Disclaimer: None belongs to me. Not even my brain. That's up for auction. Do I have 3000? Haha. J.K. owns.

A/N: Only one review? How sad. Thank you Heidi. I'm glad you like my story. I was almost afraid no one would review it.

I'm open to all questions and suggestions. I'll try to see what I can do about it. On with the story!

Chapter 3: Is there only pain in the world of dark?

Miss. Norris came wandering down the corridor and was about to let out a meow when Hermione silenced it. She transfigured it into a cat treat and put it in a bottle with cat treats just like it and taped a note to it.

To Miss. Norris

Oh wait! Miss. Norris is in here! Sorry!

She put it on Filch's desk where he would see it straight away.

Snape had gone with her to Filch's office so she wouldn't get in trouble. (He HATED Miss. Norris) Then they parted ways as she went to Gryffindor Tower.

As she walked into the portrait hole she was surprised to see Ginny, Harry, and Ron still up. They ran over to her as she entered. They all looked at her and she shook her head meaning Lucius had taken off the connection.

"We were so worried about you! You walked through the door and then we didn't see you again." Ginny said worriedly "Where did you go?"

Hermione sighed as she told them what happened. All she left out was the necklace. "I told you Snape was a Death Eater!" Harry said triumphantly.

Hermione glared at Harry and let out a frustrated sigh. "Harry he isn't bad. He is pretending. He is a spy for Dumbledore," she snapped exasperatedly. "Oh god! I can't imagine what the Dark Lord would do if he found out I told you all this." She whimpered.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay. I am sure Snape will save your arse since you saved his." Hermione laughed.

"Yeah right!" she said. Everyone grinned and Ron sniggered. Everyone turned to him.

"That must have totally been funny when you kicked Bella's arse though." Said Ron.

Everyone laughed at that.

"Well I'm really tired. I'm gonna go up to bed okay?" Hermione said. "G'night," everyone said and they followed suit.

The next month passed by uneventfully and soon it was Halloween. The great hall was decorated lavishly with jack-o-lanterns that actually cackled evilly as you walked by. Harry got an idea for a prank and shared it with the others.

For once Hermione loved it.

As everyone was having breakfast, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny went to a spare classroom and started to conjure bats. Not just bats though. They made fog and sent it out the door. Spider webs (though with no spiders because of Ron) were strewn all over the castle and it helped that they hung themselves. The carpets were turned black with red roses along the edges. The torches in the corridors were dimmed and they jinxed the pictures to make them look as if they were looming over you. They even jinxed the stairs and the doors to creak when touched. They transfigured mice into black cats and sent them all throughout the school. Ravens were conjured and sent to the owlery and they made creepy noises to freak out the kids. Even the ghosts helped out with their prank and scared people in the halls. Finally, the four Gryffindors went out to the lake and put lights in it making the lake look like a swamp.

The group set up a banner that read:

IN HONOR OF FRED AND GEORGE!

Students cheered as classes were cancelled and teachers went mad trying to vanish the stuff. Ginny grinned as Snape vanished a cluster of bats and waited a few seconds.

She burst out laughing as the bats doubled with a huge BANG! Professor Snape got madder and madder as he tried different spells. "Don't worry Professor! They'll vanish with time!" she laughed as she ran off.

The four friends were cheered by other students in the halls and Hermione delighted at the fact no one had any proof they caused this mayhem. Professors tried giving detentions but all they had to do was play innocent.

As Hermione was walking with her friends she felt her mark start to burn.

Harry saw her hesitate and he nudged her. He saw she was in pain and told her to go. She looked at him fearfully and he gave her a grim smile.

She ran out of the castle to a safe place she could apparate. She conjured a cloak and put it on. With a loud CRACK she apparated to the Dark Lord's side and immediately knelt down in front of him.

"Rise and take your place in the circle between...Severus and Rosier."

She stood up and walked to her place in the circle and waited for everyone else to arrive. Hermione could tell that Snape was furious but he hid his emotions.

When everyone was there the Dark Lord stood up and addressed them. "I suspect that everyone has kept up on their dueling?" he looked at Bella and she nodded with everyone else. "Good. As you know tonight is Halloween and I thought you might want to have some fun! Who wants to go and terrorize the muggles and show everyone they have not defeated us?" A cheer went through the circle while Hermione tried not to cry in fear.

She tried to push away thoughts of being caught and getting thrown in Azkaban. Snape looked at Hermione in concern and squashed the want to comfort her.

Lucius told everyone where to go and they apparated there. They landed in a shopping area where muggles were doing their shopping and started firing off hexes and unforgivable curses. Hermione tried not to get hit with hexes and protect the locket Lucius gave her.

Snape noticed Hermione seemed to be trying to protect something and asked her what it was. She looked up at him in fear and shook her head. "I can't tell you." She whispered.

"Okay." He said and walked away into the flashes of light.

