AncientUrn, Hahah Thank you. XD I thought it might be fun to give Bella the excuse ;) it's good to know you liked it too.
AlsethGosia, Now... The true question is... Did she really see something? :X
Hahahah That moment we all trade knowing looks and shake our heads at Bella. Hopefully she'll figure it out soon, right? heh
That mutual respect and admiration, I absolutely love writing that xD
Of course, there's no way for a muggleborn to be as powerfull as a pureblood... or is there? :v I wonder how many shocking revelations Bella can take at once.
Well, we'll find out soon enough if his plans will work this time hahah :P
This chapter is to give some insights on what's going on in Hermione's original timeline. Bear with me, I promise that some of this info will be important for our alternative timeline as well ;)
Chapter XVIII – Narrative Wars
Ron's excitement was contagious. He showed Elizabeth his memories of the day through the pensive projector... The calculations on board were incomplete, but the little she saw of Dr. Wilkin's theory made her confident that the man knew what he was doing. She believed Hermione would be back home... It was celebration time!
In Hermione's honour, Elizabeth pulled out Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours and turned up the volume, so she and Ron had to sing at the top of their lungs to even hear themselves...
Of course, Ronald would know it, no one lived with a muggle without getting immersed in their culture to a certain extent. She let out a short laugh when he shimmied her way and pulled her close for a silly dance. It didn't match the song at all, but it's not like they cared.
She only pulled away when 'Second Hand News' ended, to fetch a bottle of coconut flavoured rum. She served herself and Ron a dose, sipped a bit, then immediately stepped into his arms to keep slow dancing to 'Dreams'.
She sighed into his shoulder and pressed even closer to simply sway in rhythm. They'd start working on that dinner after that song ended. Right then, she would enjoy the feeling of her husband's arms around her... And how his excitement made his whole body warm up, as if his magic reacted to his good humour.
It has been a long time since she'd seen her husband so happy. No worries lingering in the back of his mind... It felt like a second honeymoon, and the irony that it was because of his ex made her laugh. Fucking Hermione...
The worst thing was... The muggle woman missed her too. She was the only one who she could talk about the things happening outside the wizarding world. Someone to talk about music, movies, literature... And if an outsider like her missed that simple presence in her life, she could only imagine how it was for those who had been around her their whole lives...
Once they pulled apart to start working on dinner, she yelled over the music "CAN YOU CHECK IF GEORGE CAN COME?"
Elizabeth found that as much as her husband loved his little sister, he didn't know how to deal with other people's emotions. If this was an opportunity to lift Ginny's spirits, her other older brother (with a much better penchant to make people laugh) would be great company for tonight.
Ron snapped his fingers, and widened his eyes, recognizing her idea as a good one. He turned down the volume, only to make a quick call to his brother using his 'prothean phone'. It's similar to the muggle's flip phones, but with magic to connect one another in a way that defied everything science could explain about radio waves and electrical signals...
The process of storing magical signatures on each other's phones was much like pairing Bluetooth. George and Hermione had their fun with this particular adaptation of the protean charm. Elizabeth was so curious about the creative aspect of magic that she accompanied them as they worked on this invention. It should have been obvious to her that Hermione had no intention to sabotage her, when that woman simply welcomed her and explained things instead of shunning her and making her feel useless for not having magic...
Oh, the power of hindsight to change perspectives...
From what Hermione explained it to her... Their magic left traces when they cast spells. It's what they called a 'magical signature'. Every wizard has one, and they figured out a way to make their voice travel through the speakers of one phone to reach another using that. All it was needed was for one magical signature to be stored in another person's device.
Hermione made a small fortune cooperating with George.
It wasn't difficult for Elizabeth to understand how it worked, she just couldn't make that happen, nor could she use one, because she didn't have magic. Thus, no magical signature to store on other people's phones. But if Ron wanted to contact George, like he was doing it now, he'd press the number correspondent to his brother's magical signature. George's phone would warm up, Ron's face would show on 'screen', and if he chose to take the call, it would work like a common phone.
The screen was based on something called two-way mirror, but on the prothean phones it served to show who the magic belonged to.
It didn't take long for her husband to finish the call with his brother, turning the volume up again, smiling brightly in her direction.
