Chapter II

Hermione didn't know how much time had passed since the death of her parents, the Grangers and meeting her cousin again after a long time and coming to accept her new existence as a creature of immortal darkness.

Had it been a day, couple days? A week perhaps since this all happened? Hermione was staring absently into the cracks through the boarded up windows inside her new home, their new home.

Things were like a blur to her and all she could do was stare at nothing and recall the horrifying scenes in her sleep.

Her mother's execution, her father's betrayal and death, the Granger's, all in all she could not stop and control what was happening to her. She felt as if her whole world had been turned upside down, her mind was now split in two, herself and the hybrid which laid dormant for the time being and was grateful as she thought she might not handle anymore things as of right now.

Keller explained that she was just like her only she had more her father's, Lucian's genes than her mother's which made her more capable to walk out in sunlight and seem more lycan-like than Keller's form. She had been confused by what Keller had meant until she removed her coat and turn around.

There on her back, a pair of bat like wings snapped out of her shoulder blades, ripping the back of her halter top. The wings spread out, spanning nearly ten feet from tip to tip. Arched bones and a twisted network of veins were visible throughout the fleshy membrane. Ebony talons crowned the demonic wings.

So that's why she wore that trench coat she thought as Keller folded the wings against her back flat and pulled her coat on again.

After Hermione had gotten over her initial shock of seeing her wings, Keller explained that they needed to get out of there.

"For all we know, someone might be coming over sometime soon and could have heard your parents' scream and thought murder or when you attacked that guy. Probably soon, the neighborhood will be searching since we are the only ones here with that." Pointing to the dead corpse who looked less like a person as Hermione saw that half his face was gone and ripped to shreds. Her doing, she felt sick all of a sudden. "…will probably be brought into questioning and we can't have that! We have to get out of here and we have to now!"

"Wait!" She rushed upstairs grabbing her wand that was lying on the floor and was rushing into her room to grab her things.

"Hermione there's no time!" She didn't pay attention as all her spell books, her magical items, clothes anything to take with her was packed in the trunk then shrunk and put it in her pocket. She headed back down to Keller who grabbed her hand and headed through the back door.

She wrapped her arms around her and said, "Hold on to me!" She didn't need to be told twice as Keller spread her wings, ripping open her coat and took flight into the night sky.

Hermione took one last look to see her home disappear slowly by the time they were so high up, her neighborhood was so far away and Keller landed on top of one of the remote rooftops. She lowered Hermione down first and then pulled back her wings through her now ruined trench coat.

"Come on follow me." She took Hermione's hand and led her down a stairway to one of the many rooms in the building. On the outside it had look ruined, ugly with broken windows boarded up and sprayed graffiti on the walls. It looked ready for demolition or so it appeared.

"Welcome to my humble abode. Please make yourself comfortable and have a seat." She said as she opened the large wooden door and stepped into the room followed by Hermione. It exposed a Spartan setting with steel furnishing that had the exception to make anyone see the room reflect on a person's personality as sterile and cold.

Keller went straight to the side where a stack of computer monitors was placed to one side as she went to work on the keyboard, checking their premise. Hermione saw that there was a leather divan sitting to the other side, guessing that's where Keller slept or rest her head on. She walked to a steel desk where a laptop sat, the illuminated screen still on and Hermione took a quick peek.

On the screen was a profile of her, her dental records and saw her name and address on there.

So that's how Keller was able to find me, she thought as she saw her still working away on the keyboard. On the steel table, were some small essentials here and there, an iPod player that had some music but didn't really look to it as she saw a wide variety of weapons lying all over the desk.

Guns, blades, crossbows, silver throwing stars, shurikens, bullets with liquids either metallic silver or glowing blue as she stared and examined at each and every item with an intense crafted look like a critic over an artist's new piece of work. She knew that the silver was made to kill werewolves but what was the blue fluid for.

"It's Ultraviolet ammo." Keller said as she looked from the monitors on the wall then went to the portable refrigerator that was sitting in the far corner of the room. Hermione was surprised to actually hear that there was a way to harness sunlight as a weapon to go against a vampire. But then she would never have expected herself to be a daughter of two dead creatures and that she still wish to know how it happened. She picked up one of the throwing stars and looked at it more closely.

