Harry and Ron walked out of the locker room toweling off their faces.
"Nice practice mate."
"Yea the teams lookin' good." Harry took his glasses off and cleaned them with the corner of the towel. "well should we go meet 'Mione?"
" Yea sounds good. Do you think that she has learned anything from Hagrid?"
"Naw she'll probably wait for us to get there. I hope we find out something I'm getting tired of dealing with Professor Black. One Snape is enough and one that was married to my godfather is to much. Some clarification would be good."
"Some how I don't think that knowing Professor Blacks problem isn't going to fix ours. I swear if I have to clean that classroom one more times the flesh on my fingers sis going to rub off and there will only be bones left."
Harry laughed as they walked down the path to Hagrid's Hut. He was still grinning as he walked up to the door and knocked. They could hear Hagrid moving around on the other side of the door before it opened and he filled the doorway.
"Harry, Ron 'bout time you came to visit where's Hermione she to busy studying' to come with ya?"
"No she came to see you this morning we were suppose to meet her here. She didn't come?"
"Naw I haven't seen her. I ran up to the castle this mornin' but I was gone fer a moment. I woulda seen her on my way back."
Ron and Harry looked at each other both frowning. "Maybe she is studying or maybe she decided to wait for us to get done with practice." Ron offered.
"Yea maybe she's on her way. We'll wait here for awhile, see if she shows up." Harry turned to Hagrid who let them walk in and take and they all sat at the table. "Hagrid we were wondering if you knew Professor Black before she came to be a professor?"
"Ah knew her for a little while, she was a real bright student, quiet really quiet. Didn't talk to much 'cept to Professor Snape. She idolized him and followed him everywhere. No one really took to much notice to her she was always hiddin' behind a book or two. Not unlike our Mione. Well anyway she was a real sweet heart and then in end of her fifth year, when Professor Snape, yer mom an' dad, Sirius and all them were in their seventh, she changed. Wouldn't talk at all not her professors or her brother, she didn't want anything to do with him. The gossip was that she had found out about his involvement in the Dark Arts. But if ya ask me it was more than that 'cus Snape wouldn't have anything to do with her either and the war between him and Sirius became worse.
Well, then in the next school year her and Sirius had gotten married and that explained why the hate between Sirius and Snape had gotten worse but everyone was still confused as to how it had happened Sirius had never fought with Evelyn like he did Snape but he didn't like her either. Ah suppose Evelyn is the only one who knows all the details of that lil' affair."
"That doesn't help much but it's a start. Thanks Hagrid we'd like to stay but we'd better find out what's holding up Hermione." Harry stood up and he and Ron said good bye then they went looking for Hermione.
She wasn't in the library like they thought or in the common room, no one had seen her and she didn't show up for lunch.
"Where could she be?"
Harry shook his head "Some thing ain't right Ron come on we need to tell Professor Dumbledore"
Hermione struggled to keep up with the person dragging her. She had a dark hood over her head and had already tripped several times. Her knees had been skinned from the gravel and she could feel blood running down both her shins. They hadn't walked very far or for very long maybe about ten minutes or so. She had been revived, with the hood already over her head and had been dragged to her feet and made to walk.
She figured it was a man leading her because the hand on her upper arm was large and strong. Her own hand had started to tingle a little while ago from the circulation being cut off. His stride was also longer than hers and she was out of breath from trying to keep up.
She was shaking slightly from adrenaline but mostly she was terrified. She knew that who ever this Death Eater was he would take her to Lord Voldemort.
He stopped suddenly and she could hear a large door opening. There were hushed whispers on the other side and she could hear people moving aside as once again she was dragged forward. Her breath quickened with every step she took and then they stopped again just as suddenly as before and she was forced to her knees when the man went to his. And then she heard his voice.
"Rise Lucius."
Of course her captor would be a Malfoy. He rose and left her on the floor but stood close the let her know that she was not free.
"My Lord, it gives me great pleasure the present you with this." her hood was pulled off and she forced herself to keep her eyes on the floor, she had no desire to see him.
She could hear a deep rumbling humming noise coming from the Dark Lord that she assumed was some sort of laugh.
"Well done my son, well done. Potter's little mudblood slut. Ohhhh he will be so devastated when he learns of thisss." More of the laughter. "Well done Lucius."
"Thank you my Lord."
"You may keep her Lucius do what you want with her but I have not decided what I want done so do not destroy her as of yet. We may need her whole."
"Thank you my Lord you are most gracious." he grabbed her arm once more and hauled her to her feet. There was a moment when her eyes met the Dark Lords and then everything went dark and she felt as though she was being pushed through a garden hose as Lucius apperated then away. They landed in what she assumed was the foyer of the Malfoy Manor. Before she could take in the details Lucius was dragging her along. They went through three rooms all of which were a blur to Hermione who was becoming increasingly distorted even though she was no longer blind folded.
Lucius stopped walking and slowly Hermione took in her surroundings. They were in an expensively decorated dinning room with a large mahogany table where Narcissa, Belatrix, and Professor Black were seated sipping tea.
"What on earth is that creature doing in my house Lucius? Narcissa swept her eyes over Hermione clearly displeased.
"I thought you were giving her to our Lord." Belatrix included.
"I did but he gave her to us. He thinks that he might get some use out of her alive and so until he figures out want he wants we have to keep her." his grip on her arm tightened.
"Come now Lucius we may find some sport with having her. You know how I like to play." Hermione shivered and actually moved to hide behind Lucius the look on Belatrix's face was absolutely horrifying.
"Unfortunately the Dark Lord said to keep her in on piece so she would be a mild distraction at best and more of a burden then anything. I wouldn't even use her for carnal pleasures look at this…hair."
"Lucius don't even think about it you touch that and you will never touch me." Narcissa scowled.
Hermione paled at the mention of being used for carnal pleasures.
"Surly you can find someone who would want to bend her over while the Dark Lord decides what her wants done with her." the professor's voice finally join the conversation.
Lucius paused to consider her words. "Would Severus take her Evelyn?"
The Professor rose and circled Hermione her eyes taking in every detail.
Lucius continued "She is his student; perhaps he would enjoy such a game, the teacher and the student."
"Just take her Evelyn, I do not want to play hostess to such filth if I can't kill her." Narcissa asked before sipping her tea as though they were talking of a doll rather than a person.
"What would the Dark Lord say, when he finds out that you passed on his little reward." Professor Black stood in front of Lucius, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I'll tell him that Severus is better equipped to housing a prisoner, he has fewer obligations to distract him and less company to worry about. It will displease him for a moment and then he will forget about it. As long as she is left relatively unharmed he will not mind."
Evelyn sighed in resignation. "I suppose I could give her to Severus as a gift. Perhaps I will even find some use of her." The professor's hand came up around her other arm but Lucius didn't let go.
"Don't even think about taking her back to the castle I don't care if you live at that damned school Evelyn. The Dark Lord wants her for something and I will not be punished if you make a mistake and lose her. Do not cross me Evelyn."
"The thought never crossed my mind." Then he let go and walked to stand behind his wife.
"We will have tea again soon some time. Now if you don't mind your new little pet is bleeding on the carpet." Narcissa waved them off with her hand.
Evelyn nodded her head and tightened her grip on Hermione's arm. Once again she was apperated away but this new house was covered in a thick layer of dust and seemed abandoned. Hermione took in a shaky breath and promptly fainted, the events of this one day finally exhausting her.