It had been years since her last trek through the Forbidden Forest. Hermione's mouth quirked as she realized that her purpose for entering the forest that time was also to save Sirius. She held her wand lazily at her side, and smirked secretly to herself as she felt Harry's wand up her left sleeve. She had discretely nicked it from Umbridge's desk before they left the office.
Unlike last time, Harry was in the grasp of a stout woman who greatly resembled a toad. Umbridge kept one hand knotted in the robes between Harry's shoulder blades. Her other brandished her wand as she cackled about how much she was going to enjoy Dumbledore's trial and inevitable conviction.
"And then that filthy, half-breed loving traitor can spend the rest of his days rotting in the dankest cell in Azkaban!"
Hermione rolled her eyes behind Umbridge's back, but kept her tone cheery. "I think it must be a bit further ahead, I heard them say 'deep in the forest', but it can't be too much deeper. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't risk his students going so deeply into the forest."
"On the contrary, Miss Malfoy, I believe that Dumbledore has no qualms about risking his students. You see, people like him have no regard for the sanctity of the Wizarding World. If it were up to him we'd all be running amok with the beasts of the forest."
She heard a twig snap in the undergrowth, and a smirk spread across her face.
"Surely they can't be all that bad, Headmistress?" she asked, watching something dark move amidst the trees.
Umbridge gave a high, girlish hmph "Indeed they can. The half-breed is incapable of basic human reasoning or knowledge. When the Ministry controls Hogwarts completely I intend to personally oversee the purification of this wretched forest."
Harry gave a little jerk, outrage burning in his eyes. His eyes slid over to Hermione's, and she fought the urge to wink.
"Purification?" Hermione asked, a cruel glee rising in her. She could see the shadows moving among the trees, and she recognized the silhouettes easily.
"Oh yes. There should be no 'Forbidden' Forests on school grounds. Once we clear out the dangerous monsters, we'll be able to keep proper, child-appropriate animals on site. How would you like to hike amongst unicorns, and picnic with the fairies, Miss Malfoy."
Biting her lip to keep from smirking, Hermione asked carefully, "But what about the Centaurs? Won't they be upset that the order of their forest has been corrupted?"
Umbridge snorted, "Their Forest? Dear girl, the forest is not theirs. By definition, a non-human being cannot own land. The very idea! This land is part of the school, and soon it will be part of the Ministry-"
"I think not," said a rough voice.
A heavily muscled centaur emerged from the trees, his face enraged. He had a roan body, pale grizzled hair, and very large hooves. His tail swished angrily.
Umbridge jumped back, nearly losing her hold on Harry. "I am Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, and Headmistress of Hogwarts! I order you to clear out- all of you!"
Hermione noted with interest that dozens of centaurs had appeared behind the first one, their eyes glinting in the pale light. Covertly, she slid her wand up her sleeve.
"We do not answer to the Ministry, nor do we answer to a false Headmistress."
The words were deceptively calm, but the centaur took a step forward. "Take the foals and leave."
"I will not!" Umbridge screeched. "There is a weapon in this forest, and I intend to find it!" Her eyes narrowed, "Are you working for Dumbledore? Are you hiding him?"
"We do not work for any wizard," the centaur said, his chin jerking up scornfully. "This is our land, and you have trespassed far enough!"
Evidently, Umbridge did not take kindly to his words. "These are Ministry lands, and by refusing to do as I say you are in violation of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures! I have no choice but to lodge a formal complaint, and I will ensure that this herd is disbanded-"
"I don't think you will," sneered the centaur. He took another step closer, and Umbridge whipped up her wand.
"Incarcerous!" She screamed, sending a jet of ropes from the end of her wand. They wrappped around the roan centaur, twisting tightly so that he cried out in pain.
"No!" A black-haired centaur shoved his way to the front, and Hermione pulled Harry away from Umbridge quickly. The woman was shaking in fear, her wand still pointed towards the roan centaur.
"Do not help him," advised Umbridge in a shaking voice. "He will be managed by the Department for the Regula-"
"You have harmed a member of the Black Lake Clan!" hissed the centaur. "By rights you shall be judged by the Clan!"
He swooped forward, picking up Umbridge as if she weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.
"You can't do this!" She shrieked, kicking and slapping him. Her face was bright red. "I am the senior undersecretary-I am the Headmistress! Malfoy, Malfoy, use your wand!"
