Chapter 16-Parties; Fun for Everyone
In the Gryffindor Common Room, a party was in full swing, complete with the boys (Draco, Harry, Neville, and Ron) singing old-school songs. At the completion of the song, Draco looked up at Hermione and noticed that she was tightly gripping the hip that now bore the Dark Mark. He was not happy with that, he wasn't being called and he knew that nothing good could come of this. He inclined his head towards her and she silently crept out of the portrait. He really hoped that at least Uncle Sev was going to be there with her. This was not good, this was definitely not good.
Ginny noticed the expression on Draco's face and approached him. He whispered in her ear and she quickly left to inform the Headmaster about Hermione leaving.
Hermione rushed to the apparation site and hurriedly transfigured into an outfit reminiscent of the her dress worn at the first round of the singing competition with the small difference that more than half of the skirt was missing, it just barely skimmed her lower thighs. She shivered and quickly cast a warming spell before vanishing. This was going to be a long night.
Hermione immediately dropped to her knees and simply stated, "My Lord, you called?" She heard quick gasps all around her, she knew this was not how any one of them were allowed to act, but she knew she must play this game to the end. She had established a certain manner in the way she approached him and she couldn't just change it on a whim. As long as she lived to see the Final Battle, the rest did not matter, she would be dying either way.
The Dark Lord chuckled, almost warmly, almost humanly. "Rise, my little young. We have apprehended two mudbloods and I decided that the honor of killing them should be given to you. That is, if you are capable of murdering people with blood like yours."
Hermione's mind raced; she had a plan, but it would be dependant on Severus' understanding. She silently prayed that he would receive the message while she was busy doing other things. "Of course, my Lord. May I also request to have the bodies? It would be interesting to test a few choice potions on them before sending the parts to the old twinkling fool." Nothing in her posture, her eyes, or her voice betrayed her true intentions.
"Certainly, my dear. Severus, Lucius, bring forth the prisoners. You may rise, little one." The Dark Lord turned around and headed for his chair. His physical body was still not up to the fitness he once had possessed.
Severus was uneasy from the moment he say the prisoners and then when he saw Hermione arrive without Draco. How in the bloody Hell was she going to pull this off? He listened closely to her words, what did she mean test a few potions on them? They didn't have any…nay; she had been saying that to him. She was trying to tell himself what she was planning. He was jerked out of his revere and deposited the 'prisoners' on the ground. He recognized them in that instant, they were the parents of a muggle-born; the Creevy brothers of Gryffindor. This was not good; he really hoped that Hermione knew what she was doing.
Hermione sauntered towards her 'prey' and drew them close to her mouth. No one could hear what she whispered, but the man and woman had horrified looks on their faces. She stepped back and pointed her wand at them. "Crucio," she said in an almost bored tone. The prisoners dropped to their knees and began shrieking something awful. After a few minutes, which seemed to stretch on for hours with only their screams piercing the silence, she negligently waved her wand and said "Avada Kedavra" twice. Her victims dropped to the ground. Dead. She calmly replaced her wand in her slip of a dress and looked toward the Dark Lord. "May I take them and Severus home with me, my Lord?"
"Wait a moment, my dear. Lucius, check them." The Dark Lord did not, even for an instant, believe that she had actually killed her fellow Gryffindors' parents.
"No enchantments, my Lord. They are truly dead." Lucius said as he bowed lowly. He for one did not trust the filthy little mudblood at all, especially since he knew what she contained in her tainted veins. He decided to bide his time; if his 'Lord' was defeated, he stood to be the next leader…he certainly had enough backing.
"Severus, please escort the lovely Hermione back to Hogwarts. With the bodies…maybe you can even display them once your experiments are done." The Dark Lord smirked; he was very pleased with his newest addition to his 'family.'
Severus bowed, shaken to the core, he still didn't understand what Hermione had done and as much as he was irritated by the Creevy brothers, he didn't wish any more students to suffer the loss of their parents. "Yes, my Lord." As Severus walked towards Hermione, a thought occurred to him. How had the Dark Lord found them? All of the muggle-borns' parents were protected by means of the Fidelius Charm…that could only mean a leak. Why couldn't he remember who their secret-keeper was? He gave Hermione a meaningful look, which was perceived to be a lustful look by their onlookers, they would have to immediately report to the Headmaster. This was not good. This was really not good.
The four of them winked out of sight. They landed in the Forbidden Forest, and started walking toward the edge of the wood. Once they had reached Hagrid's hut, Hermione withdrew a potion flask and restored it to normal size. "Hold open their jaws, Professor," she commanded softly. Severus complied before he realized who it was that was bossing him around, he scowled mentally, he would punish her later, this was far more important than his pride. Hermione carefully poured three drops into their mouths and whispered finite as the liquid touched their lips.
