Chapter 10: Umbra

Harry had gone, and Hermione and Ron were hurrying towards the Chamber to get Basilisk teeth.

Through his connection with Voldemort, Harry had seen that there was a Horcrux at Hogwarts. As soon as he'd had his vision, he had informed his friends, after which the three of them had consulted the Order. It had been decided Harry, Ron and Hermione would go to Hogwarts, accompanied by a few Order members for protection.

Despite the fact they thought they had succeeded at getting inside without being detected, the Death Eaters had still found out about Harry Potter's presence in the castle. They didn't know how, but they didn't exactly have the time to figure it out – getting to the Horcrux was their number one priority now.

Suddenly, behind them, Hermione heard an awfully familiar voice, "Hey, mudblood!"

Since the fight in the Ministry, she could easily recognise whom the voice belonged to. She stopped, as did Ron, who was holding her hand. He looked at her, surprised, when he felt her stop. Hermione turned towards the voice, and her suspicion was confirmed: Antonin Dolohov was advancing quickly towards her and Ron.

"You—," the Death Eater started, but he was interrupted by a big piece of wall falling down near him, having been hit by a stray curse from the other side.

Hermione took advantage of the man's distraction, and quickly cast Petrificus Totalus.

She was hurrying through the castle, casting left and right at members of the Light, searching for the boy-who-lived on her Lord's orders, just like the other Death Eaters. It was a good thing for them that Severus had chosen to help their side after all, despite the suspicion of many of the Death Eaters, that he was on the boy's side. Without him they would not have found out so quickly about Harry Potter's presence in the castle.

Suddenly, up ahead, she caught sight of a familiar head of brown curls. Leta hadn't seen the girl since the fateful day she had gotten away, as Hermione, according to Severus, had not been ready just yet for Leta to visit at Spinner's End – indeed, it hadn't been that long since the girl's escape.

She saw how Hermione cast Petrificus Totalus on Antonin, who had just been distracted from his course towards her by a big piece of a nearby wall falling to the ground. Angered, Leta took big steps in Hermione's direction. She only noticed the redhead with her when he suddenly flew into Hermione's arms to hug her. Leta saw red with the betrayal. Had Severus not said he had succeeded at convincing Hermione? Had she not nearly been able to visit? She would have to have a talk with her colleague. But first her former charge.

She stepped in so unexpectedly to them, that Hermione nor the boy had noticed her coming before she forcefully separated the two.

"What—?" sputtered the redhead as he fell backwards, lost his balance, and hit the ground, because of the force with which Leta threw him back.

Hermione gasped, her eyes widened, when she recognised Leta and saw her anger.

Leta pinned the girl to the wall she had at her back, her right forearm holding her there by the shoulders, so her wand arm was still free. In the same movement, she roughly ripped the girl's wand from her hand, putting it away in a pocket.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Leta questioned forcefully. Hermione clearly had difficulty replying.

"Hey! Let her go!" The redhead called out as he tried to get back up from the floor to Leta's left, wand at the ready.

"Expelliarmus. Immobulus. Silencio," she cast on the redhead, sadistically wanting him to witness this. Next, still keeping her eye on Hermione as she cast behind her, she freed Antonin with a Finite. She felt Hermione's breathing speed up even more in fear.

"Thank you, Leta," Antonin spoke as he stood. He moved to stand next to her.

"I've got this, Antonin, go," she told him, glancing at him to address him.

He nodded, shot another dark look at Hermione, and left, joining the fight again.

Hermione got her full attention again. "Now. Tell me: why did you betray us?" From the corner of her eye, she noticed the redhead's disbelieving eyes widen. "Or, if not us, me?"

Hermione opened and closed her mouth a few times, but nothing came out. When Leta pointed her wand at the redhead, however, she finally spoke, "Please, no!"

Leta raised an eyebrow, "So you care for this boy after all, hm? Don't you worry, love, I merely thought he would want to say something." She cast Finite on the Silencing spell, but kept the Immobility spell on him. Immediately a flood of words came out.

"What the hell? Hermione what is she saying? She's lying, right? You're a liar," he then addressed Leta, "Hermione would never betray us!"

Amused, Leta asked, "Oh really? Then why did she sleep with me?"

"You lie!"

Leta turned her head back to Hermione, "Do I? Lie?"

Tears pooled in the girl's eyes, torn about her feelings.

"Hermione?" the redhead asked, sounding less certain all of a sudden.

"Come on, love, do answer the poor boy."

"You're evil," Hermione spit out, a first tear making its way down her cheek.

"Am I? Did I ever treat you badly?"

Hermione merely frowned, not replying.

The redhead was speechless, it appeared.

Leta removed her forearm from Hermione's shoulders, and took the girl's chin in her now freed hand. "Look at me."

Eyes glazed with tears looked up at her.

"Is it true what Severus told me? Do you still have feelings for me?"

Hermione swallowed, torn between wanting to save her friends, and wanting to be with Leta. Eventually she gave the smallest of nods, closing her eyes in defeat.

Since her eyes were closed, she didn't see the decidedly dark smirk that bloomed over the previously loving face of Leta.

She closed the tired, crying girl in her arms, hugging her tightly, proud of her success.

Ron did see the evil-looking smirk, and would have told Hermione to worry, but he felt betrayed, and felt she got what she deserved—he still had difficulty processing what he had just learned, but he was decidedly hurt by it.

Hermione hoped she would be able to save her friends from a relatively elevated position at Leta's side, should Voldemort indeed win – surely Leta would continue to protect her from the Dark wizard's wrath, as she had before? It was the only hope she had left at this point. What else could she do in this situation? The only other option was telling Leta she chose Harry's side, and getting tortured and captured.

