A/n: I know I don't update as often as I should, I'm sorry but I'm not dead yet.

Duchy of Saxony, Carolingian Empire.

05 January 985

07:36 PM

"It is almost done," the woman pressed the silver rattle to her red lips and left an imprint of her rouge on the smooth sterling surface, "we'll soon have what we need."

"So it seems," Her husband agreed, placing her wine at her side and bowing to her grandeur, "It will soon be possible for us to reach our greatest dreams."

"What we're about achieve has always been a possibility," The women smirked sultrily, "it is not about the possibilities, it is about ability! The ability to do the unimaginable."

"I know," Conrad rolled his eyes, "It's about to come within our grasp."

"Within our grasp?" The woman scoffed, "the one thing we want most is about to become a reality."

"I know," he nodded, "We're about to do the unthinkable."

"We're about to turn children's tales into undoubtable truths," she chuckled jovially, "We're about to change what magic itself means." She shook her head and giggled to herself, "we're about to change what reality itself means!"

"Anais," the man ran his thick fingers over her snow white skin, kissing her on the forehead where her flame red hair met her pale skin and holding her face in his hands, "will it all be worth it in the end?"

"We'll have the one thing that we've wanted for so long," she looked up into the sad brown eyes of her greying husband, "Why should we never have our truest happiness? Why does joy allude us? Why should we not go after our greatest desire with both hands ready to receive it?"

"Is the cost not too great?" he held her in his arms, enveloping her tiny frame in his arms.

Anais stepped out of the man's embrace, "Conrad, do not toy with my emotions so."

"But think of the carnage of innocents that we've committed," Conrad countered, "is the panicle of evil not the indifference to suffering and our eagerness to carry innocents with us into oblivion with little regard for their lives and places in the universe?"

Anais gently caressed the man's face with her nails before grabbing his jaw in her palm and digging her nails into his cheeks, "You're afraid, you stink of fear and weakness." She released him, pushing him backward and onto his knees, "Are you so weak that you cannot take back what was taken from us?"

"This is not a question of strength," Conrad shook his head, "this is me asking you if we're doing the right thing by serving our own interests with little regard for anything else?"

"How do you mean?" Anais hugged herself, "How can you say such a thing?"

"We've created monsters that suck the happiness from the world," Conrad shook his head, "have we not gone too far?"

"Too far?" Anais shook her head in disbelief, "Is there such a thing as too far?" her whole body shook with her head because of her minuscular size, "Think about why we're doing this and tell me again that we've gone too far."

"I do think of why we're doing this," Conrad snapped, standing at his full height causing his wife to shrink before his great size, "that's why I believe there should be a limit to the things we are willing to do."

"How can you say such a thing?" Anais's hand made a loud smacking sound as she slapped her husband, "Did you even love him?"

"It's because I loved him that I have to ask these questions," Conrad grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into him.

"Don't think you can seduce me with your unfeeling words," she fought his embrace but his arms enveloped her regardless of her struggle, "He was my everything."

"He was my everything," Conrad dragged her to the window and forced her to look over the baron, frozen estate, "but is this a life you'd want for our boy?"

"He was my baby," she shook her head, "he was taken from me! Taken too soon!"

"But the truth is we've gone too far," Conrad held her, a cold silence washing over the pair, "We need to let him go."

Anais sat still in his arms for a heartbeat, when she spoke her words were colder than the night air, "if you've gone too far then you're free to leave." She shook herself out of his embrace, "he was my baby and I have a way to bring him back, I'm not going to give it up because of a thousand strangers and some creatures that go bump in the night."

"I would never leave you," Conrad bowed his head, "I will stand beside you no matter what, I love you."

She tossed him his wand, "Then get ready, we still have bounty to collect."

"If you're sure this is what you want," Conrad nodded solemnly.

"I've never wanted anything more," she smiled malevolently.

Conrad relented to his wife's desires, "then I will willingly follow you into oblivion."

~0~

Kurt fell into the seat opposite Hermione and Finn with a malevolent grin, "You'll never guess who Witch Weekly interviewed."