"Careful now…that one makes a terrible bang when activated open."

"Ah thanks, good to know." She said, placing it back down while she looked to another disk the size of a Galleon that looked just plain in her sight but guessing there was more to it, "Same thing with a time mechanism when exposed to the atmosphere. My, our very great grandfather invented that one."

Hermione raised an eyebrow as she said their grandfather, whoever he was but was probably going to find out later then, but turned her attention away as she moved her hands over a set of Berettas and still couldn't believe that Keller would carry such a large and expensive and possibly illegal amount of weaponry in these places and wondered how she could obtain all this. She was much busy examining everything she saw until her eyes came across a faded manila envelope.

Peering over at her cousin, while her back was still turned, not knowing whether she should or shouldn't, her curiosity getting the best of her as she carefully opened it and discovered a bunch of colored photographs.

She saw that some were of Keller when she was little, laughing, smiling, doing something and had one or two people next to her. She saw the last picture to be of a couple holding a newborn child with dark hair and glowing blue eyes.

She stared at them, seeing that that the man had light brown hair that sometimes fell into his hazel eyes, his features were handsome and rugged wrapping his arms around the woman who held the baby and smiled adoring down at her. She noticed that these must be Keller's parents and that she looked exactly like her mother except she had longer hair and had hazel eyes instead of chestnut. Keller must have inherited her father's. She wondered what happened to them.

"My dad became the first; well sorta the first hybrid of our kind and my mom was a vampire ex-Death Dealer." Hermione whirled around to see Keller standing next to her looking at the picture sadly. She took the photo from Hermione's hand and looked at it with a sad look in her eyes.

Death Dealer, she recalled the name somehow. "What's exactly a Death Dealer?"

Keller scowled at the mention of the word then sighed. "You know how that guy attacked you with that mask and tortured you and killed all those people? You called him a Death Eater who wants to kill all humans." She nodded. "Well Death Dealers follow under the orders of the elders to hunt and exterminate the lycans because of Viktor but nobody knew until my parents found out."

"What happened?"

"My mother killed Viktor when she learned the truth as to why the war had started and why her family was really killed. She had believed it had been the lycans who did it when it was Viktor's own doing and had lied to her and had been following his orders to kill off every lycan."

"That's horrible!" She was shocked to hear how calm Keller was telling her parents' but soon saw that she seemed distressed as she revealed it slowly.

"After she did, my parents were being hunt by both the vampires and lycans after she had slain another elder and his brother. Marcus Corvinus and his twin brother, William, were the first true vampires and lycans of our history." She laid the photo back down. "For a while, they went into hiding, trying to keep under cover from the rest of them and soon when they had me, they thought we could lead a normal life." She snorted. "Well so much for that. My family and I had been hidden, having me home schooled and to learn to defend myself when the time was right. It was when I was twelve it happened…" She clenched her fist and looked away, a small red tear falling from her eyes. Hermione placed her hand over her tighten fist.

"Keller…its ok…" Keller released her grip then walked to where she placed something on the table before seeing Hermione looking through her photos and handed it to her. "Here you'll need it." Hermione stared at what was in her hand and stared in disgust and horror.

"Blood! You're giving me blood!"

"Clone blood, Ziodex Industry, latest cash crop in the market. But now that I own it." Keller took one of the frozen packets, mashing to make it slushy and liquefied to tear it open with her teeth. "Vitam et sanguinem." and drunk it. Hermione watched as she finished it then grabbed another.

Life and blood. "I think I'm going to be sick…" Hermione felt the packet in her hand, cold to the touch like an ice pack. "What happens if I don't, if I can't?" Just what I needed after having gone through the worst time of her life she thought to herself. Keller noticed her not taking her blood. She sighed then spoke not with her voice but inside Hermione's mind just like back in the bookstore.

Drink it Mione! Human food won't sustain you always and could be lethal to you and if you don't anticipate your craving, you will attack humans and kill. And believe me; I don't think you want that on your conscious mind.

