The castle sat in relative silence and the bugs outside chirped and whirred in the dark of night. Hermione had just layed Calli down and she joined Remus on the couch. Sirius and his mystery date would be coming over soon. It had shocked everyone when Sirius started dating again, but from what Lily had told her, the woman was an absolute angel and loved Caelum . It also didn't hurt that she was one of the teachers at the little wizards and witches school that Caelum would be attending in the next couple of years. Hermione snuggled into Remus and breathed his scent in deep. It had been a while since they had done anything. Remus had somehow gotten it in his head(cough Harry and Ron cough) that if they did anything of the sexual nature, it would affect the babies. Hermione was so desperately horny, she had actually taken out the dildo that Lily had gotten her in their 7th year as a gag birthday gift. How little did she know that this little 'joke' would keep her from attacking people out of frustration. She started to rub her hands across Remus' lap, in hopes of getting him aroused. She was tired of being complacent and was fighting fire with fire. If she was horny, he was going to be too and as long as she didn't get relief the way she wanted to, neither would he. She knew he would eventually snap and it seemed he was almost there. He wasn't taking her hand away from his crotch and even pressed harder into it. She stopped and sat back up. Remus looked at her and and then back down to the large tent in his pants. He growled.

"Witch!"

"Yes, I have been one apparantly since I was born, but I didn't find out until I was 11." Hermione replied smartly back.

"I ought to do something with that smart mouth of yours."

"Really and what would that be?"

"I think I can show you; why don't we go to the bedroom... OHH Merlin, we can't, I'm sorry, ignore me. You know how I get so close to the full moon and Sirius and Rhiannon are going to be here soon." Hermione sighed in complete frustration and stood up to go into their kitchen area.

"Mi, you know we can't do anything."

"Who told you that, Remus? Who, a couple a single young bachelors, who have barely had a real relationship before, let alone experienced being pregnant and haven't even experienced a full pregnancy with their girlfriends yet? Why are you taking advice from them? Do you think I would do anything that would harm our children? I would never do anything without consulting Poppy first and by going from experience on my last pregnancy; remember I have done this before. I even seem to recall you slamming me against the closest wall while I was pregnant! Do you not trust me enough not to harm our children? Or maybe I just turn you off!" Hermione had worked herself into a state and she had to get out of there. She ran out of the kitchen and right out the door, past Sirius and his date, who were just coming up to the door. Sirius looked at his life long friend and shook his head.

"Listening to my godson and his best friend's advice again?" Sirius chuckled.

Remus clearly gave him a look that said Sirius would become Remus' chew toy on the next full moon. The three entered the apartments and Remus told Sirius to help himself to anything, not that Sirius needed the invitation, as he was already pouring himself something from the bar. Remus left quickly to go and find Hermione. He had an idea where she went, where she always went when she was distressed. The library.

Remus had checked the library, the Room of Requirement, the infirmary, the Great Hall, Dumbledore's office and even Snape's dungeons. He was starting to worry and thought this would be easier with more help. He went back to the rooms and enlisted the help of Sirius and Rhiannon. Sirius suggested they get others to help.

"You know if we don't inform the others right away, they will be furious." Remus nodded his head and ran off to get everyone.

Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall and Remus informed them of all the places he had looked already.

"Maybe we should look in those places again, in case she went to one of them?" Lily asked the group. They all nodded in agreement. The group was heading towards the doors when Severus came bursting in.

"He's here. Voldemort is here and he's looking for Potter!" No one moved. Then all hell broke loose. Dumbledore raised his arms and let out a piercing whistle. There was silence once again.

"Severus, what can you tell us?"

"Voldemort is here on the school grounds, he has a large portion of his followers and some other undesirable characters. He is demanding Potter and since he can't get into the castle himself, he sent me in to draw Potter out."

"How were you going to do that and why didn't you warn us sooner?" Ron was livid and spoke out.

"I was unfortunately in Voldemorts' presence up until a moment ago. If I would have left, it would have meant my death and someone else would be in here getting Potter and he would have been lead outside and slaughtered and none of you would have been any wiser. As for how I am going to draw him outside. Detention, Mr. Potter! I believe I will need some help gathering up potion ingredients in the forbidden forest tonight. I will see you at 6pm, no later." Severus turned in a swirl of black robes and left the room. Everyone knew what he had just done. He gave them plenty of time to gather up help and at the same time gave him a viable excuse to give to the Dark Lord for making him wait. He couldn't give a detention and execute it immediately, it would bring too much suspiscion. He was a potions master, so gathering ingredients was part of his job and most of the things he collected from the Forbidden Forest, he collected at night.

Harry wondered how the others would get past Voldemort and enter the castle, but that question was soon eliminated by Dumbledore.

