DISCLAIMER: I don't own Potterverse. Only the plot is my own.
PROLOGUE PART II - HERMIONE
'The floor feels so soft… strange…' As she slowly came to, she realized that it was a bed. It took another few minutes for her to register the voices she heard in the background. She groaned as she tried to open her eyes. She had a splitting headache.
"Hermione?" someone called softly, holding her hand.
She forced herself to open her eyes and blinked at the sudden brightness. Once her eyes adjusted, she noticed Remus sitting at her bedside.
"What happened?" she croaked out.
"You were stunned. We found you blasted into the wall in fact. It must have been a powerful stunner."
She knew there was more to it than that, but she just couldn't remember. It was all hazy.
"Hermione," Remus started. "Do you know where Sirius is?" he asked worriedly.
Sirius. Of course! The memories came rushing back to her; her battle with Dolohov, Sirius joining in, Sirius stunning her just as Bellatrix's runic spell meant for her found Sirius instead. She remembered the look of relief, resignation, and something else on his face just before he… vanished. Panic gripped her heart and the blood drained from her face.
"Hermione?" Remus called, snapping her back to the present.
"Dumbledore will know what to do!" Ron's voice called loudly from across the room.
She looked over to the Weasleys and Fleur crowded around a bed on the other side of the room. 'Dumbledore! Surely, Dumbledore will know what to do!'
"Dumbledore's dead." Harry said in a dead voice from the entrance to the hospital wing, "Snape killed him."
She barely heard the voices of disbelief and Remus' weak defence of Snape. Helplessness filled her entire being. What use was being the brightest witch of her age when she couldn't fix this? She didn't even know where to begin!
"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked suddenly, drawing her attention. She made an unintelligible sound and choked on her tears.
"Hermione?" Harry approached her. "Do you know where Sirius is?"
She shook her head. Remus placed a hand on her shoulder and made her look at him. "Tell us what happened, Hermione."
"H-he's gone!" she cried.
"No." Harry shook his head in denial. "NO!"
"What do you mean… gone?" Remus asked, afraid of the answer.
"He just vanished!" she sobbed.
"What…?" Harry asked weakly. "Hermione, please tell us exactly what happened!"
She forced herself to take a deep breath, and through tears, she told them about the battle and Bellatrix's spell that was meant for her.
"It's all my fault!" she cried harder.
"B-But… it was just a spell wasn't it? All we need to do is find the counter-spell!" Harry said, desperately hanging on to threads.
She shook her head. "It was a runic spell. Sirius must have known what it was… but I don't know!"
"We'll find a way to reverse it! If anyone can figure it out, it's you! I'll help you! We'll-we'll research!" Harry said adamantly.
"Harry's right! I will help. You are the brightest witch of your age Hermione! I believe in you, as did Sirius!" Remus said in an attempt to encourage her.
She nodded, clinging to the hope that the two of them had.
Harry turned to leave and looked back at her. "It's not your fault Hermione." He said, even as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I would have done the same thing. And I know you would have too."
It only made her cry harder.
Hermione looked at the unopened chest in front of her and sighed. For the first time ever, the Hogwarts library had failed her. She had come back home in pretty bad spirits, and now, this. Her hands fiddled with the bulky envelope in her lap as she looked out the window. She could still clearly remember the day she, Remus and Harry had been summoned to Gringotts, just a few days after Dumbledore's death.
"Mister Potter, Mister Lupin, Miss Granger, we, at Gringotts, have summoned you here today to disclose the contents of the will of Sirius Orion Black, following his wishes" said Swordclaw, who claimed to be the manager of the Black vaults.
"WHAT?! SIRIUS ISN'T DEAD!" Harry protested furiously, standing up and banging his fists on the table.
"Harry! Calm down!" Remus said, trying to make him sit back down.
"Mister Potter, we do not know what exactly has happened to Mister Black. However, since Mister Black has no offspring of his own, you, as his godson, are listed as his legal heir. As of three nights ago, Gringotts recorded the change in ownership of the Black vaults and properties."
"Your system must be faulty then! Sirius isn't dead!" Harry insisted.
