Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I own Harry Potter.

Isn't it the moment of most profound doubt that gives birth to new certainties? Perhaps hopelessness is the very soul that nourishes human hope: perhaps one could never find sense in life without first experiencing its absurdity. ~ Vaclav Havel

One should...be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Chapter 2: The Cavalry Has Been Sent

Things seemed so bleak now that the war was over, Harry was happy to have a somewhat normal life. Both he and Ron had already gotten their jobs as aurors, although much to Ron's (not so hidden) annoyance Harry was already made a captain. Like Ron and Harry she had joined as well but she wasn't a captain like Harry or a Lieutenant like Ron—no she was just an underling. Sure if she tried she would be where they were but she didn't want to try.

Everything was going according to plan, so she should be happy right? But that was the thing she wasn't happy, she didn't feel like she had accomplished anything in life. Nothing seemed right anymore. Hermione was angry that even though she managed to reach the goals she had set for her life she wasn't satisfied. She was unhappy. She was angry that Ron and Harry were happy. She was angry that she was feeling that way when she should feel happy for them. Anger and resentment were making her a bitter person. What was all the knowledge she gathered when she wasn't using it?

Then the Director approached her. He offered something that made her heart soar yet tremble with fear. Could she do it? Was it worth it? Was it really worth her humanity? If she said yes she would never be able to show that satisfaction that made her feel so alive. She would forever be locked inside her mind. Knuckles turned white at the force she was applying on the heavy tome in her hands.

"Say no 'Mione," Ron said—well more like demanded.

"Hermione, I know you aren't really happy with what's going on…but is it worth it?" Harry's green eyes looked worriedly at her, she bit her lip. Was her happiness really showing that much?

"Harry, I…I…" She searched desperately in her mind for something, anything that might quell the worry in both of her best friends' gazes. She searched in vain because in the end all she could do was heave a shuddering breath, tears streaming down her face. What was wrong with her, what to the Hermione she knew, the head strong intelligent nineteen years old that entered the auror corps?

The twenty year old just felt so empty inside. So broken.

After a long time, (two years?) Hyuga and the rest of the children were taken away. Most of the children never returned…she never talked about it, only mumbling something about the dirt was not coming off her hands and not being able to get a coin in time. She would cry on her sleep, sobbing sometimes mumbling incoherent words. Hermione doesn't need to guess what happened to those children. She eventually pulled herself together and the nervous smile returned once more only it wasn't the same anymore.

Hyuga had been a strong girl although she had looked so fragile she had been anything but fragile. The first time their captors with the metal-plated headbands, shinobi Hyuga said they were called, came to collect Hyuga she had taken them down with quick nearly invisible hand movements and went running up the stairs saying she would bring help. For a moment Hermione really believed her and she hoped that Hyuga had made it out after she was gone for a full fifteen minutes. An hour, two passed before a badly beaten Hyuga was dragged inside the prison cells. They had clearly cleaned the young girl up, she was wearing a new gown, her long hair now cut unevenly into a pixie like style and bandages covered the serious injuries. Hyuga was roughly thrown inside her cell.

It was then that she noticed the collar that now adorned Hyuga's neck. It was simple in design; just a black metal collar on the nape of her neck was symbol on the collar. It was Chinese, Japanese (?) symbol.

Hermione mentally berated herself for even allowing herself a small glimmer of hope. Her hope diminished after Hyuga's tenth failed attempt to escape. She could see the will in the young girls eyes dim. Her fighting spirit was losing the battle with reality.

Then more came in, some where probably poor orphan children tricked into coming here. There were three squibs, five muggleborns and one female Veela. In total eight children and one bound adult.

When what was left of the new prisoners where dead asleep and Hyuga was taken away with little resistance to the Good Doctor did she allow herself to show the small emotion she had left. Tears sliding down hollow cheeks, how long has it been since Hyuga came? What was wrong with her? Everyone here in the god fucking forsaken place loses their wills.

"Are those tears I smell *Wasure-san?" A raspy voice tore through the silence of the darkened cells. Hermione turned gaunt-like eyes to Hisagi or Iron-Head as their captors now dubbed him, Wasure was hers, blood was already seeping through the new cracks on his lips he had made by speaking.

"You pity Girly-chan don't you…you shouldn't, girls like her don't last very long."

He was right, girls like her always die, doesn't matter how they just wither away or die. "I'm surprised Girly-chan has made thus far, says something about her will to survive doesn't. How much time do you think has passed since Cur-irly-chan came?" He coughed (or wheezed more like it). He coughed repeatedly and sucked on the blood that dripped down his split lips to sooth his dry throat. "Lehts see," he coughed once more, "You were here for ten years when I came in, and then…"

Hermione saw the lips purse in a somewhat thoughtful way, "I think she's been here for sehven yee-hrs." After that Hisagi went silent slumping into a deep sleep.

