Opnaðu og opinberaðu hjarta þitt means "Open and reveal your heart"
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Lightning Struck Tower
~R~
Rory watched from the shadows as her only daughter sat there in stunned silence, there in the Headmasters living room in his quarters. Fawkes, sweet bird that he was, was perched on her lap, nuzzling her cheek, trying to get her to respond to what she had been told. Rory didnt blame her.
Her parents had been killed.
"Miss Granger-"
"Prince. And it's Mrs. or Lady, thank you Albus. It was something the three of us decided a long time ago." It was mentioned so clinically, her eyes vacant, hollow. It killed her to see her daughter like this. "While I am proud to be my father's daughter, we cannot let on until after your supposed imminent demise and my fathers enstatement into your current employment by the man who is trying to take over the world currently. So until then, of course I will continue to be Ms. Granger to all who are in the school but you may want to begin calling me by my proper Title until this war is over." Gods even the glare she gave Albus was hollow. Rory gently tried to probe against her mind, try to get her to talk, even if it was mentally, through the connection she shared with her and her father. She hissed as she was met with a wall of flames and fog that actually seared her own mind.
She was occluding. Heavily.
She looked sharply up at Severus, who was pacing behind the gaudy couch. Probing his mind she was met with the natural wall of water, standing on the surface of a crystal placid black lake- not a ripple or movement on the surface- before she sank below the surface and saw her own mates racing thoughts. She found him pacing, even in his own mindscape- which resembled her old cottage she had when they had been in Iceland when they had been on holiday before everything had gone to shit.
"Sev? We have to get her to open up," she said as she came up behind him. He stopped pacing, his posture relaxing the moment she placed a hand on him. His shoulders sagged and his head bowed. "I know, I've been trying to get through, through the apprentice bond but she's locked everyone out. Even the bird can't get into her mind and try to talk to her. He keeps calling her "Mia" for some reason.``
Aro perked up in Rory's mind, flowing through her own consciousness into the connection to appear by their sides, dressed as she always was; dark leather trousers, black peasants top with bell sleeves, dark nails with each ring finger striped with forest green and silver lacquer. Her hair was the only difference. Normally it was placed up in a high ponytail, with no hair in her aquiline face. This time it was half up, two strands hanging to frame her face. Even her makeup had changed from how it normally was when Rory would see her in her own mindscape, the only place she was able to talk to her other half. She was wearing dark eye makeup now, with blood red lipstick. Rory raised her brow as she looked over at Aro, who just shrugged before she spoke, her voice sounding like she had gargled with gravel. It always had; it was part of the way she had died, strangled and then her throat slit from ear to ear. Occasionally the scar could still be seen, even when she took over Rory's body, but it came and went whenever she willed it to be seen. One of those times seemed to be now as she stood there, her arms crossed as she spoke to Severus.
"The bird calls her Mia because that is Mi's true name. Amia Kadra. She was my youngest sister when we were all alive. That bird is hers. Has been for centuries." Severus turned to look at her, a brow raised. Aro rolled her eyes. "Contrary to popular belief Severus, Phoenixes are very close to Necromancers. While they symbolize light to many, in reality they symbolize both life and Death. I'm sure you can figure out the rest from there." She looked at the Slytherin pointedly. He nodded. "So how do we get her to unlock her walls? She's occluding too hard at this point, she's going to cause herself permanent damage if we don't stop her."
"You give her the one who killed her parents." Everyone turned to the newcomer in the cottage mindscape. Mi- or Mia, however she truly called herself- had also seemed to make an appearance in Severus' mindscape. "How-"
"Artemisia, shut your mouth." Aro scrunched up her nose at the use of her birth name and glared at Mi, but otherwise said nothing else. "Sucks when someone else uses the only thing useful in controlling you fully isn't it? Now," she turned and looked at Severus. "The only way to get through to Hermione is by giving her the vengeance she wants. So... who killed them? The Grangers, I mean."
"As far as we know it was just a car accident," Severus provided but Rory was already shaking her head. Aro was as well. "Seph said it looked like that at the scene of everything and that's what the Muggles saw at the scene."
"It was said the father had a heart attack," Aro provided. "But we know the killing curse mimics a heart attack to Muggles." Rory added.