Hermione recalled how the blood had tasted so good from her kill but yet if she did it to someone innocent…she couldn't! She brought the bag to her mouth, having to resist the urge to throw it away as she ripped it open with her teeth like Keller did and slowly drank it. When she thought of taking blood again, she thought she would have been sicken but now after having her second taste of it, she found the metallic taste invigorating and her all consuming thirst overpowered her as she continue to drink.

Keller smiled towards her as she finished her first then taking the second from her and devouring that one as well before they decided to call it a night.

As Hermione went over to the divan as Keller made room for the both of them to sleep on, she couldn't think of all that had happened tonight.

She was no longer human; she was a hybrid and knew that there were going to be some things to deal with starting with the idea of what she would have to do in telling her friends about this.

And school, what would the headmaster say? She snuggled closer to Keller as she laid her head over Keller's chest and listen to the soft thumps of her heartbeat and the low sighs coming from her.

Maybe…maybe she could find out more about herself and her cousin and not worry about it…

But through the night, her mind still wanders from her parent's past memory up to now.

The next few days past by, Keller watching out for her but Hermione didn't dare leave the place as she only sat around, reading or drinking blood offered by her and Keller work on a weapon or two she was creating to pass the time.

All Hermione thought about was the events that had befallen her in such a short time. Soon she decided to look up some of her old books, read a few spells and maybe check if anything said of their kind or more from that book on monster she got for third year long time ago.

She almost forgotten everything up until it was the 23rd and that she was to meet her friends at Diagon Alley. At first she considered to forget it but she had no way to contact them and surely they must've been worried by now as muggle's deaths weren't going to be kept secret from the wizarding world.

"Keller I need to go somewhere for a while…" Keller looked up from modifying her latest weapon to look at her.

"Are you sure about that?" She nodded. "Do you want me to come in case?" Hermione was about to say 'no' but then reconsidered. She wanted to be with her friends but also her cousin, her only true family member that she had left. She didn't want to make mention but over the last few days Keller had been watching out for her like a older sister than just a cousin and she felt grateful for that.

"Sure but please be careful. It's going to be with other wizards and witches and I'm not sure if they're willing to accept our kind." Keller understood what she meant. "I'll keep myself at a safe distance in case you need me."

"Thanks."

"Don't thank me Cousin, that what family's for, we stick together." And smiled at her and Hermione couldn't help but smiled back.

Hermione contacted the Knight bus with her wand while Keller stood by her side, wearing dark clothing and another dark coat and sunglasses to keep the glare from her eyes.

Adjusting the satchel she had, carrying few things that made it inconspicuous while under it were some weapons and inventions she wanted to take for safety reason along with the two Berettas underneath her coat and an extra case of UV and Silver bullets. She and Hermione climbed in and took a seat when the bus arrived.

"Hang on tight." She whispered as the bus took off at rapid speed and made their way to Diagon Alley. They got off and Hermione told Keller where she was going to be. "Just blend in and don't do anything drastic or to catch anyone's attention." Keller nodded and then disappeared off into the crowd but still followed Hermione. Hermione walked to where she saw Madam Malkin's and saw both Harry and Ron there.

"Harry, Ron!" She cried grabbing their attention and they turn to her voice. "Mione bloody hell!" They embraced and held each other tight. "We were so worried when we didn't receive word after Harry's last letter and after until…" Ron muttered but then Harry spoke, "Until we saw the Daily Prophet and saw what happened."

"Oh I see…" Harry and Ron looked at her as if wondering why she didn't know. "Hermione, the paper said that a Death Eater went into your neighborhood and killed off all the muggles."

"Yeah and the weird part is that this Death Eater met his fate at the hands of something else." Ron shivered. "It looked like there was nothing left of the guy as he was mauled to death, ripped to shreds and had half eaten him. The paper refused to print the gory details but dad and some of the Order went to check it out and see if you were ok but you were gone but the Death Eater, oh man I never seen dad that pale when he came back to report to Dumbledore on what happened."

