Sometimes there's this hollow in the heart that reminds us that we lost someone. That pain was the constant reminder of what we lost. It was the constant gap that could never be filled. No matter how much we try, the pain would always be there.
For Hermione Granger that pain, that hollow started the moment her best friend Harry Potter said that he was going to the Forbidden Forest to face Voldemort alone. She knew for a year that this day would come. She knew that the day when Harry finds out about him being an unintentional hocroxe. She knew that he has to die if they have to destroy Voldemort. She also knew that the moment Harry learnt the truth; he would sacrifice himself for the 'greater good'.
She anticipated it. She knew nothing in this world can stop Harry from sacrificing himself for the Wizarding world. She has been preparing herself for this moment for so long. But no matter how long she was preparing her heart to bear that pain, she still couldn't bear that pain.
Just then the voice of Voldemort boomed through the walls. "Harry Potter is dead."
Nothing in this world could define what she felt that moment. Her best friend, her surrogate brother was dead. She walked alongside her boyfriend, Ronald Weasley. Ginny Weasley and her father Arthur Weasley soon followed so did the remaining students at Hogwarts.
There, pacing the length of the grounds of Hogwarts was the Dark Lord in what could be defined as the creepy way. Hermione held Ronald's hand as she wished everything above them to say that this was some joke. She held her breath as she waited for Harry to open his eyes, jump out of Hagrid's hands, who was cradling him and crying while the Death Eaters bound him with ropes.
But that didn't happen. To add fuel to the fire, Bellatrix was standing there cackling like crackers on the New year's eve. She wanted to believe that some miracles would happen. But it didn't.
Voldemort turned toward Lucius Malfoy and said, "Lucius, go get that boy of yours"
Hermione turned around to see Draco Malfoy there, staring at Harry's body with what seemed like tears in his eyes. Maybe she was just in so much grief that she was seeing things.
Lucius Malfoy and Narcisssa Malfoy murmured a 'Yes, M'lord' and walked toward their side. Several witches and wizards gripped their wands, preparing for anything. They expected the three Malfoys to start attacking the remaining members of the light side. But it never came. They just walked toward their son and stood on his either side.
Voldemort frowned but didn't say anything.
Just then they heard the door of the Great Hall open. The very dead Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin and Nymphodora Tonks Lupin walk out of the door and stood in the front line.
Hermione would have given anything to picture that look on Bellatrix's face. Her cackling stopped, her eyes grew round and her jaws dropped. After all, it was not every day you see the person you killed, walk alive. It was not only Bellatrix, each and every one there was looking at them with their open jaws.
Apparently Voldemort didn't know that the three people who were dead not ten minutes ago walked out of Hogwarts very much alive, so he continued. "Come forth and join me. You'll be spared. Harry Potter is dead. Your 'hope' is no more"
"Are you sure about that, Tom?" a familiar calm voice said from just behind the Death Eaters.
For the first time ever, Voldemort's face screamed fear. Because just like ten feet behind him was Albus Dumbledore with his twinkling eyes with Severus Snape at his right and Ted Tonks on his left. The trio walked forward and crossed Voldemort.
Voldemort like a child pointed his finger at Snape and said, "I killed you"
"Did you?" Snape smirked and continued on their path.
Each and every person there was openly gaping at them. What with all the dead people walking? Hermione thought.
She was watching every move of Voldemort keenly. They could gape at the new/old comers later, but the evil was still standing. She could see Hagrid moving silently away from the Death Eaters while their attention was solely on Albus Dumbledore.
Suddenly they heard a noise. A sound that Hermione not heard since their third year, the sound of their favourite hippogriff, Buckbeak. He landed using the ground as his runway with the Death Eaters creating an aisle, moving aside with fear. Over it sat, Sirius Black.
"What took you so long, Padfoot?" Remus asked, obviously irritated.
"Well, since you didn't bother to give me the address, I had to search all of muggle London to find their Castle" Sirius huffed.
"Well, you could've asked me" Licius Malfoy joined them, casually.
Everyone except Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape frowned at him. Sirius opened his mouth to say something, obviously cutting, but Voldemort's voice interrupted them, "Lucius, Come this side" he hissed.
"No" Lucius Malfoy said.
Everyone around them was gaping for the umpteenth time that day.
"No?" Voldemort hissed. "You owe me everything"
Lucius Malfoy smirked, "I owe you nothing"
Voldemort glared openly at him, "You are loyal to me"
Before Lucius Malfoy could say something, someone behind the Death Eaters said, "No, He's loyal to me"
Everyone turned to the voice. There stood eight men and women, dressed in modern muggle clothes.