"Was there any magical signature found at the scene?" Mi asked, arms crossed as she looked at Aro, who nodded. " We contacted Seph to get the full report after we heard from Moody, while you all were dealing with Albus and Ari's little staring contest. We slipped out through the floo in the wing while everyone was preoccupied. Seph told us they traced the signature of old magick and an appiration trail but it only led to Knockturn Alley and from there they couldn't pick up the trace further. The only things they got really were an old ritual residue for ancestry magicks and a possible killing curse. Any other trace of magic sadly hasn't been traced any farther than the old bloodline."
"So possibly a pureblood of the old families? They're the only ones who still use the old magicks for ancestry. What do you think they were looking for?"
"You do realize I can hear the four of you speaking through the connection, occluding or not," Rory's eyes snapped to her daughter, the connection slashed as she was met with the vacant depths of a sea at sunrise. Rory cleared her throat, shifting slightly and staying quiet. Albus, as always, was another matter.
"Connection? What connection? Severus?" He looked at his resident spy who said nothing in return. Hermione, though, answered him. "An apprenticeship connection, not that you need to worry about that. Right now what we need to worry about is that curse currently eating away at your body and how we plan on faking your death." Albus raised a brow at her but seemed to take her look in stride and kept quiet. "We have to make this quick before my boys come looking for me as it is. I was able to get Ginny and Luna to take them to the pitch for some much needed relaxation time, especially seeing as we're going to have to deal with the Weasley's here soon after. I know this is probably tearing Harry apart, seeing as he saw the Weasley's as family far before he fell in love with me and I want to make this as painless as possible." She turned to look at her mother then. "I also have vengeance to dish out and a crucio or two to endure for the trouble." Rory's sharp intake of breath got the first emotion out of her daughter. A smirk. One that made her look remarkably like her father. "So, as far as I know there is currently one person inside the Room of Requirement, and two outside keeping watch. Two heartbeats I recognize slightly, the one inside I do not. But I also can feel a whisper of Imperio going through their system. How about we start there?"
Albus looked at Hermione in shock. "How do you know there is anyone in the room, let alone outside?" Hermione just looked at him pointedly before she finally said in a deadpan voice, "Necromancer." He looked at Rory then, that Damnedable eyebrow raised that she was beginning to hate. "Don't look at me like that Albus," she snarled. "All Necromancers are different and some are more powerful than others. Ari as far as I know is the most powerful in our line currently." At Hermione's snort of laughter she looked over at her daughter questioningly, but she just shook her head. "While being a Necromancer certainly helped with the whisper of Imperio that I was feeling, the reason I know that there are three there, one inside and two outside, is because of the Hogwarts Wards."
"Ms. Granger, how is it that you have access to the wards of this school?" The twinkling look that normally sat in Albus's eyes was replaced with chipped blue ice as he glared at Hermione over his spectacles. She just rolled her eyes. "You dont scare me you old windbag so you can stop glaring." A sharp laugh slipped past Severus's lips at her insult and it was quickly followed by a booming gawf from one of the portraits. Everyone turned to look at them and found one Phinneas Black laughing himself silly. "Oh she's a delight Severus! I had my doubts from what I had seen while at Grimmauld, but seeing her here, taking as good as she gives! Oh she really is your girl isn't she? I almost wish she Had been placed in my house all those years ago! Well done Lady Prince!"
Hermione smiled politely at the portrait and bowed her head. "Thank you Lord Black. I'm so glad you approve." The portrait continued to chuckle to himself as Hermione turned back to Albus. "I have been attuned to the Wards of Hogwarts since fourth year. The Castle itself led me to a small hidden room in the library that was locked behind heavy wards, which it released to let me inside. Since that day I have always felt them in the back of my mind and have been able to access them since I found this," With a wave of her hand and a silent spell a book suddenly materialized in her hand and she stood, dislodging Fawkes who warbled softly as he perched himself on Severus's shoulder instead. Hermione placed the book on Albus's desk. He looked down at the black leather with Amethyst Lettering.
Kalinia Ravens of the Jade Grove.
Albus looked up sharply at Hermione. "Do you have any idea who this is?" Hermione stared deeply into Albus's eyes at this, leaning over the desk to get right up in his space. Her voice whispered against his skin, causing it to tingle with Power as she spoke. "The first Wards Mistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry... and the first Necromancer of my family line. The Original Necromancer who made the deal with the Nott Family and helped the Founders Build Hogwarts."
