Chapter 17

Hermione still couldn't believe she took that vow just to be fed the delusional ramblings of a mad man. He almost had her convinced until he started talking about using the chaos brought about by he-who-must-not-be-named rising from the dead to seize power for himself. She bolted after that.

Now though she was back to being alone. It was the next day and she was on her way to the library when the blonde Slytherin appeared.

"If it isn't the little know-it-all mudblood." Draco Malfoy said as he noticed her.

"I'm not in the mood Malfoy." She said icily.

Her scowl could melt steel. She didn't know what mudblood was but from context she guessed it wasn't good.

He actually flinched at that "Why you little…"

"Expelliarmus"

He started to draw his wand but was disarmed by Cedric who caught it masterfully.

"That's enough Mr. Malfoy."

"Diggory when my father hears…."

"He will do nothing. See Draco your father understands subtlety. A Trait of which you need to acquire quickly before you get punched in the face by a pissed off woman." Cedric said, tossing him back the wand.

That seemed awfully specific to Hermione.

He just spittertered and sputtered in outrage "Lets go Crabb, Goyle."

After they left she spoke.

"Are you stalking me?"

He stumbled.

"Maybe a little. You did kind of just storm off."

"You were talking about taking over the country." She said indignant.

"Only because it's necessary."

"That's what every tyrant says."

He looked down at his feet then straight into her eyes with confidence.

Damn those eyes….

"Hermione something has to give. I've seen what muggles come up with in the future. We are talking literally every muggle on the planet having a video camera in their pocket within 20 years. London will be one of the most heavily filmed places on earth, with almost every street and intersection having round the clock surveillance. They will even have in the near future satellites that can spot a flea off a dog's back from space, how long before they realize the mass of the earth is too much for its surface area from all the warded areas? We are on borrowed time eventually we will be found out. If we don't come out willingingly it will most likely result in armed conflict, and that is when we go extinct."

She shook her head "You are being melodramatic." (Does this seem to verbose for even Hermione at 12yo?)

"Hermione, we are hiding for a reason."

She paled at that having realized his point.

"They almost wiped us out centuries ago with sharp pieces of metal and fire. Now they have nukes and guns and there's billions of them. It's really only a question of whether they see us as enough of a threat for geniocide. That's why we need a transition where we show we bring more benefits to humanity then potential harm. Once a few generations go by it will be like civil rights where the newer generation doesn't even question it anymore but we need that initial integration."

That was the thing he did make a lot of sense but…

"That's why you should fix things normally. Like by running for Minister of Magic."

He flat out laughed at that.

"You mean try to convince the same wizards and witches that still dress in clothes that wouldn't look out of place 200 years ago that they need radical change?"

Now that he said so the idea did seem laughable.

"Hermione do you know anything about the American Civil War or Lincoln?"

Well that was out of the blue. She thought

"A little. Lincoln wanted to free the slaves and that caused the war right?"

"Simplified but one major hurdle was in his way if he wanted to free them. He couldn't when the south still had representation in Congress, but once they left…" He let it linger

"He could pass virtually anything he wanted."

"Bingo and he did just that with the Emancipation Proclamation. If I can gain power and use their open rebellion to pass through numerous sweeping changes I consider it killing two birds with one stone."

She shook her head. "It's still wrong."

He frowned "Maybe. If you have any better idea I'm all ears."

Of course she couldn't come up with a solution to such a complicated issue off the top of her head.

"Just leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with it."

He sighed "If that is what you want I will do that. It was nice to meet you Hermione."

And just like that he left.

XXXX

I had decided to give her space and just hope she came around. I had even stopped confounding the other kids from ignoring her. I was afraid that as smart as she was she might spot the manipulation now that she knew all about me. It turns out they still ignore her as it seems once social cliches have established it's hard to break into them.

Ah well time to move on to the next phase.

"Confundo"

"Huh"

"Just say open and speak to me slytherin greatest of the Hogwarts four, to the snake." I said to Harry.

"What? Ok Cedric."

He then turned to the snake "OPEN" and "speak to me slytherin greatest of the hogwarts four" in parseltongue. Or at least I think he did. It was all hissing to me.

"Thank you Harry, you can go."

I said pocketing the magical recording device I had Bernard track down. Apparently it was using a similar set of runes the wizarding wireless used and I would be dismantling it to see how it ticks after this.

"Oh ok. I will see you later Cedric." He said, turning to leave.

"Obliviate"

Can't take chances with this.

XXXX

I had come to the realization after the Fluer incident that all my knowledge on future cannon was well and truly fucked. Some things seem to be still in partial motion, like Dumbledore still bluffing that the stone was hidden here. Even the article in the Daily Prophet about the break-in at Gringotts was the same.

I had been planning to let things play out for the next three years but the way my plans were unravelling I decided not to tempt fate with Harry's year 2 big adventure. I had been paranoid that fate would deem that Cedric was supposed to die and some Final Destination type bullshit would happen and I would be gone.