So many people had died already, so many more would die if this went on. And she was so tired of it all. Maybe Harry could flee, buy time to destroy the remaining Horcruxes, if he was able to find out what the last one was. And then they could try again. Meanwhile, she could try to save her friends that would be caught from inside the Dark side, being with Leta. Hermione resigned herself to these thoughts, and gave in to the calming hug she was being given.

"Come on, let's go," Leta spoke, letting go of Hermione.

She frowned, "Go where?"

Leta smiled, "You'll see."

She put her arm around the girl's shoulders, and pointed her wand at Weasley. Before Hermione could protest, worried about what she was planning, Leta had cast finite. Still pointing her wand at the boy, she ordered, "Walk. And be warned: I will kill you if you fail to comply."

He was clearly angry at this turn of events, but was smart enough to follow a Death Eater's order when her wand was pointed at him.

Leta led them outside, directing the Weasley every now and then on which way to go, walking quickly, navigating between stray spells and curses. She took a longer, though calmer route, following the castle walls and the edges of the forbidden forest, instead of going through all the duellists on the grounds. She only had to block a few spells, and nothing hit them. She shielded Hermione by keeping her at the side of the castle's walls, and then the trees, still holding her by the shoulders.

When she indicated they were to enter the forest, Leta felt Hermione stiffen before speaking, "Why?"

"Because that's where our destination is," Leta replied simply. Hermione didn't ask any further questions.

After a bit of a walk between the trees, they came upon an open space, where they encountered the Dark Lord and the few followers who weren't actively searching for the boy.

Weasley stopped walking when he saw this scene, as did Hermione, and Leta had to forcefully pull her along to go closer. As she walked past the frozen Weasley she put her wand to his back, forcing him along as well. When they were near enough to her taste, she pushed the boy down using a shock-like spell against his back, which sent him to his knees. Using a much softer touch, she pushed Hermione slightly forward with her hand, so she was no longer holding the girl.

The Dark Lord observed their arrival in a pleased silence. Bellatrix, who stood at the dark wizard's side, started cackling upon seeing who was there.

Leta bowed slightly, as she greeted, "My Lord."

"Hello, Leta. What do we have here?" he spoke rhetorically as he stood.

She smiled darkly, "I thought these two might be useful."

Hermione swiftly turned her head upon hearing this, and looked at her, unsure and somewhat afraid. Leta ignored her and continued to watch her Lord. Hermione turned back, looking down, clearly worried.

He first approached Hermione. "Look at me, girl."

Picking his long friendship over his anger, apparently, Weasley exclaimed, "Leave her alone!"

The Dark Lord looked up, seeming interested in the redhead's behaviour.

"Excuse me?" he sounded amused.

"I said, leave her alone!" the boy repeated, looking straight at the Dark Lord.

Leta frowned – he was clearly brave yet very stupid to challenge the Dark Lord like this.

"Crucio."

As soon as he started to scream, Hermione, looking horrified, cried out, "No! Stop it!"

Leta refused to admit the anger she felt was tinged with jealousy.

The Dark Lord let the torture go on for just a few more moments before ending it and returning his attention to Hermione. He stepped closer to her once more and grabbed her chin. This time she didn't lower her eyes, she stared him down defiantly.

It didn't take long before he let her go, pushing her away. Leta knew what he had likely seen, and wasn't surprised when he turned to her, eyebrows raised. She swallowed, trying to stand her ground against the punishment she thought probable.

"Curious, that girl's mind," he spoke, "you must've played quite the trick on her."

"My Lord?" Leta asked, wondering what he was getting to.

"She is still loyal to the boy, yet you have led her to think some dark magic isn't all that bad, and that you are… very nice."

Bellatrix cackled again – no doubt due to the implication of the Dark Lord's last observation.

"I—," Leta began, but he interrupted her: "Lucky for you, the girl's loyalty is no longer important."

Without further explanation, the Dark Lord turned away and returned to where he had been sitting before. Leta frowned, slightly confused, yet relieved.

After casting the sonorous charm on his voice, so he'd be heard by all those on the grounds, including the intended of his message, the Dark Lord spoke, "Harry Potter, you have been hiding behind many men and women to avoid being found. I have two friends of yours here now, however: will you keep hiding? Or will you finally come and face me in the Forbidden forest? The longer you wait, the longer they will be tortured."

Harry had been running down a hallway on the first floor, looking for his friends, when he heard the chilling voice. He immediately guessed Voldemort must have somehow caught Ron and Hermione, when he mentioned 'two friends'. If it wasn't a lie to lure him out. But what if it wasn't a lie? Especially since he hadn't found the two at the meeting place they had decided on, earlier. He could not risk it: he had to go and check, and try to save them.

Harry didn't make much of a plan before moving towards the Forbidden forest: he didn't have the time. He would figure something out. This wouldn't be the first time he escaped death at Voldemort's hands.

Leta noticed the betrayed and fearful look on Hermione's face at the mention of torture. She couldn't do anything about it however, nor did she really want to – she was still bitter that she had failed at converting the girl the way she had planned. Leta was standing next to a giddy Bellatrix, while the Weasley and Hermione had not moved from where she had dropped them upon arrival. Regularly, Hermione glanced at her, as though waiting for her to intervene.

After his message, the Dark Lord motioned towards the redhead as he looked at Dolohov, "Make sure he'll still be in a state to be questioned."

The Russian grinned and nodded, before moving closer to the boy. It didn't take long for Weasley to start screaming.

Bellatrix was pouting slightly, and Leta noticed. "Come now, you'll have plenty of opportunity later," she consoled her.

This seemed to cheer her up some, and the pout was replaced by her usual wicked smile.

As she, and undoubtedly many of the others, had expected, it didn't take long for the foolishly heroic boy-who-lived to appear from between the trees, wand at the ready, cautiously looking around.