Hermione could tell that the goblin was offended, and tried to take control of the situation. "Harry, sit down!" she hissed sharply. She then turned to Swordclaw. "I apologise Mr. Swordclaw. Please understand that we are all very confused at the moment and have not come to terms with the situation. We mean you no offense."
Swordclaw nodded, somewhat appeased. "Perhaps, I can shed some light on the situation" he offered. Seeing their nods, he continued, "A couple of months after Mister Black's return from the veil, he was contacted by Gringotts to sort out the account discrepancies created by his return from being presumed dead."
"Wait, Sirius came to Gringotts?" Harry asked, frowning. "But he is still wanted by the ministry!"
Swordclaw looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow haughtily. "We honour the privacy of our customers above all else Mister Potter. Do you not think we could have had him arrested three years back when money was withdrawn from his account to buy a Firebolt?"He continued before Harry could interrupt, "Transactions from the Black vault could not have been made by anyone else; we had ample proof."
Harry nodded and mumbled his thanks.
"As I was saying, Mister Black visited Gringotts to sort out vault discrepancies. At the time, he decided to make a will, and also left explicit instructions that his will was to be disclosed to you three if he were no longer in this world. Mr. Alastor Harold Moody and I, Swordclaw, manager of the Black vaults, acted as witnesses."
"No longer in this world… No longer in this world…" Hermione whispered to herself, frowning. She gasped and looked up. "Are you saying Sirius made it so that he didn't necessarily have to be dead in order for his will to be disclosed?"
"Indeed, you are correct Miss Granger." Swordclaw smiled smugly. "I cannot tell you what has happened to Mister Black, but I can tell you that Sirius Black ceased to exist in this world as of three nights ago. Usually, this would mean that he is dead, but seeing as you are sure he is not…"
They were all silent for a few minutes before Remus finally cleared his throat. "What exactly does his will entail? I presume it must have something to do with Hermione and me?"
Swordclaw opened a small box on the table and unrolled the scroll that was inside. He cleared his throat and began to read,
"The Last Will and Testament of Sirius Orion Black, Son of Orion Arcturus Black and Walburga Irma Black, Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black
To Remus Lyall Lupin, I hereby bequeath 500,000 galleons, in hope that it will enable him to have a lifelong supply of the Wolfsbane potion and, support his expenses his whole life if need be.
To Hermione Jean Granger, I hereby bequeath all the books in the Black family library, as well as the chest of books in the Black family vault, in hope that they will aid in her quest for knowledge, and provide her a means to fight against the dark.
To Harry James Potter, I leave all my other possessions, house-elf, wealth, and properties to do with them as he sees fit. I also will to him, the seat of the House of Black in the Wizengamot and ask that Andromeda Tonks nee Black be named as proxy."
All three of them were left speechless. Swordclaw continued as though it were no matter. He produced a large wooden chest on the table and indicated to Hermione. "This is the chest of books that was in the Black family vault, Miss Granger. It rightfully belongs to you now. I trust you already have access to the Black family library?" She nodded wordlessly.
He then turned to Remus. "Mister Lupin, you will find that the bequeathed amount has already been deposited to your vault."
"Mister Potter, in addition to requesting that Mrs. Andromeda Tonks nee Black be named as proxy for Black family seat in the Wizengamot, Mister Black has also previously formally reinstated Mrs. Tonks' rightful claim as a daughter of Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. As the new Head of House, it is only proper that you be informed of this."
Harry nodded. Swordclaw then produced another small chest and revealed three envelopes. "Mister Black left explicit instructions for these to be delivered to each of you upon the reading of his will." He then passed out the envelopes which had each of their names written.
Hermione looked down at the envelope now. It was bulkier than a letter and she could feel something solid inside. With a sigh, she pulled out the unbreakable vial of dark red liquid and the parchment that accompanied it.
'I am me
And I am not.
Think Death.
What am I?'
She had already worked out the riddle. But the question was what to do with the answer? She knew what he had intended the blood for. His letter had been clear enough. She pulled out the thick sheet and gazed longingly at his elegant cursive handwriting, even as her eyes skimmed over the words. For all his brashness, it was little things like this that showed that he truly was Pureblood nobility.