The Creevys stirred and as they opened their eyes, expressions of horror and disbelief were evident. "Shh, you're safe now. You're at Hogwarts as I promised. Your boys are here safe and sound as well." She gently said and cast a light sleeping spell on them. She stood, swaying ever so slightly in the breeze, "Now we can take them to Madam Pomfrey. I'll go to the Headmaster first. Meet you there in a few." She seemed to vanish in the mist rising off the lake as she walked away.
Severus sighed deeply, defeated, and started towards the Hospital Wing with the two adults floating eerily behind him. It was official, he thought with a rarely seen half-smile, he was whipped, but he'd be damned if he ever let Mia know that. He swore mentally, Miss Granger, not Mia. Other disturbing and more serious thoughts nipped at his heels all the way inside.
"Poppy," he called unnecessarily; she was already running towards him still dressed in her pajamas, her nightcap bobbing around wildly.
"What's going on?" she cried as Severus carefully placed their seemingly lifeless bodies on the bed. She was used to him dragging himself in all bloodied up; it was a totally different thing to see him bring two people in that condition.
"Tend to the rest of their wounds, Poppy. Hopefully, if Herm-Miss Granger's gamble worked, they will wake in a few days time." He replied wearily and made his way to Dumbledore's office.
Meanwhile in the Headmaster's Office…
Hermione burst into the Headmaster's Office with a scowl on her face. She strode aggressively up to Dumbledore and began hissing at him as respectfully as she could. "Who was the Creevys' Secret Keeper? Find them now! The Creevys are currently being taken to the Hospital Wing by Professor Snape. If your prized Order member did not willingly give over the Creevys' location, I suggest you start planning the funeral now."
Albus was shocked. No, that was too mild a word. Not only had Miss Granger's attitude and venom caught him off-guard, this news was very disturbing…he knew that Kingsley Shacklebolt was alive as of earlier this evening, or yesterday evening, seeing as how it was past midnight. "Miss Granger, control yourself and brief me on what happened." Dumbledore commanded, without a twinkle anywhere to be found in his eyes.
She straightened and looked in dead in the eyes, no emotion, not even a flicker was apparent as she spoke in a bone-chilling monotone. "When I arrived at the meeting, they had probably been playing with the Creevys for several hours at best. At worst, they had been in their possession for a day and a night. The Dark Lord wanted to further confirm my loyalty to him and gave me the pleasure of torturing them and 'killing' them. I recommend holding a false funeral for the Creevys. The Dark Lord cannot know that they are still alive and get Ginny to tell Colin and Dennis exactly what is happening. Bring me a pensive."
Albus started and rose to obey her command. He had quickly realized that it was becoming harder for her to keep a lid on her anger; she had to let it off in little spurts otherwise she would explode before she needed to. He lightly set a pensive on the edge of his desk, sat back down, and gestured to her.
Hermione extracted her memories of the meeting with her wand and deposited the silver threads in the bowl. "Headmaster, I believe you should allow Professor Snape to view this as well…it's a solution that will greatly help him until after the Final Battle. I can show Draco what he needs to know. Oh, and I would send someone to personally check up on Shacklebolt and hold a very private funeral for him if one can be held."
"Very well, Miss Granger. I do say that you need to sleep now, dear one."
Hermione's stance softened more, "Yes, sir."
As she was about to open the door, Severus came striding in. She swayed by the sudden change in the air pressure. "Miss Granger, are you alright?" He asked as he offered an arm to steady her.
"I'm fine, Severus." And she promptly fainted.
Severus looked up at the Headmaster even as he caught Mia up in his arms.
"Take her to her rooms, Severus. She needs to rest. If I read her symptoms correctly, she has been having nightmares and visions. Give her a dreamless sleep potion and return here. She requested that you view her experience of the meeting."
Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement and spun out of the room, his robes billowing and flapping behind his quicker-than-normal step.
The Headmaster allowed a hint of a smile to break through…it had been far too long since those two had allowed the barriers to their hearts to come down. They would be good for one another, true equals. He snorted, neither one paid much attention to their personal health.
Severus entered Draco's rooms and opened his mouth to call him. He didn't have to; Draco was waiting up for her. He looked expectantly up at Severus.
"What's wrong with her, Uncle Sev?" he whispered, terrified of all the possible answers he could receive.
"Nothing that can't be fixed by a dreamless sleep potion every couple of nights and bed rest." He replied softly as he followed Draco to the bedroom. Severus swallowed and painfully forced his next words out, "She will need someone she loves and someone who loves her to stay beside her…it will lend her the strength necessary for fighting her nightmares."