"Is he coming?" She asked, despite knowing from his expression that the answer was most likely: yes.
He read her lips, and nodded, still smiling, dancing, and singing to 'Don't stop'.
Since Ginny and George would be coming, she decided to do something special. She instructed Ron on what to do, and he used his magic to make things happen faster than she could make them.
Two huge trays of Lasagna - that would serve both as dinner, and the next day's lunch - lots of lettuce, tomato and onions for salad, and two jars of passion-fruit juice was on the menu.
Her sister-in-law had been really depressed ever since her closest friend disappeared. It was not only the fact that she was gone, but also the guilt of feeling responsible... Ginny could really do with one pick me up. Elizabeth hoped that their optimism would catch her as well.
"YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAAAAAY"
They sang, laughing out loud and throwing themselves into the sofa. The Lasagna was in the oven; it was only a matter of waiting for it to be ready. The bottle of rum rested in the coffee table. Not that they would be able to drink it all, but a refill would definitely be necessary with the way she was indulging.
That day was turning out to be great...
Until Harry appeared in their living room, through the fireplace, looking like a zombie. The last time he showed up looking this haunted was to give the news that Hermione was missing... Right now, it served to suck all the happiness out of the room.
Ron magically turned down the volume just as the piano bars to 'songbird' started to play, he accioed one cup, filled it for his friend who took it and downed in one gulp as if it was a shot. His whole-body shiver and gag showed that he wasn't prepared for the alcohol to enter his body like that. She winced in sympathy.
In all the years she spent around these wizards, she never saw them indulge a lot in alcohol aside from the occasional firewhiskey in parties, which they sipped slowly just to enjoy the taste. Harry fell on the loveseat across from them as if he couldn't support his own weight standing up. Elizabeth's eyes followed Harry's hand, that held a picture between his fingers...
"What is that?" She asked, nodding towards the little square picture.
He wordlessly gave it to her, he swallowed repeatedly, as if he had a lump in his throat, and his eyes were filled with tears he was trying to hold back. He served himself another dose but didn't drink it all at once this time.
As soon as her eyes focused on the image, she let out a gasp, and felt her own husband tense up beside her.
The defiance in Ginny's eyes did little to subside the worry building in her chest. Her sister-in-law looked fine... but for how long?
"When... how?!" She asked "I spoke to her just a few minutes ago! How..."
Harry sniffed and took a good gulp of his drink. Once more gagging but accepting that uncomfortable sensation as if it would send away his worries. "I don't know. I have no Idea how they got her, but..." He pointed at the picture "Turn around."
- We want Rodolphus. How about we exchange prisoners? - The Death Eaters.
Ron took the picture out of her hands, and glared at it with an intensity that could have burnt the paper...
"Who the hell is Rodolphus?" She asked, at the same time she wondered... what kind of stupid name is Death Eaters?
"A criminal." She never heard her husband sound so feral. Anger didn't begin to describe how he looked right then. His hands trembled, and from the murderous expression on his face, she gathered that there's no amount of humour would make him feel better.
"WOOOO WHERE IS THE PARTY?!"
George arrived, both hands raised high above his head and a big smile on his face... Ron's glare was now directed at him.
Elizabeth sighed... He really has to learn how to deal with his emotions. She smiled sadly at George "I think you should sit, George."
"What? Why?" Ron sent the picture flying in his brother's direction...
"Oh..."
George assumed an expression as murderous as his brother's when he turned the picture around when Harry instructed him to.
Elizabeth had no idea what was going on... All she knew is that their night was definitely not one for celebration.
"Are you alright, love?"
Elizabeth's unfocused eyes looked up from the chessboard, to lock onto her husband's worried ones.
"Just thinking..." Black rook took pawn, attacking Ron's white rook and Queen simultaneously. Her position was guarded by another rook, a bishop, and a pawn. His Queen had no escape. It was a sequence of forced trades she planned five moves ago...
"About?" He knew that it wasn't the game, his head wasn't in it either. Checkmate was unavoidable after those trades, and in a show of good sportsmanship, he resigned. Giving her his full attention.