Niklaus quickly scanned the crowd and his gaze fell on his daughter. She was holding a ginger boy's hand. Niklaus frowned but just nodded at her and Albus and Severus. His daughter returned that nod. He knew she doesn't remember him and his family. After all, he was the one who compelled her to forget them for her own safety.
He was relieved that she was alright. He then hardened his face and fixed his hardened eyes on the Serpent man. God, he looked hideous. Whether he was born that way or he was made that way, he did not understand. But God, he looked like someone threw up all over him.
Niklaus smirked. He really was going to enjoy torturing him.
"Who are you?" the serpent hissed at him.
Niklaus smirked, "The most powerful Immortal to walk on earth" he said with his hands spread wide.
"Most powerful immortal, eh?" Snake face hissed, "I shall show who the real Immortal is"
Niklaus raised his left eyebrow defiantly with a smirk.
"Avada Kedavra" the snake hissed, and a green light appeared at his wands tip. The next thing he knew the green light hit him and he was consumed by darkness.
Arabelle rolled her eyes. She looked down and saw her 'dead' brother. He turned to Damon and Stefan and nodded. Within seconds, they zoomed toward the Death Eaters and trapped them with salt.
Arabelle joined hands with Kol and Bonnie. They started murmuring the all too familiar trapping spell.
She could hear the Dark Lord hissing at them, asking them what they were doing. But she was not going to give him a second of her time. It only took thirty seconds for them to trap the Death Eaters in her magical salt circle. She could still hear both the snakes hissing. God, how Hope put up with this thing for years, she did not understand.
Basically Arabelle Salvatore nee Mikaelson was a very patient woman. But the very sight of the Dark Lord was driving her mad. Looking at him now, Niklaus was not as much as a bad boy compared to him. Niklaus would actually seem like a child. They all stood there with their hands crossed, waiting for the moron to wake up. God, she could not believe that he taunted that stupid noseless-prat about him being an immortal. She was actually looking forward to see that prat's when Niklaus would wake up.
Ronald Weasley looked with batted breath, at the still body of the man, among the new comers. One moment he was there smirking at Voldemort, the next minute he was lying there. Merlin, he was going to be sick. How Voldemort killed without another thought, he would never understand. No scratch that, he would, after all, the git has no soul, to feel guilty.
Ronald's eyes then went to Hagrid who was now hugging Harry's body and crying louder than a mountain troll. He couldn't take his eyes off of his best friend's dead body. He wanted to believe that this was a sick joke. But he knew better. He looked at the body of the new comer. Was that how his friend was killed? A flick of wand and two cursed words killed his best mate?
He looked at Hermione. She was looking straight at the man's dead body. Her eyes filled with tears. Whether it was for the man or harry, he did not know. He looked back at the new comers. They were not happy. But they were also not sad. He could still not get his head around the fact that two of them moved faster than anything he had ever seen. After the circled the Death Eaters, they were inside a circle of salt.
Looking at the Death Eaters now, he could see that they were trapped. Every time Bellatrix tried to move her leg across the salt, she met with an invisible barrier. This was bloody confusing and frustrating.
He silently tugged at Hermione's hand and gestured her toward Hagrid. They with the rest of the Order went toward him. At that moment they heard gasp.
Every eye in the grounds of Hogwarts was looking at the new comers.
Hermione was looking at the now dead man across the Death Eaters. She didn't know why, but she wanted to shout and cry at Voldemort. She didn't know why, but the man looked like he was related to her. She felt a connection to him. She didn't realize she was crying until a tear trailed down her cheek.
Suddenly she felt Ron tuck at her hand. She looked at him, he was gesturing towards Hagrid who was still carrying Harry's body. As they were moving toward the half-giant, along with the rest of the Order, they heard a gasp.
They turned toward the sound only to see the man, who was dead minutes ago was standing and smirking at the Dark Lord.
"Told you" the man sing-songed.
"How is it possible?" Voldemort's shock filled voice asked. But unfortunately was ignored.
The raven haired girl beside him rolled her eyes and said, "If you are quite finished with your childish act, Niklaus, we have some things to do"
"Oh, Come on sister" a brunette boy just behind them said, "You are not going to rob us off our entertainment"
"Yes Belle" a blonde girl said from the girl's other side, "The boy looks like a buffoon when he hisses"
A series of giggles followed on either side. Did she just say 'boy'? Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, the man who split his souls into seven parts, the man who killed muggles and muggle-borns for fun, a boy? That was hilarious. Besides, the look on his face was worth it.
"How dare you speak of me like that?" Voldemort hissed.
But that did not affect the new comers. "See, Rebekah is right for once in her long life" a brunette girl said from behind them.
The blonde, Rebekah, gritted her teeth and said, "If you are not my brother's mate, Katerina, I would have loved to hold your heart in my hand"
"Which, unfortunately for you, not going to happen, since she indeed is dear old Elijah's mate and he would never ever forgive you in his long eternity" a raven haired boy said.
