Title: Little Spark of Madness
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in anyway, that belongs to JK Rowlings. I don't make any money from this either. I just do it for fun :) All original characters are my own, those would be the ones that you don't recognize from the books.
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I should be over it, but I'm not, it still haunts me every day.
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Unknown Location
The pale, tall, slender Dark Lord paced the open room of the abandoned building he was currently residing in while planning his next attack on the wizarding world. His followers had been consistently been messing up his plans with their fears of being identified.
They tried to lie to him, but they were punished for it as well. No one was going to stop his plans from moving forward. He would not accept their weakness.
Running his hand over his bald head in frustration, their ambushes were met with a force that he did not expect from the Order.
It was if if there was a traitor among his ranks which led to a number of sessions with his newer members and he dove into their minds relentlessly trying to find who had betrayed him. Yet none of them had shown an indication that had been unloyal, even if they had done some idiot things.
Composing himself as his inner circle entered the room sitting in his throne chair, his eyes grazing over the men.
"Abraxas Malfoy, Renin Lestrange, Gerald Avery, Henry Rosier, Antonin Dolohov, and Harrison Nott. I call you here because it seems as if there is an unfortunate leak within our ranks." The men in front of him narrowed their eyes in displeasure, he could read all of their thoughts as clearly as if they were his own.
Renin Lestrange stepped forward kneeling for his Dark Lord, "My Lord, tell us what you wish of us?"
At this the remaining member's knelt at once, once more pledging their allegiance to him. Nodding his head in approval, "I want you all to look closest at all new members, I don't care if they are your own sons or daughters. I want you to look at their friends at school. As much as they may think they know all there is a chance that their friends are pulling information from them."
He stood and walked across the room glancing out the moth eaten curtains, "I have already spoken with the newest members. However, there are many more that I have not. If we are to win and purge this world of the lesser beings we must be strong within."
Turning to face them his dark brown eyes glistened, "I want the traitor brought to me alive. They will not leave alive, but I need to know ALL that they have told the enemy."
Harrison Nott bowed his head as he calmed his nerves, "If it is one of our son's unintentional fault my Lord…"
Voldemort turned calmly although one could clearly see the anger blazing in his eyes, "Then you will bring them to me and they will be severely punished for their indiscretions. I will let them live, only due to your allegiances to me. They will pay a cost though, being stupid is not an excuse. Your children will need to keep an eye out for any information at school, Dumbledore is becoming a larger nuisance than normal."
Turning his head back as he looked out the window at the full moon in the sky, "Abraxas? Has our friend Mr. Greyback accepted our invitation to serve the new Dark Lord?"
Nodding his head grateful that he could give positive news, "Yes my Lord, he has agreed to save what is left of his pack. You were quite brilliant my Lord in killing off a large percent of his pack, he knows your power now. He will remain loyal."
Voldemort glanced sideways at the man groveling, "Flattery will only get you so far. However that has indeed put me in a better mood." Turning he looked at his subjects with children in Hogwarts, "And do I have four future members?"
Gerald Avery bowed his head deeper, "The youngest girl is a Ravenclaw, Amelia Morsen and has been taken in as a younger sister of sorts to to my daughters my Lord, she will be raised with the right influence. The eldest sixth year girl Mira Tobbs is a Hufflepuff, she gets along with everyone by lord. She is difficult to gauge."
Taking a breath he closed his eyes, "The twins are fifth year Gryffindors, a boy and a girl. They are Professor Minerva McGonagall's niece and nephew my Lord. My son has befriended the girl, my Lord as a study partner. I have been researching why the Black's have placed a marriage request for her. It seems there are rumors that the children are pure bloods. The boy… he is never not surrounded by Gryffindor's, we haven't reached him yet."
Abraxas Malfoy nodded in agreement, "My son has befriended her as well, she is smart my Lord. Very Smart, and strong."
Turning to face the window fully again as he pondered what the next moves would be, "Do not fail me, I want the McGonagall girl with one of your sons. That is the only way you will get the boy. You are dismissed."
Hogwarts
Boys Room (The following morning)
Hermione slowly started to wake as she felt her bed dip in near her head. Opening her eyes slowly she saw a wide awake James and Peter grinning at her mere inches from her face as she sat up screaming at the top of her lungs. Flashes of her time at Malfoy Manor rapidly flew into her mind. A grinning Wormtail looking at her as the snatchers grabbed Harry and Ron dragging them away so Bellatrix could have 'girl time' with her as she had called it.
As James and Peter fell over laughing Harry shot up in bed his wand already in hand, as he cast a spell to get whoever made Hermione scream away. Both James and Peter yelled out as they were thrown across the room into the farthest wall from Hermione with a loud thud. Harry ran from James' bed to his own where Hermione looked like she was having a panic attack.