"Minerva, could you go and signal the others." He turned to the others and said, "Each member of the Light has been given a portkey, that they carry with them at all times, some have it in the form of jewellery, for others it is a part of their actual person. They can only be activated from in the castle and they will automatically transport any one in possession of them directly in front of myself."

Harry was hesitant, then he grew brave and asked his question. "I don't mean to sound arrogant Professor, but why don't I have one? I mean I would need to be here, right? What if I was some place where I couldn't reach you?"

"Harry my boy, you don't think we would overlook you in this matter, do you? You have actually had one since you were an infant. Since you were underage, we needed your parents permission, which they readily gave. You know where your scar on your forhead came from, but do you ever wonder where the scar on your left torso came from? It is the portkey and it is under your skin, completely undetectable by muggle and magical means. It is in the very scar itself, ingeniusly disguised as scar tissue. It was your mothers idea. They made up a story of you having an appendectomy when you were a couple of months old. To make the story believable we removed your appendix. It is actually a useless organ, so it did not harm you in anyway." Harry thought what Dumbledore just said and was clearly impressed.

"What about myself, Professor?" Ron asked.

"Yes Mr. Weasley, your whole family also has them. You too were given one when you were an infant, as were all of your siblings. Did you notice that each member of your family has a cluster of freckles of some sort amongst all their freckles?" Ron nodded and Dumbledore simply smiled.

"Wow, that is cool! What about Hermione?"

"Unfortunately since she is muggle born, we could not implant one on her when she was an infant and we could not do it without her parents consent while she was underage. I quite honestly forgot about them, until recently and by then it was too late to ask her."

"Why was it too late?" This question came from Ginny, the only female child of Arthur and Molly Weasley and bearer of the boy who lived's child. Harry knew where and what her cluster of freckles was and found it quite amusing. He had teased her about it when he first discovered it. It was a cluster of freckles in the shape of a heart, with a lightening bolt running through it. The odd thing though, was that she was the only one of all of the Weasley children that had this occur naturally. When it came time to place the portkey on her, they didn't need to make the cluster, they just used the one that was already there. Everyone thought it was cute a little lightening bolt streaking through the heart. No one knew at that time, the significance of that mark. It was on the inside of her right thigh, almost at the crux of her legs.

"It was too late because she is pregnant. When a witch becomes pregnant, her magical signature changes slightly throughout her pregnancy. It stabilizes at the end and that is when a portkey could be made for her, since these type of portkeys are keyed to the individuals magic. I could have given her one, but the moment she became pregnant, it would be useless." Remus listened to Albus explanation and knew everything he said was true, but he still had to find her.

"What about Ginny, Professor, or my mum?" Harry asked.

"If they were not standing in front of us right now, then they would not be able to portkey to us either." Harry nodded silently.

"Albus, can I go and look for Hermione then?"

"I'm afraid not Remus, we need everyone to stay here and get ready. We cannot risk losing any more of us."

"So I will lose my wife for the better of everyone else?"

"I am truly sorry. Hermione is a smart witch, I believe she can take care of herself. Also remember that she is pregnant, which means her magical abilities have increased." Remus went to reply when the room filled with pops. All around there were Order members and many others popping in like popcorn. Albus started to direct everyone, but more and more kept coming and soon he realised that he would need help. He assigned several Order members to each be in charge of a different area. Poppy and Molly were in charge of getting the infirmary ready and they recruited several others to help. Remus and Sirius were in charge of quickly training many with some very simple, but highly effective spells. Minerva and Filius were running around the castle changing everyday objects into either weapons that only the side of the light could use or making secret passage ways to get around and others to confuse and throw off the Death Eaters. They had taken a few people with them who excelled in charms and transfiguration. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Luna gathered up all the members of the DA and went over the battle plans with them. The rest of the Weasley boys and Arthur were giving out Weasley Wheezes products to everyone to use aganst the Death Eaters. Some asked why would they be fighting dark wizards with practical jokes, but what many soon discovered, practical jokes weren't the only things the Weasley twins were good at. In fact, if no one knew the boys and what kind of family they came from, they would suspect them of being dark wizards themselves. Arthur to say the least was quite proud of his sons and nodded his approval of most of their products. Rhiannon and a few of the older girls took all of the first years and all the professors and visitors kids and hid away in an unknown part of the castle. Kingsley, Tonks and Moody were all organising the Aurors that had come in to the room and everyone else that was left, were receiving instructions from Dumbledore. There was a group that was to protect the younger students and those who remained would help fight.

Remus could hardly concentrate, he was so worried for Hermione. He still hadn't heard anything on her. Sirius slapped his friend in the back and gave him an encouraging grin.

"If anyone is going to survive this, it will be her."

"Thanks." Remus still couldn't help the feeling of something not being right. He couldn't understand why his connection with Hermione was being dampened. He always felt her and now was having trouble. He couldn't even feel her presence in the castle.