Silence became Hermione's only companion for the next couple of hours, slowly but surly the children started to back to the world of the living. A low tuneless whistle came from behind the door of the flickering light bulb. The handle twisted and the door was pushed open. "Oh! I didn't mean wake you guys up," a brown haired and brown eyed old man in a lab coat entered the room. "Time for breakfast young ones," he slowly pushed a heavy trolley. It reminded her of the trolley in the Hogwarts Express. "Hinata-san will be arriving later on in the day."

Shrewd eyes examined them before the smile he already had spread into a joyful smile, "You guys are gaining wait! This is most wonderful, most wonderful indeed. It seems my theory was right." His eyes flickered to the wooden crates on either side of the door.

The children just blinked at strange old man, the Good Doctor, as he talked to them like they were old buddies. In less then ten minutes the Good Doctor was gone, a hearty breakfast was inside the cells waiting for them to fill their stomachs. On barely visible weak and wobbly knees Hermione stood and picked up the glass of vitamin enriched water. She pressed the glass to the dry lips of Hisagi, for moment she thought he was dead but then the lips twitched. The man gulped down the water quickly and soon was practically inhaling the food. It was quite the sound was the sound of eating utensils clinking against plated.

True to his word Hyuga was thrown inside an hour or so after breakfast. She smelled horrible; Hermione could already spot the tell-tale signs of what had happened to her. Gently she place a hand on the girl's lower abdomen, glazed pupilless eyes followed her every movement, slowly she pushed low pulse frequencies into the uterus. Nothing.

"Am I…" She asked softly.

"*Iie," She whispered moving back against the wall. Relief washed through the woman's eyes.

"I have a plan," She whispered two days later after she had recuperated to some extent. Soon her hands where moving quickly and ended with slamming her palm on the floor, a cloud of smoke covered were her hand was before. Desperation was evident in the young woman's eyes; this was Hyuga's last shot for escape. The smoke cleared away, nothing…devastated. That's all she could describe. Hyuga was devastated.

She didn't speak after that. It had been her last and finally attempt. She cried a lot, and then nothing. She stopped resisting finally giving to her fate. There was no spirit in her eyes, no more will to fight, not even the will to survive was there…she just existed. Oh, there were times that she showed some will. The will to die that is; there were times that she'd return a sobbing mess screaming, begging for them to let her die. Those times were rare in between; she thinks that maybe in those times they had pushed her too far. Hyuga was an empty shell most of the time, Hyuga was like her in some ways and in others they were completely different.

So Hermione was justified to say that she was surprised when Hyuga returned this time almost glowing with happiness but at the same time with acceptance. She turned and sent her an almost crazed beaming smile. She didn't say anything about it and soon after that dead expression had returned. Hermione could only wonder what the hell that was about. On some rare occasions Hyuga would crack a broken smile, she usually aimed those smiles at the dying or sometimes crying children.

"I used to know someone who never believed in change," Hyuga mumbled at her one day, "I used to look up to someone who never gave in and believed that anything was possible if you put your heart into it, that's why I loved him and never gave in. Now I don't see the point anymore. No one's going to come, but I still believe deep down inside in hope. Even when I beg for death it still won't come so…so maybe its just hopelessness I believe in now."

Hermione thought about Harry, which was rather odd since she hasn't thought about them in a very long time. Hyuga stood up from where she was sitting saying before she moved to where she was and sat besides her. It took a lot of mental strength but slowly but surly she managed to wrap one slightly stronger arm around her shoulders and just held her.

Hermione's face remained stony and hollow while she held the younger broken spirited woman. I'm so sorry, she thought.

Hound fidgeted, Cat's right hand twitched the only sign of her annoyance of Hound. Dog was late by zero point five seconds which irritated Hawk since he was the only one to notice. Lynx, Rabbit, Bear and Falcon were the only ones to appear professional, but then again Lynx appeared professional because he had the personality of a blank sheet of paper. As for Rabbit and Bear, well because he was Bear and Rabbit just wanted the mission to be over, he had one cranky pregnant wife waiting from him (on second thought he just wanted to get away ASAP). For Falcon, however , this mission was personal and only he knew what was really going down besides the captains that is. All the rest of ANBU knew was that it was an infiltration mission. Meet up with two other ANBU Iwa-nin, since it was in their territory (to have something like under their nose was a direct insult to the current Tsuchikage). It was a get in, get out kind of thing.

Tsunade leaned forward, "Bring the survivors and retrieve all information, then bring down the facility," she nodded slightly to Cat. "There's an ally within those walls he goes by the Good Doctor. Bring him in for questioning." Tsunade noticed Falcon's grip of the scroll tighten by a fraction.

"Dog your captain, Bear second captain, and Hawk Lieutenant. Dismissed."

*Iie means no.

*Wasure means forgotten.

Review dammit! How am I supposed to know if I'm doing things right if guys(girls) don't tell me. Alerts and favs let me now that you like the story but it doesn't help me improve my writing skills. . Anyways thank you to those that put me on alert or favorited me. I really do appreciate it and a special thanks with virtual cookies to GlenPoint for reviewing and your right.