"Viktor," Hermione rolled her eyes, unimpressed by what he chose to call news, "he told me about the interview, they did it when he was in the country for a friendly against England."

"Are you two still a thing?" Finn furrowed his brow, pulling his hand from where he had been stroking Hermione's hand platonically, "I don't think I can take him in a fight." Finn shook his head dramatically, "nor would I want to, Padma and I are very happy! She lets me feel her boobs without turning out to be Neville Longbottom the next day!"

"That was your own doing!" Hermione snapped, "I had nothing to do with you making out with Neville!" she crossed her arms and turned away from the tall boy, "and I'm sure Neville didn't seduce you under false pretences!"

"I wasn't insinuating any wrong doing on Neville's part," Finn held his hands up in surrender, "I just expect that when I say I made out with Hermione Granger, to have made out with Hermione Granger."

"I will never have any desire to say that but I understand the appeal," Kurt shrugged.

"And what might that be?" Hermione smirked, "Is it the yellow gym dresses?"

"That was one time," Kurt shuddered, "and I meant having made out with the brightest witch of the age." Kurt fixed an imaginary stray hair, "I'd know what Haim Black missed out on when Rowena refused to marry him."

"You've had another dream," Hermione gasped.

"You have to tell us if you're still with Viktor Krum before you hear anything about Anais Haddad-Schmidt," Finn snapped in a totalitarian tone that made Kurt proud, "Kurt, don't you dare say another word."

"Strictly speaking," Hermione shook her head, "we're enjoying each other's intellect."

"That's ambiguous at best," Finn shook his head, "why would Kurt ask if he didn't want details?"

"I didn't ask," Kurt hissed at his brother, "You did."

"Whatever," the boy rolled his eyes, "speak Ms Granger!"

"I don't know if there's anything left to say outside of what I've already said," Hermione furrowed her brow in profound contemplation, "We're not dating because distance makes it impossible, like Kurt and Noah."

"I have no interest in dating Noah Puckerman," Kurt shook his head.

"I've read the letters," Hermione and Finn chorused.

"You want to climb him like a mountain," Finn growled seductively.

"You want to have his babies almost as much as you want little Weasleys in your future," Hermione giggled.

Finn sneered and shook his head, "don't think you can distract us with your Hipster Weasley fan theories."

"Exactly babes! Have you read the interview?" Kurt bounced excitedly, receiving a loud shushing from Madam Pince.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not a huge fan of Witch Weekly," Hermione shook her head, "Didn't know you were one either."

"I'm not," Kurt shook his head, "Pansy showed me the article."

Finn furrowed his brow, "Why?"

"Because we're tight like that," Kurt shrugged smugly.

"Not 'why is pansy showing you things'," Finn rolled his eyes, "Why would she show you an interview with Viktor Krum?"

"Because he mentions Hermione by name," Kurt squealed excitedly, holding the magazine just out of Hermione's grasp, "and because Hermione is my friend and Pansy isn't there yet with their friendship."

Hermione nodded solemnly, "Rome wasn't built in a day."

"And we're doing fourteen years of unteaching," Finn agreed.

"I'm sorry but who are you unteaching what?" Hermione quirked a curious brow, "because Kurt and, more reluctantly, I are the ones unteaching the Slytherins their blood prejudice."

"Do you think these abs are always out by chance?" Finn asked as he raised his shirt.

"Firstly, you don't have abs," Kurt shook his head, "Secondly, you are definitely playing your part by being the best boyfriend at Hogwarts. Thirdly, I really need Hermione to read this before I roast her."

"Let me see," Hermione growled as she snatched the long extended magazine from his hand.

Kurt shook his head and grinned malevolently, "It'll be more fun if I read it to you." He snatched the magazine back, smirked and cleared his throat, "so much more fun."

"Then get on with it," Hermione huffed, crossing her arms impatiently, "while I'm still young."