Hermione pretended to gape after her, watching her be carried away by the Clan. Harry was breathing heavily next to her, his eyes wide behind his glasses.
Two centaurs, a red-headed female and an old, grey male turned towards the two students.
"Please don't hurt us!" Hermione cried, holding up her arms. "She forced us to come!" She was rather proud of the shakiness in her voice. If she weren't so determined to become Minister she could go into Theatre.
The female stalked close, her eyes narrowed in distaste, "We are not the monsters your Ministry thinks," she spat. "A true centaur would never hurt a foal, no matter what their parentage may be."
"She didn't mean to offend you," Harry said quietly.
The female straightened. "I am not offended." Her tone directly contradicted her words, "Go now, leave the way you came. The forest will not bother you."
Harry seized her hand and pulled her quickly up the path. She could still hear the faint sounds of Umbridge's screams, as well as the clop of hooves. Shuddering, she retrieved her wand, and passed Harry his.
This is Umbridge, she reminded herself, thinking of the blood quill and Harry's hand. She deserves this.
While they walked, Harry filled her in about Sirius. He told her about the dream he had, and how Voldemort had something hidden in the Ministry. Hermione's frown deepened as he spoke.
"You should have told me," she said when he'd stopped. "I could have asked about the weapon."
Harry didn't look at her, "We haven't exactly been on speaking terms."
"Well, you did tell the entire world that my father is a Death Eater." she said waspishly.
He stopped dead, and whirled to face her. His eyes flashed angrily, "He is a Death Eater!" he scathed, hands balled into fists. "He was there, Hermione, he saw what happened! And-" the anger fled from his eyes, draining as suddenly as it had come, "he didn't do anything. He just let Voldemort try to kill me."
Looking at the hurt in his eyes, Hermione decided she preferred the anger.
"I know I've never really met him, and he doesn't know me," whispered Harry hoarsely, "but you and Draco are my best friends. I thought- What kind of man lets someone kill his children's friends?"
Something painful dug into Hermione's mind as she absorbed his words. She hadn't thought about how her father's actions would impact Harry. It was always Voldemort versus Harry, and separately, her father as the shield between her family and Voldemort. She had never truly considered how the two overlapped.
And she was going to be a Death Eater.
It was as if she had been tossed into a pool of icy water. Harry was standing there, raw and open, and it hit her that he trusted her.
When he found out, he was going to be devastated. It felt like there was a knot in her stomach, hard and wretched.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, real tears pricking her eyes.
Thankfully, he mistook her meaning. "It's not your fault," he said, smiling broadly at her. "You're not your father. For what it's worth, I am sorry that I told Rita Skeeter about him. I was just so angry, you know? I didn't think abou-"
"It's fine," she said, forcing all other thoughts away. She affected a cheerful smile. "I understand why you did it. Let's not dwell on it." Her smile darkened to a smirk, "We've got a dog to save."
He smiled, and the two took off again through the trees.
It had been too long since she had stepped foot in the Ministry.
As soon as she entered the Atrium she was met with the familiar smells of ink, parchment, and the metallic tang of fountain water. Harry, Draco, Neville, Luna, Ginny and (to her extreme disappointment) Ron hurried behind her.
"The Department of Mysteries is on the eleventh floor," she said, heading towards the lifts. She heard Harry mumble something like "I know," and smirked when she heard her brother's reply.
"Better let her have this, mate. She practically grew up here."
A single paper memo flapped miserably in the dark lift. Luna smiled mildly at it, "What a beautiful little Snipledragon. I think they make lovely pets, don't you?" She blinked slowly at Hermione.
"Er, sure…" she said. She had never quite gotten used to the odd things Luna said. But the girl was friendly enough, and Draco thought highly of her.
Her brother stood behind her, his bruised face making him look more serious than she'd ever seen him. Harry stood beside her, bouncing on the tips of his toes.
"Before I forget," she said, taking out two purple chains. "Weasley's Instant Disguises," she explained, draping a chain around Draco's neck. "If there are in fact Death Eaters here, we can't risk them noticing us."
"Where did you get these?" Draco asked in awe. His hair was now a swirling mess of red curls, and he had a very impressively hooked nose.
"Terence and I took them off of some third years," she said nonchalantly. She slipped the second one over her head and sighed as her hair ballooned outwards in a mass of red curls. She could feel her own nose bulge. "Pity they don't have more than one necklace," she sighed. "I have a third if anyone wants it."