'Dear Hermione,
If you are reading this letter, it means that I am no longer of this world. Do not mourn me love. Know that I have finally attained the peace that eluded me in life and I am happy. I am with Prongs and Lily. Believe that and be happy for me. I know Moony and Harry will be heartbroken, but you must be strong and take care of them in my stead. I know that only you can do that.
Make Moony see sense and accept Tonks' love. She is his mate. They are meant to be together. They deserve to find happiness together. I will be happy if I know that Moony is with his better half. It pains me to think of leaving Remus all alone again. It hurts to think that he will be the last Marauder left. I hope – I know – that having Tonks by his side is what he needs to make a new family. One that I dearly wish I could be a part of. However, that is not to be.
Look after Harry for me. I know I don't need to say that, but the boy is a Marauder through and through. He is reckless and rushes into things, just like his Godfather. I trust you to protect him and keep him safe in my stead. Remind him often that I love him and that I died a good death – I know I must have.
Do not think I have forgotten you, Hermione. I ask you to look after the others for me because you are the only one I trust to do so. However, do not forget to look after yourself love. Harry is not the only one with an incessant need to put others before himself; you do too. …I cannot begin to express in words what you have done for me, how you have saved me. I don't just mean from the Veil; from death. You have saved me in ways that matter much more to me. I wish I could be around to look after you as well, but I will die happy if I know that, in doing so, I have protected you in some way. I owe you my life, and if death is how I can repay that debt, so be it. Know that I do not regret dying. I will always be looking out for all of you, and I will be happy if I see you all defeat the darkness and find your own happiness.
This brings me to the vial I have enclosed along with this letter. I am sure you must have realized by now that it is a vial of my blood; the blood of the last male heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, given freely with a sane mind. I trust you, and only you with it.
My experience with the Veil has taught me that there are things worse than death. Blood magic is one of the specialities of the Black family and I have no doubt that Bellatrix, and Narcissa to an extent, will use any means they have to gain an upper hand. We all have both darkness and light within us, Hermione. It is the part we choose to act on that matters. One cannot hope to defeat the darkness without understanding and accepting its existence. I hope you never have the need to sully your pure soul with blood magic; however, should the worst come to pass, I hope that this will aid you in some way even though I am not physically present. Others may not understand, but I have faith that you will. I, therefore, have no qualms about leaving you this.
This is a war that should have ended with my generation, and I regret each day of childhood that was lost to you all. I hope that it soon ends once and for all and you get to move on with your life. Do not cry for me love, but think fondly of me often.
Yours,
Sirius
Hermione wiped the tears that had fallen and looked at the wooden chest again before packing her belongings into a beaded bag. Her decision had been made. It was time to go.
They were hiding out in Grimmauld Place, trying to decide on where to begin the search for the locket. It was late at night and Hermione was once again cooped up in the library. Books and papers were spread all around her, ink stained her hands, and her hair had frizzed out from hours of pulling at it in frustration. She was frazzled, yet she was no closer to finding anything about the Horcruxes than she had been months ago. She had hoped that the Black family library would have answers, but in vain.
She leaned back against the couch in exhaustion, when her eyes fell on the wooden chest to her side and the envelope on top of it. She had made no progress with that either. With a sigh, she pulled out the letter for the umpteenth time and read through it again.
She blinked, noticing something she hadn't before, and slapped her forehead in annoyance. "Why didn't I see this until now?! 'Blood magic is one of the specialities of the Black family' …Could it be?"
She kept the letter aside and pulled the chest closer. Her hand traced the intricate lock that didn't seem to have a key hole. When she concentrated on it, she could feel the thrum of magic. Cautiously, she made a small cut on her palm with her wand and pressed the blood to the lock. The lock glowed for a moment before becoming passive again. She frowned. 'I was sure that would work.'
"You have the right idea, but it is a little more complicated than that."
Hermione jumped at the voice and turned around with her wand out. Phineas Nigellus Black merely raised an eyebrow contemptuously from his portrait.