"Well said Damon" a brunette man said, "But are we going to do something here, since it's our Hope's life that is in danger"
"Thank you Elijah," the girl Belle said, "at least one of you seems to be still intact of your brains"
They all moved toward them. Not stopping but a series of smirks passed on to the Death Eaters.
Suddenly they heard a thud. The thud was from a very alive Harry Potter picking himself up, from where he fell beside Hagrid.
The next moment he was engulfed in hugs by her and Ron.
Niklaus walked toward the side were Dumbledore and his fellow warriors were standing, after throwing a wide smirk at Riddle. As he moved he could see the Chosen One was awake and was engulfed in hugs. As soon as he reached Dumbledore he said, "Shall we move inside?"
The boy, Harry Potter, said, "But Vold—"
"He is trapped for now" Bonnie said, "We have a lot to discuss"
Dumbledore ordered the students, teachers and the Order members to move inside. They all moved inside. Whispered conversations around them. Niklaus knew most people doesn't know him and are reluctant to do anything he suggested.
But he was not going to stop. He was here for his daughter.
He nodded to Nadia and Matt to guard the front door. He with the remaining family members went to the dais in the Great hall. All the shouting and whispering was giving him head ache. It would give any man head ache. But his hybrid hearing was not helping.
"Silence" he said in an authoritative voice. The entire Great Hall went mum in a second. His eyes involuntarily went to Caroline, who was glaring bloody murders at him. Niklaus just rolled his eyes and looked at the crowd. In the front were his family and the Order members. "My name is Niklaus Mikaelson. We, my family and I, are here to help you in the ongoing war." He then looked at Caroline and Hayley, who was standing right beside her, and nodded.
He then looked at his daughter. "Hermione Granger" he said politely, "Could you please come forward?"
She looked hesitant. The boys, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, were ready to step before her. But Caroline and Hayley walked to them and took Hermione's hands. "Its okay" he could hear Caroline saying, "we won't hurt you"
They led her toward him. Once she stood right before him, he looked straight at her and compelled, "You will remember"
The moment the man murmured the words, Hermione felt a piercing pain in her head. She closed her eyes. Her knees were gong weak, she staggered backward but two sets of hands caught her from behind before she could fall on her backside. She could see a lot of new images coursing through her brain. Lots of gaps in her memory filled. She opened her eyes, her once brown eyes now greenish-blue filled with tears. The messy curly bushy hair now had a tinge of dirty blonde to it.
In a speed that even astounded her. She rushed toward the man and engulfed him in a soul crushing hug. "Daddy" she said.
"Princess" she heard him say in his velvety voice.
She pulled back and looked behind her to her Mother and her Step-Mother. "Momma" she said as she hugged her mother.
"Hope" her Mother said. Her brown eyes filled with tears.
Hermione took her right hand and gestured to her Step-Mother. In a moment Hermione was engulfed by a vampire and a hybrid. "Mom" she said to her Step-Mother.
"Hermione" her step-mother, Caroline said, "We are really really happy to see you"
After a five minutes long tearful reunion between the Mothers and daughter, Hermione moved toward her favourite Aunt and Uncle, Arabelle and Damon. The entire family was introduced. The always uptight uncle, Elijah, the cunning aunt, Katerina, the shy uncle, Finn, the sneaky aunt, Sage, the trouble-making uncle, Kol, very serious aunt, Bonnie, the dreamy but dangerous aunt, Rebekah, the brooding uncle, Stefan and of course the only responsible one of the lot, Aunt Arabelle and the exact opposite Uncle Damon. And her loving Cousin Nadia and Matt. She also got to meet her brother, Marcellus.
At last, Hope Hermione Hayley Mikaelson was home. She went toward her Father in the dais and said, "Dad, I think it's time I changed back"
He nodded. "Yes, Princess. You have been locked for a long time." He went toward Dumbledore with Hermione following behind, "We need a quiet place"
"The Gryffindor Common Room will do" Albus Dumbledore said and turned toward her, "You know the way Miss. Mikaelson"
Hermione blushed, "Yes, Headmaster" and asked her Father and Mothers to follow. She stopped near her Aunts and asked, "Can Harry and Ron join us?"
Arabelle nodded.
Hermione turned toward her gaping friends and asked them to follow. When she turned toward her Father, she was shocked to see that he was asking Lucius Malfoy and his family to join them. She would deal with her daddy dearest later.