No one took her up on the offer. The lift dissolved into anxious silence, broken a moment later.
"Maybe Malfoy should wait here," grumbled Ron.
Inwardly, she smirked, outwardly, she forced her eyes to go wide.
"Watch it," growled Draco.
"I'm not talking about you," said Ron, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're one of us, but where has she been this year? Merlin, she's still wearing her uniform!"
Though the hat had fallen off, the cloak was still draped around her. She opened her mouth to point out that she had been the one to save them all, but to her surprise the youngest Weasley broke in.
"Hermione helped Harry save Sirius the first time," said the redhead, "she has more right than any of us to be here. Except maybe Harry."
At this, Harry squared his shoulders, and said without looking back, "Hermione stays. She cares about Sirius just as much as we do. I trust her completely."
Warmth filled her, and she smiled fondly at the black-haired boy. Her brother nudged her playfully with his shoulder. This was the happiest she had been all year.
"It's at the end of this hallway," Harry said when they flooded out of the lift.
Hermione had been to the door, but had never been allowed into the actual Department. She had the strange urge to laugh as she crossed into the circular room
Without warning, the door to the corridor slammed shut, and the floor rotated. She braced herself as the doors spun. Draco jumped, and grasped her arm quickly. On her other side, Luna's expression remained serene, as if they were riding a mildly amusing carousel.
"It must be to keep us from knowing which door we went through," she murmured, her eyes blinded by the eerie blue torches.
Harry pushed forward, "We don't have time for this," he ripped open the door, "Let's go!"
"Should we split up?" asked Ginny.
"Only if we want to get eaten by whiffles." said Luna, for once her tone was serious.
Draco let go of Hermione's arm. "I agree with Luna," he said. "We should stick together."
Looking older than she'd ever seen him, Harry nodded. "Alright then, let's go. Wands out everyone."
That was a little redundant, as everyone was already grasping their wand tightly.
As they crept through the rooms, Hermione decided that the Department of Mysteries was the coolest place she had ever been. She was going to ask her father to arrange for her to visit this summer.
She stopped in front of a glass sphere that was half-filled with water. A waterspout rose out from the middle of the orb, stretching from the tumultuous water to the black clouds at the top of the sphere.
Papa would love this, she thought. A nudge from Ginny helped her recollect her thoughts, and she resumed her search.
There was a large tank that held brains, a shelf full of time-turners, and a room with a strange veil that she and Ron had to drag Harry away from. But each time they crept through a room, Harry shook his head and sighed, "Not this one."
They must have returned to the circular room a half-dozen times before Harry whispered triumphantly, "This is it!"
It was a vast warehouse-like room, filled with towering shelves. Thousands of silvery orbs filled the shelves, dusty tags hanging from them. They glimmered in the blue light of the torches.
Their breaths came in puffs of white mist, and Hermione shivered, drawing her cloak tighter around herself.
"What are they?" whispered Neville, looking at the swirling contents in a nearby orb. "There's a name here! Helena Jones, April 4th, 1873."
"This one's got a name on it too," said Ron, reaching out towards the one nearest him.
"Don't touch it, idiot!" she snapped, pushing his arm down. "This is the Department of Mysteries, do you have any idea what's going to happen if you pick that up?"
"Do you?" he challenged.
"No!" she jerked her hand away from him. "That's precisely the point. We have no idea what happens if you touch them!"
"The weapon has to be here somewhere. Spread out, and give a shout if you see anything odd."
They moved carefully between the shelves, each of them looking around for something out of place. Her eyes scanned the shelves, it felt strange in here. Like something was trying to shake her. Every hair on her body was on end.
"Harry-" called out a dreamy voice, "this prophecy's got your name on it."
Hermione's head jerked around, and she took off towards Luna's voice.
"And look, it's also got You-Know-Who's name. Do you think that's what this is about?"
She rounded a bend at the same time as Ginny, and the two nearly crashed into each other. Draco and Neville were already crowded around Harry and Luna, and she saw Ron coming in from the opposite side. Hermione pushed forward, looking for the orb with Harry's name on it.
The strange feeling grew stronger, and she looked over her shoulder nervously. She felt as if they were being watched, but could see nothing in the gloom.
"Is this the weapon?" asked Draco.
Harry looked unsure. "It-it must be." He took it down and held it gingerly in his hand. The contents swirled a little faster, as if excited to be off that dusty shelf.
"What would You-Know-Who want with a ball of glowy stuff?" asked Ron, squinting at it.