Kurt cleared his throat once more and began to read the article, "We're in the midlands for a friendly quidditch match between Bulg-"

"Skip to the part that mentions me," Hermione snapped, reaching for the magazine, "Or shall I read it myself?"

"We took a moment to speak to Bulgarian Bonbon, teenage heartthrob and national seeker Viktor Krum about the more intimate details of his life and we were feeling cheeky, when asked what kind of underwear he wore the seeker simply responded with 'ask Hermione Granger'," Kurt gasped loudly, "Somebody has been a naughty girl and keeping it from me.

"He did not say that," Hermione shook her head.

Finn nodded his head solemnly as he read the article, having snatched the magazine from Kurt, "it's right here in black and white."

"That explains why Lisa high-fived me this morning," Hermione deflated, "she probably thinks I give handjobs in the library now as well."

"To a guy who is on the other side of the English Channel?" Kurt shook his head, "I don't think even you're that good. Besides, we're not judging Lisa for that, she could probably do better than Harry but if she chooses to give him handjobs that is her prerogative."

"Nobody is judging Lisa Turpin," Hermione held her hands up in surrender, "but Harry?"

"I made out with Harry Potter," Finn squealed defensively, "Also, why didn't you tell me Lisa and Harry were a thing again?"

"Why didn't your girlfriend tell you?" Hermione snapped back.

"She did but I wanted to hear it from you two as well," Finn crossed his arms, "It's like I don't know you any more."

"You don't," the pair chorused with matching scowls.

"You spend all your time with Padma now," Hermione crossed her arms.

"Don't let her distract you," Kurt shook his head as he tapped the magazine that now sat between them, "Keep your eye on the ball."

"You've been holding out on us Mione," Finn shook his head, "I came and told you straight after the first time Padma let me feel her boobs, how could you do this to us?"

"I'm not the only one who is keeping things from the group," Hermione held her hands up in surrender, "Kurt went on a moonlit stroll with Gregory Goyle."

"The moon was not out that night," Kurt shook his head, "I'm almost certain."

"Are you and Goyle a thing now?" Finn gasped, "who do I have left to trust?"

"I will answer my questions once we've gotten to the bottom of the Hermione knowing what kind of underwear Viktor wears," Kurt scowled at his best friend, "you have to tell me or I'll draw my own conclusions and tell Mandy."

"And she'll tell all the Ravenclaws and Neville," Finn clarified, "are we ever going to talk about how Neville got over all three of us and ended up with one of the prettiest girls in school, with the greatest boobs?"

"I'm sorry if Neville is over you," Kurt pursed his lips, "but he will love me till his death, regardless of who outlives whom."

"Lucky you," Finn rolled his eyes, "How grand it must be to be the chosen one."

"That's me," Kurt smirked, "the chosen one, the Luke Skywalker of this mother fucker." Kurt quickly turned his attention back to his best friend, "now tell me Han, what has this scruffy nerf herder been up to?"

Hermione's shoulders slumped, "are you going to make me say it in front of Finn?"

"I'm a person," the tall boy snapped, "Also, Padma brought the last gossip and so it is my turn to spill the tea."

"You can tell her about Kurt and Goyle," Hermione's tone became intimidating, "not this! If you breathe a word of this to anyone I will end you."

"We'll clog his mind with other things," Kurt rolled his eyes, "tell me everything."

Hermione took a deep breath, "it all starts on the night of the Yule ball."

"The night Cedric and I slept outside because you stole my keys," Kurt quirked a brow.

"I mentioned we had a conversation," Hermione nodded to herself, "of sorts."

"You most certainly did not," Kurt's jaw went slack.

"Luna mentioned the stubble burn," Hermione shrugged and Kurt put his fist in his mouth to suppress a giggle, "we'd practiced the dark arts as you'd put it."

"You took him to muff town?" Kurt held fistfuls of his hair to stop from screaming.

"It's pronounced Dufftown," Finn shook his head.

Kurt smirked at his brother, "think about it."

There was a moment of silence before Finn's face lit up, "You let him get to third base?"