Suddenly while she was watching Snape walk away she got hit by a hex in the arm. She looked down at her arm and clutched it in pain. It was covered in big angry welts. She was healing the welts when she heard someone laugh and turned around.

There was Bella pointing and laughing at her. "Not so tough now are you?" she taunted walking towards her. When she was about two feet away Hermione started backing up in fear.

Four people came out of the shadows and got behind Bella. She continued forward. Hermione continued to go backwards. Finally Hermione hit a brick wall.

Hermione felt her heart race as Bella and the others formed a half circle around her.

They all laughed getting out their wands and pointing them at her. Hermione hoped Severus was near or someone. She opened her mouth and screamed like a Banshee. "Crucio," Bellatrix sneered.

A pain like nothing Hermione had ever felt before filled her and she screamed in pain. She did it for almost two whole minutes. Suddenly the pain stopped and after a few seconds she opened her eyes painfully expecting to see someone else about to take a turn.

What she did see though made her want to cry with joy. The Dark Lord was standing in front of her with all the other Death Eaters surrounding him and he was demanding to know what happened.

Nobody answered him so he asked Hermione. Behind him Bella was smiling cruelly and miming killing her if she told.

She stared at the Dark Lord fearfully and did not answer. Bella's eyes glinted menacingly and Hermione felt her heart pound harder.

He seemed to understand and assured her they couldn't hurt her if she told. She decided to tell him through her thoughts.

'Bellatrix, Rosier, Rodolphus, Wilkes, and Regulus' she thought to him.

'By the way, Bella is miming killing me behind your back' she added.

'Well they can't hurt you in any way I assure you!'

'I also tried protecting the locket but it was kind of hard. Please forgive me' she begged.

Hermione put her hands together in supplication. Lucius nodded once and Hermione breathed in relief.

Bellatrix watched in confusion. They seemed to be having some kind of conversation but their lips weren't moving. She saw Lucius nod his head when the girl put her hands together. Lucius stood up slowly and turned around. The look on his face was murderous. Bella wondered what she had told him; however she told him.

He asked for them all to apparate back to the cemetery and everyone disappeared with a pop.

Severus stayed behind and asked Lucius if he wanted him to help Hermione. Lucius looked at Hermione and she nodded. "Go ahead Severus but please be careful," Snape nodded and helped Hermione to her feet and they disappeared.

He arrived just in time to see the Dark Lord appear. Snape healed one of Hermione's ribs which was broken and set her down carefully in a chair.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, Evan Rosier, Rodolphus Lestrange, Seth Wilkes, and Regulus Black come here. NOW!" he barked.

Never had he called them by their first and last name before and obviously right now he was as dangerous as he could get.

They stepped forward cautiously and he led them into the house.

Severus stood next to Hermione and made sure no one tried to hurt her.

When the others came out they were staring at Lucius terrified and Bella sent a murderous glare towards Hermione and smirked as she paled.

"So does anyone else want to try and harm Hermione? I didn't think so!" Lucius hissed.

"Severus, take Hermione back to Hogwarts!" he ordered.

Severus nodded and they disapparated with a pop.

"So how did you tell him who did it without moving your lips?" Severus asked.

"We have this connection allowing us to talk with our thoughts no matter where we are. Even in Hogwarts." She said.

She gasped out in pain and started to fall. Snape caught her before she hit the ground. "Thanks." She said.

"No problem," He assured setting her on her feet again and supporting her.

They walked the rest of the way up to the castle in silence and then Snape supported her all the way up to Gryffindor Tower.

It was kind of funny when she opened the portrait hole and she saw her friends waiting for her. Snape looked like he wanted to yell at them all to get to bed and her friends looked like they wanted to hex him into oblivion.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked her. She nodded. She watched him leave as her friends rushed over to her.

They looked at her and she shook her head. Hermione started to fall again and Harry caught her before she hit the floor. "Are you okay?" he asked. She shook her head. "I'd go to the hospital wing if I didn't think they would ask a whole bunch of annoying questions." She said

"So what happened this time?" Ron asked. Hermione recounted her story and when she finished they were all really angry. Harry was the exception. He was seething.

"That bloody ba–" Harry started before Ginny cut in.

"That fucking psychotic bitch should be locked up in Azkaban!" yelled Ginny.

"At least she got put in her place by him." Said Ron. "Oh come on Ron you aren't scared to say his name too are you?" teased Hermione.

"Shut-up," Ron snapped.

Hermione turned away suddenly and the others ran up the stairs as fast as they could. She followed after them trying to seem casual.

The next morning Hermione sat with her friends at the Gryffindor table. Right then, she and Harry were arguing heatedly about the reasons why Hogwarts should have moving staircases.

"…say no because all they do is send you off to different places that you never wanted to go before!" Harry retorted.

Hermione shook her head. "Honestly! Doesn't anybody read here? It says in The mysteries of Hogwarts that the staircases move only to the places that need protection. Not only that, but only to those capable of protecting it at the time."

That last sentence caught the attention of half of Gryffindor table. "What about first year then? When the staircase moved onto the third floor as we were on it?" Harry demanded.