"Just like a Weasley," purred a silken voice that Hermione knew all too well. "You're so used to filth that you'd look at gold and think it was brass."
Feeling sick, she turned around.
Standing in the eerie blue light was her father, backed by half a dozen of hooded figures. There was a cruel sneer on his face, and he twirled his wand idly between his fingers.
For the first time, she wondered if her father would ever willingly kill a teenager. On top of the strange thruming that had seized her body, she was now certain that she was going to be sick. Blood rushed in her ears, making her miss Ron's retort. She could faintly hear Harry and her father shooting words back and forth.
"Where's Sirius!?"
"He's not here, Potter."
"He is! I know he is, I saw it!"
And then the slim figure beside her father lowered their hood, and her blood turned to ice.
She would know Bellatrix anywhere. Even with the gaunt features, the bedraggled curls, the distaste etched across her face, she was recognizable.
Everything else faded away. Hermione had only ever seen Bellatrix in photographs, but the woman before her was nearly unrecognizable from the girl with the sparkling eyes who had smirked into the camera.
Bella?
The woman blinked, and stiffened. Her dark eyes roamed over the collected students, but Hermione could not read the expression there. Still, it was enough to prove that Bellatrix had heard.
Then their eyes locked. Everything else faded away as she stared into the dark orbs.
Bellatrix's emotions roared through her so quickly and so abundantly that it was impossible to grasp any of them. The older witch wrenched her eyes away, and Hermione blinked as she came back to reality.
Swaying where she stood, she grabbed at her brother's arm. Harry was making a strange motion with his hands, and Hermione squinted in confusion.
But the rest of them seemed to know what it meant. At Harry's shout of "NOW!" they began to shoot charms at the glowing spheres, knocking them to the ground. Each time one of them smashed, a ghostly figure rose up, and began speaking in a strange, hollow voice.
After a few seconds, nothing could be heard over the din of haunting voices.
Hermione dutifully smashed a good dozen, before Draco seized her arm and yanked her after the rest of the D.A.
"Get to the exit!" Harry bellowed when they reached the aisle.
Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. the Death Eaters were fast in their heels, shooting curses at them. She heard Draco cry out beside her, and reached instinctively for his hand.
Bella, she tried again, Draco and I are here, with Harry. He's been hit.
She felt a sudden stab of anger, that prickled out into irritation.
"You little idiot!" Bellatrix's hissed in Hermione's head, "In what world did you think it would be appropriate to come face the Dark Lord's forces-your own forces, if the Dark Lord was not mistaken-alongside that half-blood brat?!"
Hermione shot a stinging hex at one of the masked Death Eaters, and yelled "Ginny, behind you!"
The redhead jumped aside just in time to avoid Montague's curse.
Inwardly, Hermione explained, "Sirius was in trouble, Bella. I couldn't turn my back on him."
Bellatrix's growl seemed louder than the crashes that came from all sides of her, "Stupid… Sirius was never in any danger. It was a trap! We needed The boy to retrieve his prophecy!"
She pulled Draco along as Luna, Ginny and Ron disappeared from sight. "Colloportus!" She said, sealing the door she and Draco had just come through shut. Her brother had a dazed look in his eyes, and a rash of green pustules was beginning to spread over his neck and jaw. She gritted her teeth and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Then, the door she had just locked was thrown open, and two Death Eaters stormed in. One was thrown into a stand of time turners, knocking them all to the floor. Hermione grimaced as he let out a scream of pain, and vanished.
The other, a man she recognized from the Prophet as Antonin Dolohov sent Neville flying into a display of eggs, and turned on Harry.
"I HAVE POTTER!" He screamed, a terrible grin on his face, "He's over by the-"
"No- Silencio!" She spat, aiming her wand at the man.
His eyes burned, and he flicked his wand back at her. A streak of purple flame barrelled towards her, and struck her in the chest.
Stumbling, she released Draco's hand, and grasped at the nearest chair.
"What happened?" Roared the voice in her head, and she smiled faintly.
Worried, Bella?
She was certain that she had never been in such pain. It felt as if her skin was being ripped apart. A burning sensation was spreading across her torso, and it was becoming difficult to breathe.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Shouted Harry.
"Hermione!" Whispered Neville, standing shakily from where he had been thrown. "Are you ok?"
She forced a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine, Nev. But Draco-"
Her brother was dry heaving onto the floor. "M'fine!" he said, looking up at them. The pustules had now covered his cheeks as well.