"Your stubble burn was…" Kurt gestured with his hands instead of using his words, a malevolent grin ruining his beautiful face, "this is why I love her like I raised her."

"I thought you love Neville like you raised him," Finn furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I'm capable of loving more than one person at a time," Kurt snapped.

"Is this about how you're kind of with Gregory Goyle and Terry Boot at the same time?" Finn smirked.

"This has nothing to do with me, we'll get to my indecisiveness later," Kurt held up a silencing finger, "Tell me more Hermione."

"I doubt he has a car," Finn rolled his eyes.

"This is not the moment for really great Grease reference," Kurt snapped.

"As I was saying," Hermione chuckled, "he went down on me."

"And gave you stubble burn," Kurt and Finn crooned in time.

Hermione smirked in return, "which was when I made the informed decision to forfeit both Viktor and I's next Hogsmead visit in lieu of…" Hermione seemed to think of her words carefully, "becoming a woman."

"You didn't?"

"Not entirely," she shook her head innocently, "But I'm not the same bushy haired girl I once was, I'm grown now."

"What does that mean?" Finn furrowed his brow, "use your words!"

"She played his skin flute," Kurt clapped his hands excitedly, "what kind of underwear does he wear?"

Hermione twirled her hair coyly, "Y-fronts."

"I wear Y-fronts," Finn gasped, slapping his hand over his open mouth. His voice dropped to a whisper, "am I Viktor Krum?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, "somebody had pills and bourbon for breakfast."

"Nope," Finn shook his head, "just a little bit of champagne."

"Any way," Hermione cleared her throat, "I've said my part, Kurt needs to tell us about him and Goyle, then about Anais Haddad-Schmidt!"

"Fine," Kurt rolled his eyes, "I had this dream-"

"Start with you and Goyle," Finn snapped.

"The two are intertwined," Kurt huffed impatiently, "I'll explain when I'm done, so do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Sorry," the pair mumbled.

"My dream was of Rowena's birthday ball," Kurt swooned to himself, "she was wearing this beautiful blue, ruffled, silk gown and a feathered fascinator. So all the other founders are there and just after she dances with Haim Black, Guess who Godric introduces her to?"

"Because we know people from a period that was basically erased from history," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Helga of Kiev," Kurt clapped his hands excitedly.

Hermione's jaw hung open, "The Fat Lady?"

"Yes," Kurt bounced up and down in his seat, "and she mentions that Godric told her all about Anais Haddad-Schmidt."

"Are you telling me that I've been speaking to the answer to one of our biggest mysteries every day?"

Finn furrowed his brow, "What does this have to do with Goyle?"

"I got out of bed as soon as I realised that there was somebody I could ask about the matter," Kurt explained, "I kind of ran into Gregory and he accompanied me to The Fat Lady's portrait."

"Midnight stroll under the stars," Finn nodded amorously, "it was totally a date."

"It was not a date," Kurt snapped, "I told Gregory as much, which begs the question; how did you find out?"

"Tracey saw you coming back into the common room," Hermione smirked, "she says you've never looked happier and that she suspects that what they say about men with big feet is true."

Kurt nodded to himself, "I'm satisfied with the work we've done on her."

"Whoop dee-doo," Finn spoke sarcastically, "Tell me what we know about AHD!"

"AHD?" Kurt quirked an impressed brow, "I like it."

"You can have it, just so long as you stop keeping me waiting."

"I want to hear a little more about Kurt and Goyle," Hermione countered, "Like what did you talk about?"

"He asked me why I wouldn't date him," Kurt smiled to himself, "And argued his case by explaining that he was cute, funny and had great biceps."

"He used the Anthony Rickett on you?" Hermione gasped, "What did you say?"

Kurt shrugged, "I, very nicely, told him it was because he was an asshole; too much of Draco's person rather than his own."

"Do you like him?" Hermione gasped.

"I don't like anyone," Kurt frowned, "I'm dead on the inside, remember how the last guy I liked died?"