She took a deep breath, then released it all along with her thoughts "I think that Hermione anticipated this."
He frowned leaning forwards, completely interested in what she had to say. "How come?"
"Her open criticism to how little those in power cared about changes was met with resistance from too many different sides, even those supposedly on hers. Almost every wizard defends an outdated way of life..." She raised her index finger, starting to list why she thought Hermione expected this crisis "She quit a position in the ministry because she didn't see the effort being made to bring the changes necessary to match this new phase of muggleborns outnumbering 'purebloods' in wizarding society." Two fingers, and a third making its way up "She knew that if nothing changed, it was only a matter of time before history repeated itself..." she threw her hands up when she finished listing "She wasn't wrong. I don't know how I missed the building tension... I guess I was just... wearing the rose-coloured glasses of the new and wonderful world I was getting into..."
"No one could have predicted this, Liz... You can't blame yourself..."
"She did!"
"You can't be sure of that."
- Would you consider getting some duelling lessons with me? I- I need someone to practice with. Ron is really busy with work and all, not to mention Harry, that one never stops working, almost as bad as me- Oh! Ginny will be there too! It will be fun, you see... It doesn't take magic to evade spells, sometimes it's mostly speed... sidestep and all that... And it might come in handy if you are in close range to accidental magic going on in the diagon alley, or any other place...
Accidental magic... Or any targeted attack. At first, Elizabeth thought that Hermione was being an overbearing ex-girlfriend trying at all costs trying to stay in Ron's life through her. The curiosity about all things magic, and the reassurance that a friendly face would be around, was the only thing that made Elizabeth agree to that nonsense.
And it was for my benefit...
"I can, Ron. I can be sure..." She glared at ashes of the daily prophet she threw on the fireplace. "And I hate what they are doing to her name right now..."
She sighed and slowly started to rearrange the pieces... That wait was killing her. Harry was supposed to be back...
"Me too..." Her husband's watery voice made her look up. His eyes were threatening to spill his tears over. Such a sight made her heart break on his behalf. Their next match could wait, she quit trying to organize the chessboard, got up from her place and sat on his lap. Wishing she could ease all his worries, and take all his pain away with her embrace. If only it was that easy...
"He will be here soon... Don't worry." She smiled at him, trying to bring comfort, but knowing that if she couldn't convince herself not to worry, there was nothing she could do for him except... be here. "How is that organization of yours doing? What's it called again?" She knew the name, but right now she had to keep his mind busy...
"The order of the Phoenix." He sniffed and smiled weakly at her, probably just thankful for the distraction, and dried the tears that escaped quickly, before enlacing her waist with his arms and holding her close to him "Andromeda's house is going to be used as our headquarters, she insists... I think that this time she wants to be more hands on. Narcisa... Hell, I never thought I'd see that pompous woman bond with my mom... But she could relate to Narcisa's pain of having her son on the enemy side of the war... So, there they are... Bonding."
Even as a daughter, I'd never wish to fight my parents in a war... Imagine how awful it must be for a mother? "The way you speak... It's like this Narcisa is the enemy herself."
"She could very well be, with all the judgemental stares... She raised Draco, after all! What surprises me the most is having her on our side this time..." He shrugged "Maybe she just knows that we are stronger?" It was the first time Elizabeth has seen Ronald truly smile since the news of his sister's kidnaping reached them. Hope was just starting to make its way to his chest... Despite thinking about a hundred other possible reasons that woman would want to be on their side, she felt compelled to agree.
"Definitely, no one wants to fight on the losing team." His eyes closed a little as his smile got bigger. It imediatelly made Elizabeth's chest lose a lot of the weight pressing against it.
"So, aside from sending out notifications to our ex-members that we are going to go back to action, nothing changed. Bill and Fleur are keeping up with their routine, although now they have their ears attuned for any death eater propaganda being spread around..."
"Shouldn't they change that name? I mean, if they are aiming for popular support, it would be a smart idea to disassociate their new image from the past war."
"Don't question their stupidity. Who knows why they kept that ridiculous name for their organization? Maybe they are lazy..."