"We have to move!" Harry said, coming over to help pull Draco to his feet. "Hermione, we're almost to the exit. If you and Draco go through you can bring back help! Neville, you can find the others and get them-"
Both Hermione and Neville began to protest at once. And it was made abundantly clear to Harry that no one would be leaving his side. The three pushed on, entering the room that contained the strange archway with the veil. Every step sent a flare of pain up Hermione's side, and she bit her lip in an effort not to cry out.
"I really don't like this room," said Neville, who had Draco's arm flung around his shoulders. "It feels wrong."
"Jus' needs a little nightlight," said Draco. His head lolled against Neville's shoulder.
Hermione and Harry glanced quickly at each other. If she weren't so worried she might have laughed out loud.
"Don't worry, we're halfway through," said Harry.
"Always so sure, aren't you Mr. Potter."
Swallowing hard at her father's voice, Hermione scooted closer to her brother.
Lucius and Bellatrix glided from the shadows in front of them, and two more masked figures shot out from behind the teenagers.
"Stupefy!" Hermione growled to the masked figure who crept closest to them. It dodged, and shot a green spark of a curse soaring over her head.
"Hand over the Prophecy, and your friends can leave," her father called out, "we wouldn't want them to meet the same fate as your other friend. What was his name?"
"You leave Cedric out of this!" Spat Harry.
"I do believe you've struck a nerve," drawled Bellatrix. Hermione cringed at the raspiness of her voice. "I'm thinking that Cedric was more than a friend. Perhaps Potter hasn't quite gotten over the loss of his boyfriend."
"Stop it!" Ignoring the man creeping up on him, Harry spun to aim his wand at Bellatrix. "Stop it!"
"Harry!" The Death Eater closest to Harry was mouthing an incantation, and as Neville fumbled for his wand, Hermione jerked her wand over and roared "STUPEFY!"
The man toppled over instantly, but Hermione had let down her guard. The Death Eater she had been watching disarmed her, and she felt as if two invisible arms had wrapped around her middle, pulling her back rapidly. She let out a yelp as the spot where the curse hit her was pressed, and then she smacked against something solid.
Her vision went blurry, and it took every ounce of willpower to stay conscious. Something pointy was thrust under her chin, and her head was jerked up. An arm snaked around her waist, brushing dangerously close to the spot where the curse had hit.
"Another Weasley?" Purred her father in her ear. "Your father clearly has no self control." To Harry he yelled, "I'm tired of these games Potter, hand over the Prophecy now or your friend will pay for her loyalty."
She felt Bellatrix's anger boiling beneath her skin.
"He doesn't realize he's holding his own daughter? What kind of a man-"
Smirking in spite of herself, Hermione responded, I'm wearing an appearance charm. So's Draco.
"Lucius," hissed the older woman. Hermione could barely see her. The pain from Dolohov's curse was so bad that she could not stop the tears from filling her eyes. "You're hurting her."
Ignoring Bellatrix, Her father laughed coldly, "Your little friend is crying now, Potter. Not so brave after all, it seems."
"Let her go!" Harry said, "You can have the Prophecy, just don't-"
"Hermione, the charm-"
"It's around my neck."
"Bring it here, quickly now!" Her father shifted his hold on her, causing her to cry out again as his arm squeezed the spot where the curse had hit.
"Stop," she whimpered, she smacked weakly at his arm, but he ignored her.
"Lucius!" She heard Bellatrix hiss. "Let her go now!"
"Once we have the Prophecy."
"We need that Prophecy, Dove. Hold on a little longer."
He did not loosen his hold. Harry was moving towards them, but now the room was spinning. She was going to be sick. And then she was going to faint. She saw the soft glow of the Prophecy as her father reached out to take it.
Bella, it really hurts.
She could feel Bellatrix's growl of irritation, but didn't know if it was aimed at her or her father.
"I think i'll hold on to her a little longer to make sure you come quietly," her father's voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a deep well. She leaned her head against his chest.
"Lucius!"
There was a strange tugging on her neck, and the appearance charm broke off. Her face felt tingly for a moment, and there was a strange coldness that spread across her scalp, and then her father gasped.
"Hermione!"
She heard a cry, the sound of shattering glass, and then fell into darkness.
Thank you to everyone for sticking with this story. I really appreciate all of your reviews! Please keep letting me know what you think!