With my Luck the damn snake would hit me full on with its stare, instead of a reflection, as I was walking back from dinner or something. Plus those potion ingredients. Basilisk Venom was almost unheard of on the black market.

"Bernard."

"Here you are Mr. Cedric"

He handed me a small cage with the Rooster I borrowed from Hagrid. Then he handed me a backpack I had prepared earlier for a backup plan.

"Are you sure about this, sir?"

"Bernard I think this is the best way to test my everything theory."

"Sir, with all due respect the idea that this reality was crafted by some author in your world is ridiculous."

"While it is possible she is some kind of god it's not so much that I think she created this reality but more likely she was channeling it so to speak. Hell it could be that most myths and folklore steem from some bleed through effect between universes. In any case there is one way to definitively answer that question to me. If a damn crow from a regular non-magic rooster can kill a hundred foot snake there has got to be some bullshit going on. There's no way that should work."

I stepped up to a random sink in a girls bathroom with the depressed one giggling creepily in the corner. I raised the recorder up to the sink and played it. The sink opened up and I stepped forward then turned to Bernard.

"You know the drill. If I'm not back in 30 mins, get Dumbledore. Tell him Cedric has gone to destroy a horcrux in the Chamber of Secrets and show him the entrance after fetching Harry…."

"And if he asks it's because Harry is a parseltongue and the entrance needs one to open it. I got it sir. Now be careful."

If the word's Chamber of Secrets and Horcrux don't get him to move his wrinkly butt I'll eat my shorts.

I nodded then jumped in.

XXXX

Bernard's master was the strangest wizard he'd ever met. He almost seemed to be contrarian just to be that way. It didn't mean he disliked him for it, to the contrary it was always entertaining. He also paid well.

He reemerged looking none the worse for wear, only with a few scrapes from the slide down and the broom ride back.

"I trust it went as planned then."

"Yea." He sighed "I'm not crazy right. That should not be possible. It violates every rule of nature. I mean there are times smaller animals can scare off larger predators but no small animal can kill a larger animal except by pure luck or in a group. What the hell is going on in this world?"

That was one of the downsides to working for him, he tended to go off on tangents that sometimes made no sense.

"It could be something that interfered with the basilisk's magic."

"Which just sounds like something an author would use to excuse bullshit. I mean is it really that she was influencing or straight up creating another universe? That sounds completely batshit."

"Sir didn't you once say that if something can neither be proven or disproven it is irrelevant."

"Uhm I did say that about religion… Uhm I guess you have a point. I can't very well prove this universe was created, influenced, or just seen by Rowling so I should ignore it." He started to regain his upbeat demeanor "Thank's Bernard almost had an existential crisis"

"Your welcome sir. Now shall I take your bag."

"Oh thanks!" He said tossing it.

Bernard caught it after fumbling it a bit.

"Please don't throw live hand grenades sir."

He just rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish expression.

XXXX

"Cedric we need to talk." Hermione said.

I had just sat down at breakfast the next day when Hermione came looking for me.

She came around faster than I thought. Must be my animal magnetism. I thought, smirking.

"Sure" I stood up and we went up to the third floor workshop.

"Ok what's up Mione"

She quirked an eyebrow but didn't immediately shoot that nickname down.

"I did a lot of thinking and had decided that I didn't want anything to do with you."

"I sense a but coming."

She frowned "I then did what I always do when I am lost, I read. I read a lot. Mostly about Magical History but then I started looking into our modern gov't. Do you know how many muggle born witches and wizards that head departments in the ministry?"

"None"

"You knew?" She said, shocked.

"Well I suspected. I hadn't actually looked into it but considering the head the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department is Arthur Weasley I figured as much. The man can't even pronounce Electricity let alone understands what it is. I mean the dept is tailored made for muggleborns and yet it's head is a clueless full-blooded wizard."

"Well that's depressing." She sighed "I don't understand, didn't the light side win? Why is the magical world still so bigoted"

"Mione I hate to keep bringing it up but the parallels to the American Civil War and the period up until the Civil Rights movement are just too obvious."

"What do you mean?"

"The North Won, the Slaves were free, and yet it was just the start of a different kind of enslavement. The idea of a light and dark side makes everything neat and orderly but it's all just bullshit and idealism. There was virtually no substance to the 'light side' it was just those that fought against Voldemort. Once he was gone the fractures returned and hell even some of his top people are still voting on the Wizengamot."

She shook her head "Which is why I think you may have a point. If there is such basis in a system then the system needs to be replaced" She paused "However if I am to be a part of this we have to do it my way."

"Yes yes…. Wait what?" I said coming to the realization that her words weren't matching my expectations. "Your way?"

"Yes by using non-violent means."

At this point I'm questioning her involvement.

Sorry it's been such a while but you know the violin song. Pity my poor overworked soul. I've also been looking back at some original works I did a few years ago that never had the balls to put up. One is over 100k words if you guys are interested let me know I might post it up on RoyalRoad or something.