"Or maybe... They will try to change the narrative of the last war?" The thought sent a jolt of fear through her body. They want to free a convict murderer... why would they want that if not to rewrite their history? If they managed to justify Voldemort's crimes, nothing can stop them from stablishing their little dictatorship... Successfully this time...
"Nothing justifies what Voldemort had planned, Liz. I don't think they can manage that."
"Ron, they have Hermione fooling everyone who doesn't want to believe that she is being held hostage... They are spreading lies that she invented her whole work to benefit the image of this Dumbledore's 'perfect equal world'. What if they can convince people that Voldemort's crimes were justified? No wizard wants their safe little bubble burst by thousands of muggleborns that will eventually bring their family to participate in their magical lives."
"That's not possible... My family accepted you, and there are many other families like my own out there. We would never side with Voldemort, for any reason."
"Your parents fought in the war. They've seen first-hand how lies are used to manipulate the masses. Of course, they won't believe whatever is told by this... shitty-prophet. You can't speak for every citizen who just want to live their lives peacefully!"
"Liz. You weren't here. You don't know how awful Voldemort was. NO ONE can defend that!"
"Maybe no one who suffered losses... But trust me, Ron, if there are neo-nazis out there, then there can be many people to defend these Death Eaters movement here. Especially since you wizards have so much fear of the muggle world."
"We are not afraid of the muggle world. We just don't understand it, that's different."
"You're joking... Right?"
He stared at her as if she was saying something extremely absurd, which made her stare at him the same way. Does he really not see it?!
"Ron. When people don't look at me like I'm some poor woman worthy of pity for not having magic, which sucks enough" It certainly gave her perspective on how she used to treat people with physical disabilities "They look at me with suspicion as if I'll bring a horde of muggles with me to invade their personal space. I can't believe you never noticed it. I mean, I thought that it was because I was gawking at everything and everyone when I first arrived... It would be more explainable, then. But even after I settled in, and made a home here, those you call traditional wizards still treat me as if I'm an oddity." Most of the time, she just wants to go around screaming: Alright, I get it, I don't have magic, can you stop looking at me like I'm from a completely different species? "Squibs have been fighting for equality for ages, and you never questioned why?"
He frowned and shook his head "But how could they occupy positions that requires magic, if they don't have magic?"
"Because most of those positions doesn't even require magic, Ron!" Holy shit, she married the most clueless wizard in the wizarding society, how was that even possible? "I freaking quit an accountant job at the Gringotts because they obviously hired me to get on your good graces... Do you know how annoying it is to have people looking over your shoulder to make sure you won't do wrong what you're best at? I'm a fucking MATEMATICIAN, Ron. And they treated me like I couldn't solve two plus two just because I don't have magic to make quills float around!"
"I thought... You said..."
"Of course, I said it was because I'd rather help George open a business in the muggle world... And it's not a lie..." In the muggle world no one would stare at me like I'm a freak show. She sighed and sat down again on her own chair.
It certainly explained why he never said anything when his father treated her and her family like they were the most amusing things, like a kid in a pet zoo. Ron thought it was normal. She simply thought it was because he knew his father would let it go quick enough, and it wasn't necessary to embarrass everyone bringing attention to his weird behaviour.
Not to mention how his mother politely - but annoyingly - always questioned how she cared for her baby boy without magic. Going after her to see how she does things at her own home whenever she visited. As if I need to make food come out of thin air to feed him.
- Don't mind them, Lizzy. You see, wizards have this idea in their heads that muggles are clueless creatures that couldn't possibly live a good life without magic. They think that our technology is a poor imitation to what magic can do. They are behind times, unaware of all the things muggles did, and still will achieve with science. It's our own brand of magic, isn't it?
Hermione had a bright smile as she set up the magical equivalent of 'electric current' in their house for all the appliances she would need.
Oh my God... How much do I owe Hermione for helping me adjust, really?
"So, what? You think that everyone will start believing that Voldemort was a hero, and muggleborns are the scourge of this society?"
She shrugged, still reeling from what she figured out. "They can throw Voldemort under the bus for all his crimes but try to justify his actions as a misguided attempt to do something good. I don't know! I'm not in their heads, Ron! I'm just pointing out that it's not surprising how many people are believing this bullshit about Hermione's work being forged. Wizards don't see us muggles as fellow human beings... and even if they don't think we should die, it doesn't mean they respect us."