"Oh well Harry…Ron…"

"Hermione!" The trio looked up to see Molly and her husband Arthur Weasley and Ginny along with some others she recognized from the Order and waved to them, thanking whoever had allowed her to interrupt them.

I would have had a hard time explaining as to why I survived and turned in a hybrid and killed that Death Eater with my own teeth and liked the taste of his blood. Belch!

She saw in the corner of her eye, Keller standing beside a couple of witches, pretending to be mildly interested in some ingredients that were up for sale at special discount. Hermione once she saw the quick glance of her cousin's head in her direction turned her attention back to the rest of them.

Kingsley and Mad-eye Moody were staring around them, just for safety precautions while asking Hermione what had happened to her. Moody seem to have noticed her gaze from the sideline and his magical eye wandered to where he saw a young dark hair girl around these kids' age but something about her seem awfully familiar and disturbed him, not because of her dark clothes or the way she seemed to be looking around her.

He would have to keep a closer eye on her if this one was any trouble. Tonks was the one who interrupted his stare as she clumsy fell on him onto his back.

"Sorry Moody!" She said as he gave her a scowl while looking back to where the girl had been but was gone, vanished. He would definitely need to keep a closer eye out on it. Tonks turned her attention away from the scowling Auror to see Hermione and rushed to her.

"Hermione so glad to see you, I mean after what happened in your neighborhood and…"

"Tonks lets not discuss it now here in the presence of other people." Another familiar voice spoke as Hermione saw her favorite third year defense against the dark arts teacher stood. "Hello Hermione."

"Hello professor Lupin."

"Remus call me Remus, I'm not your professor anymore. Come now, you three best get your things." Remus said as the other followed while Hermione looked last to where Keller was and heard her said, Don't worry I'm fine, go, I'll follow.

She and the others grabbed their new robes and bought the supplies and their new books for school from Flourish & Blotts. After Harry and Ron finished purchasing theirs, they wanted to go grab some ice cream from Florean Fortescue Ice Cream Parlor that reopened under new management.

"You guys go ahead I'll be there in a short while." Harry and Ron looked at her concerned but then agreed that she would meet them as soon as possible. Harry and Ron left and Hermione headed to the back of the store, feeling her cousin presence in the room somewhere.

"About time, I was getting worried they'd never leave."

Keller was sitting in one of the overstuff chair, a book in hand, propped open and reading. "The Life and Death of a Werewolf: A true story." She shut the book and set it down on a table. "They screwed so much up in that book it's not even funny." She said as her cousin giggled and then stopped when Keller asked, "So how are you going to explain?"

"Explain what?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well didn't your friends say they were going to some ice cream parlor and expect you to have some ice cream?"

"Ah yea!" She realized what she meant. "But there has to be some way isn't there." Keller shrugged. "I'm not so sure but I think in very rare chances you can maybe eat some normal foods that won't be poison but others you can't. If your friends wonder, say it's some condition you recently found out."

"Yeah ok so how am I to know if that works?"

"Try some samples and see, just be careful. The only way you can tell is if you feel a sudden wave of nausea and have the urge to vomit."

"Ok that's subtle." Keller then glanced at her digital watch and looked to Hermione.

"Best get going before they worry about you. Here, I'll go with you." Hermione didn't make any comment as she and Keller had exit the bookstore and pretended to have a chat about something like Quidditch as Keller was really curious about it and had Hermione explained the game. Just as they were making their way to the ice cream shop, Keller suddenly halt in her tracks and sniffed the air.

"Keller?" She continued to sniff around and Hermione didn't like what she was sensing as well. The air smelled strong as her hybrid sense kicked in and she could smell the pungent odors of the people's perfumes, congealed sweats and what's more something she even dread, the odor of death.

Death Eaters…they are here in Diagon Alley and almost around them.

Hermione was about to turn when she saw with heightened sight her friends and the Order coming over, looking at her and her cousin with curiosity, probably wondering who the girl was or whatever.

Keller was staring to the right where she saw two in the corner of the shadows and three or four standing within the crowd pretending to be one of them but she could smell them.