"Correlation, not causation," Finn shook his head, "Do you think I stopped having friends because Cedric died?"

"Let's not make this about you," Kurt wagged a reproachful finger.

Finn frowned, "okay, here's a question that isn't about me, are you considering Gregory Goyle as a serious suitor?"

"I…" Kurt was silent for a moment as he considered the question, "I'm not discounting him yet." Kurt nodded to himself, "he sees the truth in my assessment and we can only wait to see who he is as his own person."

"His proximity would be advantageous compared to other members of your desire of suitors," Hermione smirked, "The long distance is less likely to kill you this way."

"Why? What'd you hear?" Kurt snapped.

"Nothing," Hermione held her hands up in surrender, "I'm sure everyone is still as in love with you as they were before."

"Better be," Kurt growled.

"Anais time," Finn growled in response.

"Don't growl at me," Kurt glared at his brother, "Don't make me make you have to have your own magical time travelling dreams just so you can find out about someone you wouldn't know or care about if I hadn't forced you." Kurt crossed his arms, "You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"If I were the one having the dreams we'd know a lot more because I sleep a lot more than you do," Finn snapped back, "and I will growl if I like, just not at you in future."

"Who's a good boy?"

"Reward him in stories," Hermione interjected with a dramatic eye roll.

"Fine," Kurt leaned forward and with a solemn, stony face, he began to tell the story, "she was woman from what would today be Germany, she and her husband had a son who died as an infant. She used magic that Helga described as 'Black' in an effort to collect the life force of countless numbers for the power to bring back the dead, her son." Hermione gasped, "she used black magic to suck the life force from people, in doing so she created the dementors."

Hermione's jaw was slack, "You mean just like Pansy said?"

Kurt nodded, "it's such a sad and beautiful story."

"Yes," Finn nodded, "But what does it have to do with you?"

Kurt shook his head, "I need to find out about that spell though, it's the only logical way forward."

"You want to wield the power to steal people's souls and turn them into dementors?" Hermione quirked a brow that was somewhere between concerned and curious.

"Get off your Gryffindor high-horse," Kurt glared at her, "I don't want to use it, it's how I move forward." Kurt shook his head, "Do you think I started dreaming of Rowena Ravenclaw this year?"

"You were dreaming of her before?" Hermione gasped.

Kurt nodded, "before this it was a portion of her tenure in Hogwarts leadership, as a child it was her childhood; each carried a lesson and until I had learned what I needed from her life it haunted me."

"Deep," Hermione gulped, "What'd you learn from her childhood?"

"To stand up for myself," Kurt smiled sadly, "she insisted her father hire someone who would teach her as much as they would have had she been born a boy." His smile grew hopeful, "To see a young woman that brave, in a time when she was supposed to be ornamental was truly inspiring."

"I see," Hermione nodded to herself, "Where do we begin to look for a spell from a period lost in time?"

"With a visit to my grandmother," Kurt nodded to himself, "I can get some answers from her."

Finn furrowed his brow, "What's in Sheffield?"

"Not that grandmother," Kurt rolled his eyes, "I mean Druella Black."

"How could she possibly help you?"

"There's a portrait of Haim Black in her manor," Kurt smirked, "I can ask him a few questions, ask her a few questions as well just to see what the family history has to say about the matter."

"Ask Jadis as well," Hermione nodded, "maybe there's something more detailed on the matter in the LeStrange family history as well, they are from continental Europe after all."

"I'll have to send an owl and make plans," Kurt nodded.

~0~

Ron paced nervously in front of Kurt, Hermione and Harry with Lisa on his lap in the room of requirement; on either end of his marching stood Neville and Mandy, turning him when he reached them in an odd game of tennis.

"This was a bad idea," he mumbled to himself in an endless loop.

"Kurt," Lisa moaned softly, "please tell your boyfriend to stop pacing, he's making me dizzy."

"You people do realise that calling Ronald my boyfriend make him as much my boyfriend as Fudge's denial of Lord Voldemort's return makes the Dark Lord disappear," Kurt crossed his arms expectantly.