Ron clearly didn't want to keep up arguing with her, he ended up being the one who finished setting up the pieces again on both sides. "Let's just... Forget about this for a while?"
She nodded... It was no use stressing over things out of their control. They had to think of ways to overcome this adversity. Lingering on why they were in deep shit wouldn't help in any way.
"Let's. Let me play with the black set again? I want to see if I can make a good game with the king's Indian defence..."
He smiled at her, both grateful that she let go of this matter, and that she didn't seem to hold a grudge over his clear ignorance. He took her words to heart, and she was glad that her wonderful husband was someone who accepted her points of view. If he put his strategist head to work alongside hers, maybe they'd find a solution for this mess, yet.
Hell was cold. He was sure. Even without dementors for company, the breeze in this time of year was enough to have him shivering in the furthest corner of his cell. And winter still hadn't arrived in truth... "I'm done... Done... Done... I did everything... Everything..." He rocked back and forth; movement would help him warm up since his sheets did next to nothing against that harsh wind. "Aaahh I did everything, father! Fuck you! I hate you!"
He whimpered, when flashes of green and brown came to the forefront of his mind. "Everything... I did... Everything..." She smiled at him. She understood... She always understood... She was smiling... "Sister... I love you... I'm sorry... I love you..."
He moaned, stuck with memories he wanted to forget. "Fran..." He mumbled incoherently, random things, when a memory assaulted him and twisted his gut with a feeling that made him want to die. Alone in this cell, he had nothing to do but think... He was tired of thinking... of feeling... He missed the dementors. He did. They teased him with death. It's what he wanted the most now that there was no hope... If the dementors were there, he would have found a way to get their kiss by now.
"We failed... It wasn't my fault... I told them... I told... I'm sorry..."
He knew he wasn't making any sense; he was just past the point of caring. There was no one to witness him talking to himself like a madman...
"Lestrange."
...Or so he thought. His head snaped up, and Rodolphus felt some amusement in the way that boy stared at him. "Why so angry, Golden Boy?" He laughed when that face twisted with an ugly expression of pure hatred. There was something wrong with his eyes, though... Where's that killer intent, boy? Where is it? "The war is over! We can all be friends now." He said with a very sarcastic smile and tone of voice, hoping to see if his eyes would gain that dangerous glint to match that forced expression of contempt. "Actually, how many years has been? It's hard to keep track of time in here." He ran his fingers through his long, unkept beard as he said it.
"Tell me what you know, Rodolphus." He smoothed his face, occlusion playing a part in his calm and collected state of mind. Oh, so he finally learned the trick?
"Hmm... I know plenty of things. You have to be more specific." He rested his head on the cold, hard wall behind him, that boy standing in front of his cell served as some sort of windbreaker. A small respite. Maybe if he teased him enough, an Avada Kedavra would bring an end to this nightmare. One could dream...
"What are your friends planning?"
Friends... Friends... Friends... His mind worked on what he could be possibly talking about. Not that Potter knew about it but "I have no friends..." He smiled, then slowly worked through the meaning. He tilted his head... "You mean... my co-workers?" what were they planning?
"Yes. Your co-workers. Your fellow death-eaters. Your fucking secret society that's trying to break havoc in this world again! What do you know about them?"
They reunited? ...Ah, so they found out that Delphine holds a piece of Voldie's soul... He smiled wickedly... Only to stir that anger simmering inside that clueless pup. In reality, he was worrying about how his so-called friends found out about that little piece of information. Himself and that bitch were the only ones who knew about Voldemort's plans for the child... And he was done following orders... He would never bring that bastard back to life again.
I'm done... done... I'm done...
"What do you know?" The Potter boy hissed. Almost a perfect imitation of his long-deceased master. Impressive...
He snorted and shrugged... "Where's that muddie? I might open up to her... She's a lovelier sight."
Cold wind blasted through again, once Harry pulled away from the cell door to look behind and check if there were any guards coming around. He felt his whole body shiver once more, clenching his jaw to stop his teeth from clashing. He seemed to feel like it was safe enough for whatever he was about to do... Hope flared in his chest, maybe death would meet him... "Legilimens"
Rodolphus smiled at that pathetic invasion. He let all his worst memories flood his mind. Francine's deceased face, still smiling, her own blood scrawled Half-Bastard in her exposed abdomen...