"What do you mean?" she asked, lowering her wand.
"That chest has been passed down from my ancestors' times through the successive heads of the family." He looked at her pointedly.
It took a few minutes for his implication to sink in and when it did, she gasped. She picked up the vial of Sirius' blood she had placed aside and pointed her wand at it. "Padfoot"
The vial glowed but nothing happened. She growled in irritation at all the dead ends she seemed to be hitting that night. 'Think, Hermione. 'I am me and I am not. Think Death.' It obviously refers to his animagus form… But everyone in the Order knows his animagus form and he only intended for me to use this.' Her eyes widened in realization and she pointed her wand at the vial once more. "Snuffles"
The vial glowed blue and the seal on the cap broke. She carefully poured a few drops of the blood on the lock on the chest. The chest glowed and clicked open.
"That stupid heir of mine must have trusted you a lot." Phineas Nigellus observed. "Despite being the rebellious and reckless idiot that he was, he still would have known the importance and power of his blood as a Black."
"Why are you helping me?" she asked, suspiciously.
He sighed dramatically. "The House of Black owes you a life debt."
"But – "
"I may only be a portrait, but as a former Head of House, it is my duty to be aware of what goes on in my House." He looked calculatingly at her. "I am aware that you were responsible for bringing my arrogant heir back from being presumed dead."
She inhaled sharply. "I never held Sirius to any debt. And even if he did owe me anything, he already saved my life by sacrificing his own!"
"Yes, yes. I was present when Mister Lupin explained the events of that night to the Headmistress. However, Sirius Orion Black was the Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. A life debt owed by the Head of a House translates to a debt owed by the whole House throughout the lifetime of the one indebted to."
Hermione regarded him warily as she weighed his explanation. Finally satisfied, she nodded and opened the chest. It was filled with books. She cringed at some of the titles – 'Artium Obscurorum', 'A Guide to Sacrificial Rituals', 'A Treatise on Blood Magic', 'Muggles: A Guide To The Lesser Mortals and How They Can Be Used', 'Dark Arts: Rituals from the Continent'. She quickly kept aside those titles and made a separate pile of the ones that seemed to have more practical knowledge such as, 'Lost Magic from the Continent', 'Familia Praecantatio'. At the very bottom of the chest lay, what seemed to be, a journal. It was black and leather bound, and the pages were yellow and crinkly with age. She cautiously pulled it out and opened it.
It was blank.
"I thought you were cleverer than that, girl." Phineas Nigellus commented haughtily, seeing her examine the book for a few minutes with no results.
Oh. She quickly poured another few drops of Sirius' blood on the book. The book glowed blue, accepting the payment. Gold letters formed on the cover of the book – 'Tempus Magicae'
Her jaw dropped in shock. Time Magic? She hurriedly began to read. The book seemed to be filled with various handwritings, presumably those of the former Heads of House.
'22nd January, 1721
I, Marius Draconius Black, believe that I have finally perfected the magic that so eluded my forefathers. Time magic has been kept a secret even within our Noble House, only being passed on through the successive Heads. However, once I have perfected it, the House of Black will be the most powerful House in all the land!
I believe the answer lies in using Black Onyx instead of Obsidian, in a magical number of seven. Using the runes of Ansuz and Uruz, in addition to Raido, Eihwaz, Thurisaz, Jera and Mannaz, should ensure the success of the ritual.
The wand movement should be as follows…
6th June, 1721
The ritual was a success. The consequences are far graver than I imagined. I now understand why this magic has been kept a secret, even within our House. The price I had to pay to come to this realization is too high.
She frowned and turned the page to a newer entry.
8th October, 1731
Upon studying the works of my predecessor, and my own experience with runes, I believe that I have found the solution – blood magic. Other lesser families may be afraid of experimenting with blood, but the House of Black is not.
Imbibing the runes with blood will increase the power of intent of the caster and thereby…
10th December, 1742
I, Lycoris Marius Black, am dying. My travel through time was successful; however, I invoked the taboo of having met my previous self. I would be remiss in my duty as Head of House if I did not warn my successors of this taboo.