Dumbledore ran into the room they were in and told them it was time and Severus and Harry were getting ready to go out. Everyone assembled silently and waited. Outside shouting could be heard and everyone started to slip out and look at the Hogwarts grounds. It was dark now and they easily crept in the dark, so they were now surrounding the Death Eaters. The number of Death Eaters was astonishing. There were a few they recognized, like Lucius Malfoy, their spy, and Peter Pettigrew, who had escaped a few days before. There was also Bellatrix and McNair. What no one was prepared for was Voldemort coming into view with a couple of dark robed wizards beside him. No one could see their faces because of their hoods and they remained ringed around Voldemort. Arthur was the closest one to Remus and on his other side was Harry. Just past Harry was Ron and further still was Sirius. The figures around Voldemort started to chant and he started to glow and gave off an awful laugh. The figures pulled off their hoods and continued chanting. Voldemort walked up to one of the figures and pulled them into a searing kiss; when he pulled away everyone saw the face and gasped. Remus felt his heart shatter and wanted to walk right into the middle of a group of Death Eaters, just to end the pain of what he was seeing. Ron and Harry looked at one another and shook their heads in disbelief. The grounds were silent and in that silence one voice was heard, at first.

"Well my dear, I saw you were right, they are thoroughly shocked. I would have never belived they could be so silent. I guess you win the bet. I will grant you your boon. Which of these pitiful excuses shall I kill first?"

Another voice broke the silence and answered, "I told you so. I believe my exact words were, 'they will be stunned silent.' Now as for my boon, I believe that..." The figure walked out of the group and up closer to all of the members of the light.

Each one looked in to her eyes and noticed they were hard and cold. There was no way this was happening. Harry broke out of his shock when he heard her say, "Be ready." She walked up to a pale blonde figure and pointed at him.

"I believe I like to watch this one being tortured, after all he did try and get me in the Ministry." Voldemort looked stunned. She had just asked him to kill Malfoy, the wizard he was grooming to take over for him one day. He would grant her this. She going to be his queen and he could always find another wizard. He walked slowly to Malfoy, who was looking at his queen with complete disgust.

"Well Malfoy, what do you have to say for yourself? It seems my queen has picked you above all the other pathetic excuses, to be killed by me personally. You should feel privelaged."

"Yes, I am absolutely thrilled at this honour, My Lord. However I should point out that this 'Queen' of yours is part of the pathetic race we are trying to erradicate. I have been in your service for years and yet one look from this bitch in heat and you turn into a Nancy!" Lucius was taking a calculated risk, he figured either way he would probably die, he might as well give his opinion before he did. He didn't even know that Voldemort had a ring of protection around him and that this powerful witch was part of it. She had duped everyone and now she was slowly eliminating the spys from the Death Eaters.

Voldemort was enraged that this servant would dare speak against his queen. He raised his wand and cast a Crucio towards Lucius. The pathetic wizard dropped to the ground, but no sound came from his lips. Hermione had anticipated this reaction from Lucius, even prayed for it. After a couple of minutes of silence and only watching him writhe on the ground, she walked up to Voldemort and layed her hand gently on his.

"I am growing bored of watching him wiggle, I want to hear screams! Leave him in his own vomit and piss. I want to find someone who will scream." Voldemort went to raise his wand to kill Lucius, but was stopped by her voice.

"You are giving him an easy way out. Think of the embarassment he will have from now on. The mighty and proud pureblood Malfoy has just pissed himself and..." Hermione sniffed the air a moment and then finshed, "and dare I say, shit himself. My it must be a sad day in the wizarding world, when a lowly mudblood makes a Malfoy shit himself and in front of so many people, too. No, let him live, the embarassment will be enough. Maybe he will do us a favour and kill himself!" Voldemort nodded and agreed. His new queen was sick and twisted just like he was; he had made an excellent choice. He watched as she walked around looking for her next victim. She stopped and turned towards him, the look in her eyes was of lust and disgust at the same time.

"Could I please clear him out of here. He smells and is making me nauseous." Voldemort nodded his head and Hermione lifted her wand and the pale blonde disappeared.

"Where did you send him?" someone from the crowd yelled. Both Voldemort and Hermione turned and looked at Bellatrix. She stood with her back straight and that sadistic look in her eyes.

"Why Bella, are you concerned for him? You do know he was a spy for the light, don't you, saw him myself coming out of a meeting for the Order of the Phoenix; that's what the side of the light calls themselves. Then again you probably already knew that, after all your sister is married to him and you and your sister are very close, aren't you? Yes I believe, you did know. Maybe you're a spy also?"

"Who do you think you are Mudblood, questioning my loyalty. I would never betray My Lord's trust. I am going to make you pay!" Bella raised her wand and immediately found herself being disarmed. She looked over to her Lord and saw him holding her wand.

