward you, I'll burn Hogwarts to the ground!" he threatened. Hermione smiled and slid her arms around him. She had finally decided the big galoot wasn't lying to her. She was becoming more used to showing affection for him.
"Don't worry, Finn. We're all going back with her. They want to take her, they'll have to get through all of us." Dolohov was the one who reassured Thorfinn. They were all waiting for her to lead the way, Hermione realized. She and Thorfinn walked out, hand in hand. As they came out of the hose, they Disapparated. They popped back into view at the gate. Hermione looked up at Thorfinn. He smiled and nodded towards the school.
Harry was the first one to see the large group headed their way. At first, he thought it was just another group of volunteers helping to clean up the school. Then he focused on the petite girl walking towards him. "Hermione? Hermione! She's back! Hermione's back!" he yelled, running towards her.
"Harry!" Hermione ran forward and they hugged tightly. Then she leaned back, popped him in the back of the head. "Dark Lady QuitThat?!"
"Ow! Ow! Sorry, Hermione! That was all Ron! He was talking to Skeeter while I was getting reamed out by McGonagall! I sort of didn't stand up for you too well and she was not pleased with me! I know now that I was wrong." Harry sputtered.
"Well, that's kind of why I'm here, Harry. I need to see Professor McGonagall." Harry nodded and led the way into the school. Professor McGonagall was standing on the stage with Professors Sprout, Flitwick and Slughorn. McGonagall turned and saw her. She hurried down the steps.
"OH! Miss Granger! Oh, we have been so worried about you! Are you all right, my dear?" she looked past her in alarm. Behind her was Thorfinn Rowle, Corbin Yaxley, Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange, four of the Dark Lord's most dangerous followers. But, where was Voldemort? "Miss Granger, may I ask why they are here?"
"You may. They're my followers. This is Thorfinn, soon to be my husband. I won't be staying. I just wanted to see goodbye to you and Harry. Also I have something to say." Hermione reached behind her. Thorfinn took her hand.
"All right. I do hope, Miss Granger, that you will be returning to school, once we have it functional again. It might take a few years to get it back in shape." McGonagall looked fondly at the young witch.
Ron had walked over and froze at the sight of her holding hands with the huge, blond Death Eater behind her. "Hermione, what are you doing? Why are you with THEM?"
"Hermione? Why ARE you with them? Where is Voldemort?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked at him calmly. "Lord Voldemort is dead. He passed his power, title and fortune to me. I've been legally named his heir. I'm now Lady Riddle, at least until my wedding. Then I'll be Lady Rowle." She heard the shocked gasps around her.
Hermione spotted Rita Skeeter, hiding in the shadows. "Might as well come out, beetle! I've quite the story for you! I've been reading your little stories all this time. Very interesting theories, by the way! Not sure how I managed to mesmerize the trolls but whatever! Yes, I was here and fighting. This big guy is who I was fighting." She pointed backward at Finn. "Just to let you know, I thought I'd come and tell you all myself. Lord Voldemort was not the one who set the pitch afire nor did he order a fire to be set!"
"I'M the one who set the fire! It was completely accidental but it was me! It happened while we were blowing up the wooden bridge! I was the last one to cast Incendio. It was sparks from my wand that set the pitch afire!" she looked around.
Harry and Ron both were slack jawed with shock. Confused murmuring started up all through the crowd. McGonagall had her hands over her face as she shook her head. "Oh, my dear. It wasn't all your fault. I was the one who ordered the bridge blown up."
Hermione and McGonagall looked at each other, shaking their heads. "Bloody hell!"