Voldemort's second coming was not kind to the 'traitors' of his movement... Apparently, caring for her muggle father was enough of a crime.
Harry gasped and left his mind looking as tormented as Rodolphus felt. I only had a legilimens for a best friend... No one can touch my hidden memories without my permission. You will never know my shame... my shame...
And there it was, the gut churning feeling that made him want to wail and wrap those chains against his neck. It wasn't an easy death, though. He doubted he would manage that... He let out a loud, maniacal laugh that could rival Bellatrix' one with its delirious glee. "Come now, boy. Just bring the girl over here. I promise I'll be the perfect gentleman." He would never let the boy associate that memory with the guilt he felt. "I just need more material for my fantasies, it gets lonely in here you know?" He bit his lower lip and made a jerking movement with his right hand.
Harry's sickly green face gained colour again, as the righteous fury he felt took over once more "You sick bastard! I'll-" He seemed to realize that he was being baited. Suddenly, all his emotions left his face, and he was focused once more.
"What do you know about their little reunion, Rodolphus?"
"Hey, Potter boy. Will you bring the girl to me? I could do with an eye candy right now. You do nothing for me, honestly. I can't picture you naked. That girl though... mmmhmm You know what, you don't have to even bring her. Just a picture will do. Do you have it with you?"
The golden boy looked strangely calm, still. No such luck to bait him into ending his suffering. His eyes were calculating. He wasn't even occluding anymore... That carefully rehearsed expression of distaste wasn't real enough. Rodolphus knew contempt when he saw it. And that wasn't it. What's with you, boy?
Intel was clear back then; Snape was certain that Harry wasn't as smart as Voldemort gave him credit for. That girl was the brain behind the other two brutes... To see this one acting on his own... It was a sight stranger than seeing Bellatrix pregnant. It just didn't match what he knew. Something was off... What is it, though?
"You don't fucking know, do you? Of course, you don't. There's no way for you to get communication here, I don't know why I thought..." Potter was the one who looked like a madman now, talking to himself and pacing in front of the cell...
Rodolphus smiled. "I wonder... What important information I have that requires such attention... Are you worried about a possible war?" If Lucius found some info about Delphine, some way, that's what he will aim for.
Harry sighed "Up."
He frowned "What?"
"Get up. My wife has been kidnaped; Your idiotic fanatical friends want you in exchange for her life."
"Oh! You mean that I'm free to go? That's..."
He couldn't help but laugh... WHY would this idiot tell him everything he needed to know? If the others knew about Delphine's status as horcrux they'd leave him here to rot and take credit for themselves. They clearly need Rodolphus for something else.
"Yes, you'll be free soon enough. Don't even think about doing something stupid before we leave." He spit those words, as if it made him sick to think about it.
But Rodolphus was done following orders...
I'm done being used.
Freed from those chains, he felt like anything was possible, and he could breathe again. Nothing compared to the feeling of magic flooding his system after years of being supressed.
"Where are you taking me, Golden Boy?" He asked as he followed the boy out of Azkaban, very clandestinely. No other guard seemed to be around, and the passage they took seemed to be a very secret one.
"Shut up."
"Aw, don't be mad! Want a little kiss?" He puckered his lips and pressed forwards to kiss the boy's cheek. Knowing full well that his awful breath, disgusting beard, and cracked dry lips were not something Harry would want anywhere near him, even if he wasn't a convicted murderer.
"Ew... Shit!" A terrible shudder of disgust ran through that boy's body, so over the top was his reaction that Rodolphus couldn't contain another laugh.
Harry pointed his wand in his direction "I want you walking in front of me now, Lestrange. Any abrupt movement I'll cut you open. They want you alive, they didn't mention the state. Am I clear?"
He raised his hands, with a mock expression of innocence. Once he passed the boy, and his face was out of sight, a wide smile broke free.
Power will be mine. I'll make it all better, Rabs. Fran... I'll build world we wanted for ourselves.