"Fair," Harry nodded, "And if Fudge is having as much fun as we are then I understand why he's doing it."

Kurt flashed a saccharine smile, "cute." He took Mandy's spot but when the time came for him to turn Ron around, he stepped aside and stuck out his foot; tripping the gangly boy. Kurt leaned over Ron's sprawled body, "I don't know why you're so stressed, Professor Umbridge would sooner suspect Lisa of masterminding this operation than you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron sulked defensively as he rubbed his chin.

"That you can calm down," Hermione rolled her eyes, "Kurt set the time during yesterday's Muggle Studies class, a class where everyone is a member of Dumbledore's Army."

"Are we married to that name?" Mandy asked with a dramatic eye roll.

"I'm with Mandy on this one," Kurt nodded, "And I know Neville agrees with his two favourite people."

"Neville is biased by your beauty," Ron snapped.

"You think we're beautiful?" Mandy gushed, "that's so sweet."

"No, Neville thinks-" Ron buried his head in his hands, "What were you thinking of calling it? Harry's Army?"

"My baby has an army," Lisa crooned, kissing Harry deeply.

"You're disgusting everyone," Neville grumbled.

"Jealousy makes you nasty," Harry smirked.

"We're totally jealous of your bald girlfriend," Neville scoffed.

"I'm not bald!" Lisa snapped, "I'm just also not blond."

"I knew it!" Kurt grinned malevolently, "I knew that colour was too perfect not to be from a bottle."

"I lemon juiced it," she admitted, "it's a little redder but after the verbal bitch slap Weasley got from Malfoy on the first day I was not going to be associated with that."

Kurt smirked, "I love being right." He basked in it for a moment before schooling his features, "But Neville is right, this is not a public library."

"Kurt!" Hermione, Harry and Lisa chorused in shock and reprieve.

"We all know what these two do in libraries," Kurt smirked.

"Made Ginny cry," Ron nodded solemnly.

"That was funny," Hermione's holier than thou persona crumbled amidst giggles, "she sobbed so violently."

Harry shook his head, "I never gave her any indication I was interested in her."

"Oh," Mandy nodded, "you didn't but we are talking about the girl who opened the Chamber of Secrets over this exact crush."

There was a scandalised silence before Neville leaned close and hissed in her ear, "I told you that in confidence."

"Everyone knows she did it," Lisa snorted.

"Yes," Hermione nodded, "but not everyone knows it was linked to her crush on Harry."

"And her hatred of me," Kurt clarified, "I will not be erased from this narrative."

Ron nodded slowly, "this is true, I hope this doesn't turn her into a Death Eater."

"So," Hermione spoke in cheery tone, trying to change the tone of the conversation, "Dumbledore's Army doesn't work for you as a name?"

"And Harry's Army is inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the club," Kurt shook his head, "it was Hermione's idea, and therefor it is technically her army."

"And I am indifferent to the name we have," Hermione smiled shyly, "if it is my army then I get to name it then I say we stick with the current name."

"Nobody said it was your army," Kurt quirked a dismissive brow, "cool your tits."

"My tits are at the perfect temperature," Hermione countered, she and Kurt glared at each other for a moment, "but you are right, the name isn't very inspiring and this is our moment to change it before we marry ourselves to it."

"Like we did with SPEW," Kurt stopped glaring at Hermione to glare at Luna as she entered the room of requirement with the absent Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff student, "then Luna came up with a better name when it was too late to change the name."

"We're not changing the name," Harry spoke calmly, "we've kind of married ourselves to this name already, it'll make people think we don't know what we're doing if we change the name this deep into the operation."

"Fine," Kurt crossed his arms, "I can't wait to see how that plays out when we get caught."

"Who says we're getting caught?" Ron furrowed his brow.

"We all know it's going to happen," Neville snorted, "with our luck, it's only a matter of taking bets as to when."

The first leg of the grander AHD-storyline is over, hope you like it! Reviews are love (And they make me feel guilty about the infrequency of my updates).