Albus sat frozen. She shouldn't know this information. It had been hidden, stricken from all records on Hogwarts except the journals kept by each Headmaster since the Founders' time. How did she know? As if reading Albus's thoughts, Hermione tapped the book in front of him and spoke. "The book is like a Horcrux but not at the same time. There is no dark Magic to make it what it was, just a book that relays information in the author's memory of their life. Every moment. Everything we ever wanted to know about the founder's time, and more. All you have to do is ask nicely and she will tell you. I particularly liked the entries she had on Salazar Slytherin and his reasoning for hating muggles. Turns out it wasn't about blood purity at all. Or anything prejudiced really. It was just over a man grieving for the loss of his wife in a witch hunt manned by Muggles. And the Entries on Godric Gryffindor would turn the heads of even the most Loyal of Gryffindors if they knew some of the shit he had done. Too bad once you read the entries you're not allowed to relay them without permission of the descendants of Kalinia's bloodline." She looked pointedly at Albus for this. She knew how he liked to twist things, especially when it came to House Loyalty. "Of which I, as the youngest of the Jade Grove bloodline of Necromancers, do NOT give to you Albus Dumbledore. Its history does not need to be twisted to suit your own gains. And after seeing what Godric did, I'm not surprised the friendship and camaraderie was destroyed." While Hermione had been speaking Albus's withered hand had been slowly reaching out for the book, but the moment it came into contact with the supple black leather, the book pushed itself away from the Headmaster as if repelled by him. He tried to grab the book again but it flew into Hermione's hand. She tutted at him. "All the same you can't read it anyways. It is attuned to the Wards Master of Hogwarts and anyone they give permission to."
Albus's eyes snapped to her as she banished the book back to its hiding place, safe from meddling hands. "But I AM the Wards Master of Hogwarts Ms. Granger, so if you would please hand the time over-"
"No. You are not." Once again she was in his face, her long raven hair crackling with raw magic as her eyes flashed black and her voice became two toned. "You may be the Headmaster of this school but the CASTLE chooses her Wards Master. And she has not chosen you. She has not had a proper Wards Master in over three centuries. She has finally chosen her Wards Master and they will make sure this school, and its students and staff are safe. Unconditionally. Unlike her Headmaster who picks and chooses who is safe and who is a danger. Why do you think the one trying to bring Death Eaters into the castle for the last year has failed so spectacularly?"
Severus looked at his daughter sharply. He had been asked by Voldemort on more than one occasion about the wards of the school and if there was a way to circumvent them or not. When he had asked the reason he had surprisingly not been tortured but told of the trial of the boy who his daughter currently sensed within the Room of Requirement, though he was never given a name. He was told to help the boy at any chance and that he would eventually come to him, but he never had. For the longest time Severus had believed it may have been Draco but Lucius had told him that his son wasn't even in the Dark Lord's sights at the moment so he had let it go. The boy in question had never come to him and he had not sensed anything from any of the students he had in his classes when he would use his Legilimency to skim their minds. So he had left it be. With finding his daughter and getting his memories returned of his life with Rory, he was sad to admit that he had placed it upon the back burner and seeing as Voldemort had not asked him about it recently, he hadn't even thought about it, leaving it up as another failure of the Dark Lords. Albus had not even mentioned it since the summer, and he was the one who put the idea of Draco into his head in the first place. Speaking of...
"Albus, why did you think it would be Draco who was given the task of killing you at the end of the year?" Albus looked at Severus in confusion for a moment, before sitting back in his chair in contemplation. "I'm not too sure anymore to be honest with you Severus. Originally, when Lucius failed to retrieve the Prophecy about Tom and Harry, I believed that Tom would try to use Draco as a way to punish Lucius for his failings. We all know the boy does not have the appetite for killing that his Aunt does and I believed Tom would use this as a way to Humiliate and demean Lucius further for his failures. When he was not marked over the summer as you said he wasn't, I will freely admit that I was confused, but kept up with the idea as I may have thought too far ahead. That instead of humiliation, Tom would use my death as a way to gain prestige for the Malfoy family once more by bringing the boy in and giving him the task to earn his mark instead. Seeing as it has still to happen I am appalled to say I am at a loss as to who it is that has been tasked with killing me."