Hermione shrugged. "I guess…" She paused as she saw Professor Snape coming over. He handed her an envelope and she swallowed as she saw the crest of a dementor on it.

"I've excused you from all of your classes. I assure that you aren't in trouble…unless you've done something," he fixed her with a stern look. Not that it wasn't already.

Everyone turned away from Hermione seeing that she was in no condition to finish this morning's debate. Everyone could see quite clearly that she was scared about something. Everyone assumed it was some test she failed or something.

Hermione excused herself and went outside where Snape was waiting. Together they apparated away.

As soon as they got there Lucius dismissed Snape and he disappeared with a pop.

When he was gone Hermione could see immediately that Lucius was furious which did nothing to soothe her nerves. Hermione kneeled nervously and she could feel herself shaking.

He stood up and walked towards her. "Rise," He ordered. "You knew I turned the connection on and you looked away from your friends so they could leave. You purposefully disobeyed me." He hissed.

"I couldn't help it! I always hated putting my friends in danger! It would be like sending Draco into a Cyclops lair!"

Her eyes widened when she realized she had just insulted him. "Oh my God! I don't know where that just came from! I have never spoken to anyone like that before! But I guess I need to be punished." She said as she braced herself.

"Yes you do." She winced at his harsh tone. He decided to use one of her spells against her. "Filo!" he hissed. She was blasted into a fence and without thinking she rolled into a ball to protect herself better.

She waited for him to approach her and didn't get up. She didn't even look up at him too ashamed to meet his eyes. He noticed she looked guilty and was amazed at how easily she admitted to doing something wrong.

"You can get up now." He said softly.

She stood up and still looking at the ground she said "I am very sorry my Lord. I did not mean to say that. It was very out of line and you had every right to punish me."

"I am glad you are honest but why curl into a ball?"

She looked up at him and quickly looked back down. "It was a reflex."

"You may go now," he said and he walked away.

She disapparated with a pop and found Severus waiting for her. "I was starting to get worried. What happened?" he asked.

"It did not go well at all. First I disobeyed him by avoiding my friends and when he asked me why, I accidently insulted him."

Snape's jaw had dropped. He stopped walking to look at her. "What did he do? Are you hurt?" he asked.

"Calm down! He didn't hurt me very much. He blasted me into a wall but I managed to avoid the worst damage by curling into a ball." She said.

"And he still let you get away with that?"He asked

"I think it was mostly because I was being honest and I told him I deserved to be punished."

"My word! He must love you! Nobody has ever told him they deserve to be punished! One thing I don't get though. Why would he choose you; a muggleborn?" Severus asked.

"I think it's because I am so close to Harry and he is close to Dumbledore. You do know that's the reason I'm there right?"

"Yes. That could be the fact but I have to warn you we torture a lot of muggleborns and muggles."

She gasped. "I can't do that! I have to protect the lock-" She stopped in her tracks when she realized what she said.

"You have to protect a locket? Is that what you were holding to your chest?" Snape asked harshly.

She flinched from his tone. "You won't tell anyone will you?" she whispered.

"Do you have any idea what that is?" he asked her.

She shook her head.

"Well it would explain why you acted like that to Filch." He said more to himself then her.

"You see what you have there is a piece of the Dark Lords soul. It is called a Horcrux. Don't try looking for it in the library because it is not going to be there. You need to make sure it is protected well or the pain you had yesterday would be nothing to what you would get then."

She was looking at him in horror. "Isn't that what possessed Ginny into opening the Chamber of secrets?" she asked.

"Yes. It is." Snape said.

"Don't worry it won't try to posses you as long as you take care of it. But you may get a lot angrier than you normally do. Try taking it off real quick and see what happens."

"Wow it feels as if a weight has been lifted."

"That's what I thought," he said.

"Well you need to head up to Gryffindor Tower."

"Bye," she said.

As soon as she got through the portrait hole her friends surrounded her and started talking all at once. "If you don't shut up I am going to hex you!" she yelled.

They all fell silent. "And no the connection is not on but I got in trouble for last night. He knew I looked away to let you get away. He punished me but I am not badly hurt. Actually I think all I got was a bruise on my back."

"Did he hit you?" Ginny asked.

"No I think I would have preferred that though since he blasted me into a fence." She said

"God I hate Lucius." She mumbled.

"You didn't hear that did you?" she asked suddenly scared.

"I did." Said Harry.

"Oh god. He's gonna know I told you! He'll kill me! Go now! Before the connection turns on!" she yelled

They scrambled up the stairs just in time and she slipped in a study room.

She felt a flash of power go through her body and she whimpered.

'Where are they?' Lucius snarled.

'He left. I swear I didn't know anyone was in the room. He came in just as I said your name. No one else knows and I know he will not tell.' she said.

'You had better make sure of that' he barked.

'I will my Lord.' She said.

The connection broke off and she let out a breath of relief.

Then she trudged up to the dormitories.