This magic is best kept a secret.
And so it went on through the generations, each Head of House making changes to the ritual and none succeeding. Finally, she reached the entry made by Cygnus Black I.
10th March, 1854
The failures of the previous Heads of House had kept me wary of experimenting with this magic, until now. My son, Sirius Cygnus Black, heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, did not deserve to die – flogged my muggles no less! As his father, and as his Head of House, I will not stand idly by when I have the power to do something about it!
Upon careful study, I have noticed that the most common error of my ancestors seems to have been invoking the taboo of meeting their younger self. Although such meetings can be avoided by careful planning, prevention of the possibility itself is the best course to take. To this end, I believe the answer lies in transferring memories to one's younger self. Souls are the container of memories and are not restricted by the physical realm. Therefore, theoretically, this should be possible, and it will avoid the possibility of there being two versions of the same person at the same time. Using the rune of Perdhro, which symbolizes memory, accompanied by a strong intent, should be the answer I am seeking.
My own research on the subject has led me to believe that, although seven is a most magical number, in this particular instance, the magical properties of the number five would be more beneficial. According to my calculations and estimation, the runes of Raido, Eihwaz, Perdhro, Ansuz and Jera will be the ideal ones to use, each on one point of a pentacle. This should increase the focus of intent.
I further believe that the ritual should include a verbal incantation, along with the following wand movement…
…I shall perform the ritual on Beltane, which is the closest magically powerful day. I believe that this auspicious day will add power to the ritual and guarantee success.
Surprisingly, that was only entry made by Cygnus Black I. There was no entry highlighting the consequences of his actions, as had been the theme followed by his predecessors. She understood why when she read the last few entries, which were by Phineas Nigellus Black.
24th July, 1864
My father disappeared without a trace on 2nd May, 1854. It is only now, when I have come of age and taken over my rightful position as the Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, I understand why.
I believe that my father was successful in his travel through time. However, the use of the rune Jera, which represents both Time and cycles, may have trapped him in a Time Circle. I do not know what verbal incantation he ultimately decided on using, but it was clearly not strong enough to counteract the effects of Jera. The incantation "Tempus perditus" may achieve the desired results.
15th September, 1888
Through these past years, I have kept up my research on the subject of Time magic; however, my duties as the Head of House have kept me otherwise occupied.
Nevertheless, through many arithmantic calculations, I have concluded that adding a phrase of banishment, such as, "exilium in" to the previously entered incantation, will have a higher probability of obtaining the end result.
As to the problem of Time Circles that the rune Jera gives rise to, arithmancy shows me a success rate of eighty percent, upon replacing the rune Eihwaz with Hagalaz, which symbolizes unpredictability and, in an extreme, bad luck. However, using Hagalaz will be in conflict with Ansuz, which has an additional meaning of stability and order, in addition to the meaning of creation. This may be solved by using Thurisaz instead of Ansuz, which symbolizes a force of destruction and change. The only variable is the rune Perdhro.
27th April, 1889
I have been trying to increase the estimated success rate of the ritual to at least ninety five percent, before experimenting. I am happy to report that I have finally found the answer!
As I predicted, using Thurisaz instead of Ansuz increased the probability of success to ninety percent. I had my suspicions that the reason the success rate did not go above ninety percent was due to the rune Perdhro, which is a rune of freewill, uncertainties and also, memory and problem-solving.
The very nature of Time Magic, especially when it is bound by a blood ritual such as this, means that the caster will be able to identify the changes made to the timeline. In my father's case, I believe that being trapped in a Time Circle, created a conflict of intent due to the rune Perdhro. This has led me to the conclusion that the caster cannot be the focus of the ritual. Following this line of thought, I recalculated the success rate with a second person as the focus and the success rate went up to ninety eight percent!
Now, I believe I am finally ready to experiment.
23rd June, 1901
In the past decade, I have had the opportunity to observe the results of my experimentation. I chanced to test two subjects, both of whom showed varying results, but suffice to say, I have been convinced to stop meddling with time. Here, I have recorded the results I have observed. The identities of the subjects will be kept secret for the purpose of protection.