Sirius who was in his bed trying to ignore everyone in the room shot up, "Bloody hell man. Good reflexes, but it was just these two idiots!" His words trailed off as he saw Hermione's pale expression with tears tracking down her face as Harry pulled her into his arms.
Harry just rocked her a bit once her got her against him, "It was just James and Peter Mione. Just James and Peter."
Her entire body was shaking as the memories kept coming, Bellatrix in her face, the snatchers close to her, the knife. She could barely hear Harry's soothing words to her over her screams in her head. "I thought he took them… they weren't.. Supposed… to be like… this again…"
Harry just ran his hand on her back as he whispered to her in what he hoped was a calming tone, "He took the bulk of them Mione, not all you know that. You were just triggered is all. It is okay though, it was just James and Peter trying to be funny and spook you a bit."
Harry looked up seeing his three friends looking worried. Shaking his head, "It wasn't you guys. It was something else."
James and Peter just nodded, but Sirius walked forward and sat behind Hermione. He raised a hesitant hand to rest on her back, "The memories won't go away. When you get hurt like that, it doesn't go away. Dumbledore tried helping me with memories too, I tell him they are better, but they aren't. We are here for you though, even if we… well even if I am a prat to you most the time. We would never hurt you though."
Hermione sighed and nodded her head into Harry's shoulder, "I'll be fine. I just wasn't expecting that. I should go to my own room. The sun will be up in a few hours." Looking back at Sirius she gave him a small smile noticing his nose was back to normal, "Thank you."
She looked to the other boys to say good night when she remembered that the boys might think it odd if she didn't mention Remus being missing. "Um where is Remus? Was he too sick to come back with you guys? Being outside when he wasn't well wasn't a good idea you know."
James swallowed and nodded, "He will be fine by lunch I suppose. Poppy just wanted him to stay since he was really tired."
Nodding her head she wiped her nose again, "I'll visit him later then, I can bring him some stuff to read."
Sirius frowned but didn't say anything as she walked out the door quietly. Turning to look at Harry, "Why is she so worried about Remus? She is mentally exhausted from her 'breakdown', and she is worried about getting Moony a book? Does she.. like Moony?"
Harry raised a brow as he laid on his bed, "Why? Does it matter if she likes Remus? He is a good guy, and…"
He stopped talking seeing Sirius' glare, "No, she doesn't like him like that Sirius. She does like him as a person though, they do have common interests. Who do you think she hangs out with
when we are all at practice?"
Turning back to his friends, "Now why did Remus talk in 3rd person to me last night? Remus told me that Remus would tell me something today."
Sirius got up and went to his bed quickly snuggling down to block out all light, "He'll tell you when he gets out of Poppy's clutches."
James and Peter pretty much followed suit as they ducked into their beds intent on sleeping for the rest of the morning. Harry just shrugged and laid himself down as well.
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Remus had been released just in time for lunch and was sitting quietly next to Hermione reading there Runes books trying to prepare for the upcoming week. Setting her book down softly not being able to continue ignoring the looks that he was giving her. "Is there something wrong Remus?"
Shaking his head no before shoving his own book away in order to grab another sandwich, "The others must be sleeping still, we should probably save them some food. They are right prats without food."
Hermione let out a very unlady like snort, "Not the only time that they are prats. However, you are right. Curious though, that they are all sleeping so long. What were you guys out doing last night?"
Remus swallowed hard before he had finished chewing much to his throats dismay, "We…"
"That is none of your business. We were plotting if you must know." Sirius sat across from her with a stern look on his face as her brother sat next to her with a confused look on his face.
Hermione frowned at Sirius before standing and grabbing her bag, "I guess I am no longer wanted, see you later Remus. Bye Harry. James. Peter. Arse." Nodding to each of the boys ending with Sirius as she glared at him before walking from the great hall ignoring her brother and Remus' calls for her to stop.
She walked quickly with her head down, book pressed tightly to her chest as she headed towards the library. Trying to staunch the moisture that was gathering in her eyes as she tried to squash her emotions that were taking hold. She hated that she felt like she was in first year again. Her emotions were just all over the place with Sirius, on minute he was being kind to her like on the train or that morning in the boys dorm room. However there seemed to be more times where he was an arrogant arse to her.
Not paying attention to where she was going as she turned a corner and walked straight into a hard chest, but before she could fall to the floor hands gripped her upper arms tightly.
Looking up in shock as she saw Rabastan Lestrange holding her steady. His blue eyes staring at her as she regained her posture, "I am sorry about that. I was deep in thought, are you alright?"