"My Lord, I would never ever betray you. I am loyal until the death. You cannot be seroiusly listening to this pathetic excuse of a mudblood?"

Her chin was instantly in an iron grip and her face yanked upwards. "You will never speak to my queen that way again. I have tolerated your family for years, but you have done nothing for our cause. I gave your nephew a task, he failed; your brother in law was caught and thrown into Azkaban, exposing us all; your sister ran like a scared little girl; your husbands brother was taken down by a few children and your husband seems to favour wizards more than witches. How does it feel to be married to a bloody poof? Let's not forget yourself, my dear Bellatrix. I have asked and even commanded for years that you supply me a follower from your loins and yet here we are today, still nothing. I gave you leeway because of your husbands sexual preferances. Your sexual drive is unsurpassed by any other and you have slept with enough of my Death Eaters that you should have been breeding each year. Yes I do keep an eye on how many of my followers you fuck, including your brother in laws, both of them. Does your husband know you slept with his brother, while he was in the next room recovering from his curses? No, oh my well then I guess he knows now!" Bella turned to her husband and saw him shaking with fury. It was the one agreement they had in their marriage, they could each take as many lovers as they wanted, but they were not to touch any member of their families.

"Well since this offence seems to be against Rudolphus, I will let him decide what punishment you will recieve. As powerful as you are, you are still a woman and therefore you are either owned by your father or your husband. You have wronged your husband and must now accept your punishment. From what I hear from some of my Death Eaters, you quite enjoy being punished!" Voldemort walked to Rudolphus and nodded his head in permission. Bellatrix knew she would suffer for this.

The Order watched with fascination as Rudolphus made Bellatrix crawl on her hands and knees to him, then he transfigured a whip from a leaf on the ground. He made her kneel with her face on the ground and lifted her skirts and exposed her bare backside for all to see. Her face burned red, but she stayed unmoving. The first strike left a nasty welt as did each lash that followed. Rudolphus stopped and looked at his wife's ass and saw that she was shuddering with want.

"Does this make you wet, Bells?" He proved his point by plunging his fingers between her slick folds and brought them out, dripping from her core. He held his hands up and showed everyone that his wife was getting off on her punishment. Some of the Death Eaters in the crowd groaned. Rudolphus kneeled behind her and without warning or preparation he plunged his rock hard staff into her arse. She screamed at the protrusion and being completely unprepared. He continued to pound into her relentlessly. When he drew back far enough, blood could be seen on his thighs. He started pumping faster and raised his wand to her back. He tapped her on the shoulder and when she turned around he cast the killing curse on her. His whole body shuddered in an enormous orgasm and he let her fall off of him and onto the ground. On the ground layed one of the most sadistic witches, killed in one of the most degrading ways. Her half exposed body still leaked blood from her arse and she had a look of euphoria and terror mixed together.

While this was going on, Hermione finally caught Moody's eye and put her hand into her pocket. She held the note she had in there towards him and then pointedly looked from him to her pocket. It only took once and he caught on. She saw his magical eye swivel and he nodded his head towards her. She gave him an invisible nod and continued her way around the group. She paused briefly in front of Peter and got a glint in her eye that Voldemort immediately caught.

"What is it, my dear?" he asked.

While Hermione distracted Voldemort by whispering in his ear, something he seemed to be enjoying immensely, Moody made his way over to a group of the Order and explained to them what he had read in Hermione's pocket.

"You mean she is really on our side? I knew she wouldn't have sided with that psyco!" Ron told the group.

"What exactly are her plans?" Harry asked Moody.

"I am not sure exactly what they will be, but..." Moody was cut off by Remus

"Stupid girl, she means to kill off the Death Eaters one by one, in front of Voldemort, or have him do it. It will weaken his forces and make him look like an uncaring and therefore weak leader. She is absolutely brilliant, but she is also a fool. If this backfires, she will be dead before she can blink. She is carrying my children and I will be damned if I let anything happen to her." Remus went to stand, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Moony, you just said she was brilliant ,why don't you let her show us just how brilliant she is." Sirius looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow.

"You are right, but I love her so much, Pads."

"How many times have I told you not to call me that name, it makes me sound like a feminine hygene product!" Harry and Ron were rolling on the floor in laughter and the rest of the men were shaking their heads.

"Why would she want to injure Lucius, when she knows he is on our side?"

"You have to remember that the time Hermione came from, both my father and I were quite nasty to her." Draco joined the group and kept and eye out for any sneak attacks by the Death Eaters.

"I don't think that was the reason. I think she knew he would be killed the minute Voldemort found out he was a spy, so she devised a way to get him out of there."

"What about Severus?"

"He should be fine, after all he was the one who delivered Harry to him and brought back his 'queen.'" Arthur looked at everyone and dared them to argue. No one could.