The first subject showed results similar to what I believe my father experienced. The subject was caught in a Time Circle and only I, as the caster, was aware of what had happened.
The second subject, however, displayed results I never would have imagined. The incantation which "exiled" the subject to "time lost", and the rune of Hagalaz which also symbolizes misfortune, resulted in the subject being exiled to a time period not their own with, presumably, their memories intact because of the rune of Perdhro. However, the misfortune created by Hagalaz, as well as Thurisaz, which symbolizes a force of destruction, led to the subject living a most horrific life – one that I would not subject my worst enemies to. Once more, as the caster, I was the only one aware of the changes the subject's new life created in the time-stream – some changes were barely noticeable, yet some were catastrophic. In order to preserve the existing time-stream, I will not disclose any of the changes wrought.
It would seem that the rune of Perdhro is ineffective against the rune Jera, when the focus is trapped in a Time Circle. However, the other runes hold more power when the subject is transported to a time period not their own. For the purpose of transporting memories, the rune Perdhro cannot be avoided. Yet, by the same token, the rune of Jera cannot be avoided when dealing with Time. This conflict cannot be resolved by any known means. Additionally, when I carried out arithmantic calculations including this new possibility, I found a fifty-fifty chance of either outcome coming to pass.
Suffice to say, I will not be experimenting with this magic any longer. I will be taking up additional duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry starting this September, and this new position has strengthened my resolve to bury this secret. As an added precaution, I will seal this book so that it can be opened by none other than the Head of House and, even then, only if they puzzle out how.
Time magic has been kept secret for a reason. Time must not be meddled with.
It was the wee hours of the morning when she finally finished reading. Her eyes were bloodshot and her whole body was trembling with physical and mental exhaustion, but she was wide awake. Phineas Nigellus had been there the whole time, observing her.
"Sirius recognized the spell." she whispered softly, her voice thick with tears.
Phineas Nigellus nodded. "That boy was reckless beyond belief, but he was as clever and shrewd as any other Black. Perhaps, even more so, for his hatred of his family was the very thing that made him wary, and drove him to uncover the things they had been hiding when he became Head of House."
No matter how upset she was, Hermione's mind was programmed to pick things apart and find logic in them, which is what led to her next question. "If this chest and this book can only be accessed by the Head of House, then how did Bellatrix know about this ritual?" she asked sharply.
"I suppose you are as smart as they say" he said, with a wry smile. He cleared his throat and continued, "Sirius Orion Black was disowned."
"I am aware of that."
"He was disowned not only from the family but also, more importantly, from the position of heir. Traditionally, the position is given to the first-born of the previous first-born heir, as it has been for many centuries. However, in case of the heir apparent being unable to accept the position, it goes to the next male in line. Whatever the case, the position of Head of House can only be held by a male member of the Black Family.
Arcturus Black III, the previous Head, and Sirius' grandfather, passed away whilst Sirius was in Azkaban. However, since both Orion and Regulus were already dead at the time and Sirius was disowned, the position went to the family of Arcturus' next in line, Pollux Black, who was the father of Cygnus Black III,"
"…who was the father of Bellatrix Lestrange." Hermione concluded, her eyes wide. He remained silent as he allowed her to ponder these revelations. "The spell; tell me it can be reversed!" she pleaded, in a last ditch attempt of denial.
He sighed despondently. "I think you the answer to that…"
"So Sirius is…" she gulped. "Sirius is either trapped in a Time Circle or trapped in a time not his own with a life of misfortune?"
He pondered for a minute before venturing carefully, "What Bellatrix failed to realize is that using blood magic against one's own blood is taboo. But it has never been done before, so I cannot tell you what the consequences would be. Frankly, I would rather the boy was trapped in a Time Circle with no memories, than in a time of misfortune even with all his memories, don't you agree?"
She sobbed. "How am I going to tell Harry?"
"You don't."
"What? He needs to know the truth!"
"Are you willing to take away the little hope the boy has left? He doesn't need to know."
"For now." she agreed, succumbing to her tears.
"Tell the truth! Where did you steal it from?"