He simply nodded while looking down from his tall frame, Hermione realized that she only came up to his shoulders, "It is alright. You look upset though, are you alright Miss Hermione?"
She couldn't help the shock that overcame her at his manners, "I am alright thank you, I was just heading to the library to study."
He nodded and offered her his arm, "Would you like company? I need to get caught up on some research as well."
Staring at his arm she nodded before hesitantly looping her arm under the seventh years, "Alright."
Rabastan held her arm as they walked in silence for a moment, "I saw you at the Malfoy Yule Ball, you looked beautiful. You and Lucius really danced well together. Galen Avery also speaks highly of you, you are tutoring him in charms correct?"
As a blush stained her cheeks she swallowed roughly, "Oh, you were there? Thank you, Lucius was kind enough to rescue me from standing alone the entire evening. And yes, I am tutoring Galen in charms, transfiguration as well actually. He is a nice guy actually, well he is when he isn't arguing with my brother and his friends or hexing other Gryffindors. I forget about that when we talk sometimes.."
Nodding, "Yes, I notice your date escaped quite soon after arriving with you, I do apologize for not coming over, however it would have been rude to leave my own date alone."
Shaking her head, "Oh don't worry about it, I was alright. Sirius said that he had business that needed to be discussed." Biting her lip remembering that it was Rabastens own father that had been doing most of the talking and hitting.
Rabastan looked down at her thinking about her comment on Galen, "You are aware that your brother and his friends usually start things correct?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at his arrogance while she messed with a strap on her bag, "I know. However it is not every time. Maybe both sides just need to stop aggravating the other based off of the founders dislike for one another. They are long dead, as should be their feud."
Rabastan frowned at her unamused, "You sound like a Hufflepuff right now."
She huffed and turned on him with her hands on her hips, "Certainly not. I am sounding like someone who is fed up, I have no problem hexing you if the need arises. Or finishing something that another starts, I won't back down for the sake of being friends. However that being said, Slytherin or Gryffindor, we just need to stop starting problems. There are many other things that are important."
Rabastan clasped his hands behind his back as he eyed the short girl in front of him, "Like?"
Hermione was taken back by his emotionless response, "Studying, being able to work on school without the fear of an attack, that is not a way to live life."
Rabastan smirked as if he was eyeing prey, "I thought you reckless Gryffindor's had no fear?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at him for jabbing at her house, "We are brave, not fearless Rabastan. There is a difference. Having no fear is stupid, we would all be dead. Fear is healthy, it gives a survival instinct. Being brave is being scared out of your mind and doing it anyway when something needs to be done."
That was the end of that topic as the two continued talking about other things for a while until they reached the library where silence took over as they both got lost in their own studies.
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"Sirius are you bloody kidding me?" Harry dropped his bag and all but exploded at his friend, who was already pacing the room with his hands gripping his hair. "I get that you can't act like you like her too much in public, but you are treating her like shit! Just ignore her! Don't talk to her! You cannot put her down or mock her every chance you get and then flip a damn switch like this morning and act like you care! I am getting a bloody headache trying to figure out when your going to play nice or act like a right arse! So I can only guess what the hell she is thinking!"
Sirius gripped his hair harder and sat on his bed, "I can't help it! I get so mad seeing them watching me like I am going to mess up and hug her or something and then I just over do it!"
James was frowning as he sat his own bag down and watched the two of them argue, it was becoming a daily thing, "Sirius why not just drop the act? We can keep her safe some other way. We all know you like her, and not in a friend way."
Remus just fell back onto his bed covering his head with his pillow, "She is your version of Lily Sirius. James goes crazy around Lils, just like you with 'Mione."
Everyone in the room stopped talking and stared at Remus.
Harry glanced at Sirius who was as pale as a white sheet before licking his lips. There were a thousand things running through his head at the moment. In the future Sirius was his godfather. A future that no longer existed and he didn't know what was in store for him anymore.
Hearing a shuffling noise he turned to see Remus sitting up and staring at him, "You and Sirius can talk about it later after you both have had time to think about things. However now, We have other things to discuss. One is that James saw you reading a book on animagus transformations. How far along are you?"
Harry blinked as the conversation shifted and then walked to his bed pulling out his books, "I know it is dangerous, but all my family have become an animagus except my sister and I. We have read up on it for a few years now, but only this past year really started the meditation. I've seen images I guess you can say, like I am really tall, among other things."
James had an excited look on his face, "You're close then, really close. Siri, Pete and I are all animagus. We finally transformed right before the hols this year. Once you start seeing bits of yourself, it is only weeks, maybe days. We can help."