They were taking the stairs when she heard Lucius Malfoy said, "You know, Niklaus, I fully expected Hope to end up in Slytherine. Merlin knows, you Mikaelsons are cunning lot"
Her father chuckled, "Trust me, I did too" he said. "Both Hayley and I were survivors. So was my entire family. Well, not entire family. Certainly not these Mystic Falls gang. If we were all of the Magical world, I would bet anything that, Elijah, Arabelle, Finn, Caroline, Bonnie, Stefan and Matt have been in Gryffindor. Brave and loyal. Twenty-five percent stupid"
"Stupid?" her Mom said.
"Oh, Come one, love" Daddy said to Mom, "Did you forget that you were stupid enough to go on dates with me to provide distraction while your idiot friends try to kill me and my family?"
To say Hermione was shocked was an understatement. "What?" she cried.
"It was a long time ago, sweety" her Mom said. She then turned to Niklaus and said, "I will have you know Mister, it was for my friend. It was called loyalty"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart" Niklaus said with a sigh and chuckle. He then turned to Lucius and said, "I think that side of the family brushed on her. Now, I know I shouldn't have let Caroline, Arabelle and Matt anywhere near Hope"
Hermione decided to change the subject, "So Dad, how's everything in New Orleans?"
"Wonderful, Princess" her Dad said, "So far, everything is fine. There are peace treaties among the factions. Finn and Sage are the head of Vampire faction, Hayley for the Werewolf faction, Bonnie and Kol for the Witch Faction, Rebekah and Katerina for Human faction. Elijah, Arabelle, Marcellus, Damon and Stefan are of High Council. And your seat in the Kingdom is awaiting you"
Hermione blushed. How could she forget? She quickly looked at Harry and Ron walking beside her. They were awfully quiet. If anything they looked like they just stepped into another world.
She looked behind her. Her aunts Arabelle and Bonnie were talking with her uncle Kol. They were all holding what looked like centuries old books. She frowned and looked ahead. Marcellus was just walking ahead. She patted his shoulder and he stopped to look back at her.
"Yes, Hope?" he asked.
"What are they doing?" she gestured toward the three people behind her.
"They are discussing about the Spells, Hope. The books they are carrying are called Grimiores. They are books that contain all the Spells that are passed on to the family for centuries. You will get one soon" Marcellus explained.
They reached the Gryffindor Tower and soon ushered into the Common Room. They all scattered in the Common Room, while Arabelle, Bonnie and Kol formed a circle and placed various candles around them. With a flick of his wrist, Kol lit the candles. Arabelle placed her grimiore in the centre and took a goblet from her bag. She put some herbs in the goblet and looked at Niklaus and Hayley.
Niklaus walked toward them first and bit into his wrist. Blood dripped from his wrist, into the goblet. Then it was Hayley's turn. She did the same. Then Arabelle bit into her wrist, just like Niklaus, and added her blood in the goblet.
She then looked straight at Hermione. "Hope, it's your turn"
Hermione walked toward them and extended her hand. Arabelle bit into her wrist and let her blood drip into the goblet. Once done, she put the goblet down and joined hands with Bonnie and Kol. She went to stand beside her friends, when Caroline went to her.
She bit her wrist and extended her hand to Hermione. Without any hesitation, she drank the blood from her Mum's wrist. Within seconds her wrist healed. Harry and Ron were practically gapping at her.
They could feel the change in the atmosphere. The Spell was taking its course. Suddenly Hermione felt her head pain like a knife has been chucked into it. She clutched her head and fell on her knees. She could feel her Father and Mothers beside her. Her head was killing her and her gums were aching. She opened her eyes.
"Welcome to the Immortal life, Princess" her father said.
The pain left her minutes later. She felt her throat burning. She was thirsty and hungry. "Daddy, I am so hungry"
"Understandable" he said, "You need to feed"
Hermione looked at him with her wide greenish-blue eyes.
"There are about fifty Death Eaters outside, love. Who would you prefer?" her Dad asked her.
Hermione bit her lower lip as she sat on the sofa in the common room. She could hear everything around her. The little sounds that were inaudible to her human ears were now louder than anything. She felt hands on her cheeks. She opened her eyes to look at the blue eyes of her Mum. "Breath in and out, sweety. Look at my eyes and concentrate on me. Block out everything else." She said.
Hermione followed her Mum's instructions to the letter. Once she was alright, she looked at her Dad, "Rodolphous Lestrange would do"
Five minutes later, a very shocked and wounded Rodolphous Lestrange was lying before her. She looked at his neck, the pulse was calling to her. Her Father bit into Lestrange's neck and held it to her. She could remember how her Mum fed. So she looked at Lestranges cold brown eyes and compelled him, "You will not scream. But you will feel the pain". Pay back's a bitch, she thought and smirked. The next moment she bit into his neck and within few minutes she drained him of his blood.
Hope you lliked it...
Next Chapter: The Final battle
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