"We-we didn't!" she cried.
"CRUCIO!"
Her own screams echoed in her ears again and again. It felt like a thousand knives were cutting her at once; her mind feeling a heavy, oppressive pressure. Her torture had gone on for minutes or hours, she didn't know. She was close to her breaking point but the pain didn't stop.
"Stop lying! How did you get it? You stole it!"
"No, please, I'm not lying!" she begged. She could feel herself drenched in liquids; blood, sweat, urine; she didn't know the difference anymore.
"CRUCIO!"
The images behind her eyelids were alternating between black and red. Every time there was a break and her body would fall into numbness, the temporary relief would be stolen from her by another bout of pain. She just wanted it to end. She wanted to die.
"Hermione!" "Hermione hold on!" She could hear Harry and Ron shouting her name from somewhere far away just as the pain receded once more. 'Ron… Harry…' She knew she couldn't give in no matter how much pain she was in; she had to hold on for their sakes.
"I'm going to ask you one last time. How did you steal it?" Bellatrix' icy voice cut through her pain.
"We-we found it… please… I'm telling the truth…" she sobbed, forcing herself to keep her focus on her mission. She could not give in or she would put everybody in danger.
Before she knew it, another bout of pain started. She could feel herself losing her mind as Sirius' image came before her mind's eye. "Take care of Harry for me… take care of yourself…" he seemed to whisper.
She gasped, panting for breath as the pain let up. She was too tired to even cry; there were dark spots in her vision. Before she could pull herself together, she was grabbed roughly by her hair and made to sit up.
"Who is going to save you this time, mudblood?" Bellatrix whispered in her ear wickedly. "Potty and Ginger are locked up, and I finally got rid of my dear cousin for good! Where does that leave you?"
Before she could register what was happening, a knife was plunged roughly into her arm and started carving. Her screams only served to make Bellatrix chuckle in delight.
"Ooh, that is a fine work of art, if I do say so myself! Now the world will know what you really are MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix laughed gleefully.
'No more…' she thought, willing herself to die.
She barely noticed the sudden commotion; she hardly heard Harry and Ron shout her name. Her hair was yanked back, and a knife was pressed to her throat. 'Please.'
She was pushed aside roughly into someone's arms and there was a loud crash. There was the pop of apparation and she finally gave in to the darkness.
There was a lull in the battle as Voldemort waited for Harry to come to him. She couldn't believe the number of deaths they had incurred. Remus, Tonks, Fred, Lavendar, and even young Colin Creevey, and so many more that she didn't even know by name – all gone. She couldn't bring herself to grieve though; not yet. She forced herself to remain numb even as she watched the Weasleys surrounding Fred; even as she thought of Teddy when she saw Remus and Tonks' bodies lying side by side. 'Harry needs you' was the mantra that kept running through her mind in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Sirius'.
Thoughts of Harry led her to the grand staircase with Ron, just as he was climbing down the stairs. The look of peace and resignation on his face frightened her.
"What is it that you know?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.
He stopped a few feet away and looked at her. "I think some part of me has known for a long time now. And I think you have too." He replied quietly.
And she had. Except, she couldn't bring herself to be in denial anymore; not when confronted with the fact from his mouth. With a strangled sob, she threw herself into his arms.
"I'll go with you." She cried.
He gently pried her away from himself and shook his head. "I want you to keep this" he said, pulling out the vial she had conjured just a couple of hours ago. The silvery mist of memories was still swirling inside.
"He was a good man; one of the bravest I've ever known. He doesn't deserve to be remembered as a murderer; he deserves to be mourned with the honour that was never given to him in life."
She nodded and carefully put the vial into her beaded bag.
Harry hugged the two of them one last time and went to face his destiny; went to face his death.
She opened her eyes to whiteness all around. She blinked and rubbed her eyes as she sat up slowly. Still white. White as far as the eye could see. She looked down at herself and saw that her clothes were still tattered; wounds still there. But they weren't bleeding. It was as though the blood had been put in stasis to stop it from flowing out.