Harry grinned, "No way! Does my aunt know, I bet she is beaming that three of her students are that advanced." Remembering her words about the boys at Christmas. "Why did you guys decide to become an animagus? Remus have you transformed too?"
Remus shook his head, "No, I never will. And no one knows about them except you. They did it for me. I believe Moony promised you an explanation last night?"
Harry nodded and sat straight noticing Sirius, James and Peter looking very nervous and wary of him. "Yes, and you are speaking in third person again Remus."
Remus took a breath, "I am trusting you Harry. As my friend and a brother. If you can't deal with it I promise that I will stay away from you for the rest of our schooling. I just beg you not to say anything to anyone else."
Harry nodded seriously, "I don't think there are too many things that you could tell me that would get that reaction."
Remus chuckled darkly as he closed his eyes before looking back up at Harry who could now see specks of gold in his eyes, "I am a werewolf."
Harry kept eye contact with Remus as he slowly started to smile before calmly replaying, "I thought so. Thank you for trusting me."
Remus' jaw was dropped and as Harry scanned the three other boys they were in similar states of shock before turning back to Remus, "I am guessing when you told them they weren't as calm?"
Remus just shook his head, "No. They all freaked out a bit before deciding it was cool. How did you…. What made you think that I was one? I am usually very careful… Why aren't you terrified of me?"
Harry just walked over to his bed sitting down and tugging off his shoes, "Well besides the fact that you fold your underwear, and I cannot be terrified of a person that does that… one of my father's best friends was a werewolf. I knew the signs before my sister and I came here, the mood swings, the getting week after a full moon, getting strong before a full moon, the eyes changing from blue to gold, the blatant fact that you managed to get sick or have something come up every single full moon, I could go on but I won't."
Remus sat on James bed facing Harry. His eyes still wide, but much calmer, "You've been around another werewolf? Did he ever try and bite you?"
Harry sighed as he looked over at James, Peter and Sirius who now had a look on interest on their faces before looking back to Remus. "Yes I've been around one. While the answer is very complicated, yes his wolf tried to come after my sister and I once. He would have bitten us if he got us. He didn't though, and when he was human again he felt horrible about it. He loved us very much."
Remus shook his head, "You cared about him. 'Mione too? Wait does she know about me?"
Harry bit his lip as he looked at Remus, "Well she sort of figured you out first actually, she is the smart one you know. She won't tell anyone though, she wouldn't do that to you."
Remus looked as if his heart was going to burst from his chest, "I study with her! Hell she hugged me yesterday! How is she so comfortable with me that she can touch me?"
Harry frowned at Remus, "She has a good heart Remus, she cares about what people are like. Not what they are. Our father's friend would be in pain a lot of the time after a full moon, she would lay with him and read. Help care for him when she could, she cleaned and bandaged his wounds after the bad full moons too. Hell my sister has friends in Slytherin too. She doesn't go by titles, you should all know that."
Remus eyes widened once more as panic flew through his mind, "She touched his blood? How is she not a werewolf? The blood and saliva…"
Harry cut him off as he laid back on his bed remembering the times he had to remind Remus in his own time, "Are only able to change someone when the full moon is up and the werewolf is transformed. You cannot turn someone when you are in your human form Remus. If you scratch someone as a human, they might get a little grumpy around a full moon, want their meat a little on the rare side, but they will not change. Those symptoms are only if they break skin."
Sitting back up he cupped his face in his hands with his elbows on his knees, "So will you tell her too? My sister? I just want to know because even though she has a really big hunch, which she is apparently right about, she doesn't 'know'. I won't say anything to her about you, but I won't lie to her. I will basically walk away or ignore her question. I don't want to out right lie to her."
Remus swallowed and looked at the others, "I'll think about it. With all the drama with her and Sirius things are already strained. I won't ask you to lie though, thank you for avoiding it. Hopefully I will tell her soon, but other things need to happen first. You really think she will be okay with me?"
Harry just grinned, "Are you kidding me? She will probably be making sure you rest or taking notes for you, or knitting you big fluffy blankets to relax in, and buying you about a pound of chocolate before every full moon! She will seriously mother over you, no pity or anything, but definite mothering."
Remus looked at Sirius with a stern expression, "You better start playing nice with her or I will. Moony and I might just want to keep her."
Sirius dropped his jaw and crossed his arms, "You can't have her Remus she is mine."
Harry cleared his throat looking at the both of them sheepishly, "Um, just so you both know, she will castrate you both for referring to her as some object that you can keep. Just saying…"
James just laughed as he jumped on his bed, "This is gonna be great, now we need to start your training so you can join us on the full moons!"
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So Harry knows now! Yea!