Just like the smell that had been in Hermione's own home. That wasn't just a few but there were still more, coming to surround them. Her body became rigid and had to resist the urge to transform, especially in front of so many people. With quick glances she saw that she could have her cousin escape and maybe get them out of here before they gain up on them.

Hermione, I'm going to try and distract them and I want you and your friends to get the hell out of here. Her hands crept toward the matching Berettas hidden under her trench coat.

But what about you? I want to help! She could feel her blood rushing and the nails sharpening and extending into claws, her pupil dilating and turning jet black as she stared at the crowd.

Don't worry just try and warn your friends I'll handle this bastards. On the count of three, one…two…three! NOW!

Faster than anyone could blink Hermione and Keller had moved just in time to dodge the green lights hitting the spot where they had been standing.

And Keller swiftly drew her firearms and started to fire from different angles, shooting and alerting everyone something was happening. The witches and wizards were frantic, thinking it was a Death Eater attack and were fleeing away in seconds or running to shelter.

Hermione saw that some of the Order was forcing Harry and Ron and the others to hide while some went to fight against the Death Eater as their covers were blown.

Hermione, save from another shot, searched around for Keller and saw her hidden in an alleyway, staring directly at her and beckoning her to follow. They moved fast as they avoid the spells and Keller kept blasting away bullets and inserting another clip, whether it was UV bullets or silver or whatever. Hermione heard some groans and screams of pain as Keller's accurate shot hit direct targets. They ducked behind another alley while Keller looked to see if anyone was following them. Hermione saw that the district had become a scene of utter panic.

God this is so not good! She thought as she saw something purple coming in Keller's direction. Keller was reloading and keeping her eyes open in another direction.

"Protego!" This casts a shield, making the attack backfire on its opponent. Keller looked to Hermione with a look of gratitude. "Thanks!"

"We're cousins; we have to stick together so no thanks needed!" She saw that the Death Eaters were coming. "Come on!" Grabbing her hand they raced as more spells were fired at them. They had to find an escape. They were running to the back of the alley before reaching a dead end.

"Shit!" Hermione cursed. Keller turned to her. "Looks like we'll have to go hybrid." She said as she was about to allow her wings to come forth and Hermione was getting ready to transform when she saw a gang of Death Eaters approaching.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione had no time to warn Keller as she was hit first before she had a chance to defend them.

"Mione!" Keller saw her cousin frozen then felt herself become paralyzed and couldn't move. Hermione looked to Keller apologetically before seeing a small fat cloaked figure approach, his smell so familiar it disgusted her before he pulled back his hood.

"YOU!" She cried glaring at him as she stared deadly into Peter Pettigrew's cold watery eyes.

The rat, the betrayer, the one who had sold the Potters out and framed Harry's Godfather, Sirius and almost let him rot in Azkaban and then to die by his cousin's own hand. All she wanted to do was get her hands around his throat and choke the life out of him.

She snarled and her cousin saw them, even frozen but with her hybrid blood coursing in her vein fast she was able to find some way to undo the holding spell but kept up the appearance until she found the right moment when she could strike. Her fingers held tightly around her guns and itching to put a bullet between each and every one of those bastards' head but it seem they had enough of her being trigger happy.

"Accio guns." Her Berettas flew from her hands at a far distance and she was now weaponless except for the ones in her backpack but she doubt they were going to allow her to grab them. Keller stood by her cousin and hissed at them, her glasses fallen after the battle and glowing an icy blue. Some of the Death Eaters backed off as they watched her eyes change and almost pulled back her to reveal her fangs for full effect. Peter and others stayed as he pointed his wand directly at Hermione.

"Well it was nice knowing you mudblood! AVADA KEDAVRA!" His spell and Keller moved, trying to pull Hermione away before it was too late.

"MIONE!" The killing spell hit Hermione in the chest, right on the pendant, the one of her parents and the strangest thing happened. When it hit the heart of it, the jewel started glowing, turning from turquoise blue to gold and then glowing brighter and brighter until it was almost too blinding to see.

Hermione could barely see what was happening but she grabbed onto Keller as she held onto her as the world around them spun out of control. She heard screaming and wanted everything to shut up then finally silence came and after that darkness.