'It doesn't hurt… am I dead?' She got up on her feet slowly and walked a few steps; forward, backward, who knew? 'Where am I anyway?' She frowned as she tried to think of all the possible places she could be. The last thing she remembered was being blasted from the staircase by a stray spell as she and Ron ran from the snake when the battle resumed. She had hit a wall that had then crumbled down on her, and then she knew no more. So the logical conclusion was that she was dead. 'Except, why am I still wearing my clothes? And why are my wounds still open, even if they don't hurt?'
"Where am I?" she whispered, mostly to herself. But as though hearing her words, she heard a chuckle in response. She snapped her head towards the sound as two dark figures slowly materialized in front of her. She knew exactly who they were and could even tell what their expressions were but when her brain tried to describe their faces, she drew a blank and her vision was blurry. She decided not to ponder on that for long though; there were more pressing concerns at the moment.
"Am I dead?" she asked out loud.
The two figures sported wide grins that bordered on evil as the figure on the right chuckled patronizingly. "We do wish it were that simple." a male voice said.
"You must be the only mortal we have interacted with in more than a millennium, let alone twice." The figure on the left continued in a female voice. "But to answer your question, no, you are not dead."
"Yet." the male voice added as he grinned evilly.
"Then why am I here? And where is 'here' anyway?" Hermione asked, looking around at the whiteness once again.
"This" the male said, gesturing around, "is the 'in between' if you will"
"The 'in between'?"
"We have created it just for this purpose. Strangely enough, we always seem to be walking the line of what we can and cannot do where you are concerned." answered the female, with a rueful grin.
"We do not interfere in mortal affairs; however, since we have already initiated an unfinished exchange with you, intervening in your death was inevitable." the male finished with an exasperated sigh.
"What do you mean?" she asked, panic settling in for the first time.
"The exchange that you were previously offered and accepted requires the two of you to be in the same place at the same time." The female elaborated. "However, you are currently in the same place but different time,"
"Or a different place but same time." The male continued. "To us, it is all the same." He smirked cockily.
"So… I'm not going to die?" she asked, her brain whizzing around trying to make sense of what was being said.
The female chuckled wickedly and replied, "We have told you before. We do not interfere in mortal affairs. Your life will take what course it will. However, we will ensure that the exchange is completed."
"That is not to say you will not die," the male said creepily, causing shivers to run up her spine. "We will simply fulfill our part."
"Tell me, do you regret your decision now?" the female asked curiously.
"Never!" her eyes flashed angrily. "As long as he is safe, that is all that matters to me!"
"Your devotion is, as always, admirable." The male commented offhandedly.
"Tell me what I must do." She said in a determined voice.
"Due to… the events that transpired, he has been left vulnerable."
"What?!" she demanded, furious.
He raised a hand to halt her angry tirade before it even began. "The exchange has already been initiated, which makes us irreversibly involved. You will understand better when you see him."
Despite her anger, her fear for him, and her overall confusion, she couldn't stop the bubble of happiness that erupted in her chest at the thought that she would see him again. Even though she knew that she would probably die soon because of her injuries, as long as she could save him, she couldn't bring herself to regret anything.
The female stepped forward. "It is time for you to leave. We will send you to him. You will know what to do."
"Remember, balance must be maintained. There is a price for everything." The male said thoughtfully.
Before she could question him on what that meant, the female pressed her index finger to the center of her forehead. A bright glow erupted from her chest and the next moment, she was blinded by bright white light.
Acknowledgement: GOOGLE is my best friend when it comes to research and translations. _/\_
A/N: Did it answer some questions? Did give rise to more? Information overload? This needed to happen though. :D I can't reveal certain things right now, but do ask any questions you have. I'll answer as best as I can! :)
On a different note, I don't have a Beta - I actually don't know how the Beta system works tbh! I do edit multiple times; however, typos and grammatical mistakes happen because sometimes, my mind sees what should be there rather than what is. So I hope you'll forgive the minor things! If you notice any major errors though, or logical fallacies, do feel free to point them out and I'll sort them. Thank you for your understanding!
I'd love it if you let me know how you liked it! Happy reading! ^_^