Draco's eyes met his as they carefully lowered Hermione under the bed covers. He knew exactly what his godfather was thinking at that moment and Draco's heart ached for him. "I'll stay with her tonight, Severus. I'll stay beside her until she wakes." He intoned gravely.
"Thank you," Severus said absently as he exited the room, "take care of my Mia."
Draco lay down beside his sister and pulled her into his arms, woke her for the moment required for her to drink the potion Severus had left behind for her, and fell into an unsteady world of dreams mixed with reality with a faint smile on his face.
Severus was worried in a way he had not been in almost eighteen years. He was angry at the Dark Lord for ever letting his greed and his lust for revenge get the better of him and for bringing others down with him. He went to his private rooms in the dungeons and floo'd the Headmaster. He stepped into the office and brushed the dust off of his robes.
"Come over here, Severus and take a seat. I trust that Miss Granger is resting comfortably now?"
"Yes, Headmaster. Draco will be staying with her tonight to ensure she stays safe." Severus said wearily as he sank down into his custom chair off to the left of the Headmaster's desk, closest to the pensive oddly enough.
"Are you prepared? Miss Granger said the spell she used would be helpful to you and Mr. Malfoy in deceiving the Dark Lord."
"Yes, Headmaster. The sooner we get this done with, the sooner I'll actually get some sleep." Severus slowly stood back up, even if he hadn't been cursed tonight, the emotional toil of being a spy would wear down anyone…and he had been a spy for almost twenty years.
They stood side by side and entered Hermione's memories…
Hermione had just arrived at the meeting. She dropped to her knees and 'respectfully' greeted the Dark Lord. She recognized the prisoners immediately; poor Colin and Dennis. The Headmaster and the Potions Master were privy to her thoughts…something that was not normal while in a pensive; Miss Granger had obviously changed a few aspects.
'I pray that Severus understands my intentions,' they heard. The cold Potions Master started, she called him Severus in her thoughts? She watched as the prisoners were brought forth.
Hermione sauntered towards her 'prey' and drew them close to her mouth. "Do you know me?" she asked softly, no trace of cruelty could be found. They looked horrified, they knew her by pictures sent from their sons and by their letters describing the girl who helped tutor them in potions and taught a few classes. Albus and Severus sensed that in this moment she entered their minds. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," they replied nervously within Hermione's mind.
"Do you trust me?"
Again they replied with a soft, "yes."
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes," they replied firmly, they understood the power from answering that question three times.
"Alright, I'm going to get you out of here and back to Hogwarts. Your bodies will react to the spells I cast, but they will not harm you.
Blood calls to blood.
Like calls to like.
With this power I claim this right.
May they fall into a sleep that no one can wake.
May they suffer no harm from the spells that are made.
Under my protection they will now be.
They will wake only for me.
Blood calls to blood.
Like calls to like.
No other power can deny me my right.
As I will, so mote it be.
Hermione stood back, "Crucio," she said in an almost bored tone. The prisoners dropped to their knees and began shrieking something awful. After a few minutes, she negligently waved her wand and said "Avada Kedavra" twice. Her victims dropped to the ground. Dead. She calmly replaced her wand in her slip of a dress and looked toward the Dark Lord. "May I take them and Severus home with me, my Lord?"
Her mind was racing as Lucius checked the bodies and the Headmaster and the Potions Master caught all of it. 'I need to tell Severus and Draco how to do these spells, they have power and strength enough…my blood in that necklace and in Draco's blood will enable them to use the same words since I'm a mudblood. Gods, I hope this works…thank God I have a Pepper-Up potion in my pocket, they'll need it to survive long enough to make it to Madam Pomfrey, I don't have enough strength to heal them completely right now.'
As they watched the party of four wink out of sight, they were expelled from the pensive.
Both Albus and Severus sank down into their chairs. 'Once again, Miss Granger has solved another problem I did not perceive,' the older man thought tiredly. He sat straighter in his chair and looked into the younger man's eyes. "Can you do this side of blood magic?" he asked solemnly.
Severus' hand automatically went to the unseen necklace around his neck, this motion did not go unnoticed by the Headmaster. "Yes, sir. I believe that Mia-Miss Granger has given Draco and myself the tools we need to be able to accomplish this." He let go of the necklace as if he had touched a hot stove and mentally cursed his tired tongue for slipping in his reference to Miss Granger.
Albus stood and placed a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder and gently said, "Get some sleep, Severus. I have a feeling you'll need it in the days to come."
Severus absently nodded and returned to his chambers via floo. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep before he had a chance to take his customary dreamless sleep potion.