Severus began to pace once more as he thought about what it was that Albus had said. If that was the truth then the entire school could be in danger from this unknown person who was attempting to eliminate the one person who was keeping Hogwarts from falling into the hands of Voldemort. Yes Albus had asked Severus to kill him instead of the Unknown boy, but it still put things out of proportion on all the plans they had made before Hermione's true parentage was revealed.
"I can find out who it is within seconds, but as of right now, the wards say that there is no present danger to the school or its occupants so we should worry about the plan for Albus's death instead." Everyone turned to look at Hermione, who looked to be far off for a moment before she shook her head, her vision clearing. "What did you have in mind my dear?" Albus asked, all twinkling eyes again. Hermione glared at him as she turned from the desk and waved her hand, pushing all the furniture from the room up against the walls. Taking her wand in her hand she sliced her palm and started walking in a circle in the middle of the room, her blood dripping off her palm and forming a circle. With a few quick swipes of her wand, runic symbols appeared inside the edges of the circle. Hermione dropped to her knees at the top of the circle and began whispering, her eyes bleeding to black before they closed. Electricity crackled throughout the room and within seconds Rory felt Aro pushing to the fore of her mind, adding her power to the circle. Fawkes warbles a low chanting song along with his new Mistress from his perch on Severus's shoulder and everyone watches in fascination as something was pulled from the middle of the circle, something very human-like.
Within moments a replica of Albus Dumbledore stood in the ritual circle, his eyes blank and his chest still as death. Hermione's eyes opened and she stood, wobbling slightly as she regained her bearings. Clearing her throat she looked at the doppelganger of the Headmaster, inspecting her work. "Alright you old Goat, come here so we can remove this curse and get this one set to take your place on the night everything will go down." All of them looked at her confused, before Albus stood and walked over to the other Him. "Remarkable. Simply remarkable Ms. Granger," he said as he inspected his other self. She had even dressed it in his favourite purple robes with gold and silver stars.
Albus let out a pained gasp as Hermione grabbed a hold of his withered hand suddenly, her eyes completely black suddenly, no whites to be seen as she began speaking in a language she didn't understand. He cried out in pain as he felt her necromantic magic overwhelm his own, seeking, searching for the anchor of the curse within his core. His vision turned black at the edges as the power seared through him and he felt the anchor of multiple spells that had been placed on him over the years by one Molly Weasley were seared from his body and his core. But as she reached the anchor to the withering curse he screamed, his vision going dark and he suddenly knew no more.
~H~
"Merlin's left testicle I never thought he'd stop screaming," Hermione sighed as the Headmaster went limp and collapsed to the ground before her. Rolling her eyes with indifference, she got to work, calling Fawkes to her who perched on her shoulder and warbled a concerned song. She ruffled his breast feathers in return. "Don't worry, he's just unconscious, not dead. Though he wouldn't have lasted until the end of the year with the curse like we thought," At her father's snort of amusement she turned to him and said, "He stopped taking the potions you prescribed him, around the time that Molly got him his newest batch of lemon candies."
Amusement turned to anger as her father stalked towards her and the headmaster and pulled his wand, running diagnostics. The runes floated above the unconscious headmaster and even Rory came closer to interpret them. She pointed to one of the runes that was glowing a gray black. "This indicates necrosis. Are you sure you removed all of the curse, or transfered it even?" She asked her daughter in a calm, clinical voice, her old healer training from her family kicking into high gear. She may have never technically went into the medical field like the rest of her family, she did have the training for it on top of top notch auror training from Alastor.
Hermione sputtered indignantly beside her and she had to chuckle. "I'm not invalidating your work dear, I'm just asking if maybe the curse caused a lasting dam..." but she stopped as she saw her daughter drop to her knees beside the Headmaster, pulling up his injured arm. She looked back up at the runes and spoke to her father. "How fast can you either get a fever reducer and blood pressure draught? As well as pain potions, antiseptic and calming draught?" Severus raised a brow at his daughter. "I have freshly brewed ones in my storage. Why do you need it?"
"Because I'm going to have to amputate Albus's arm for him to survive the gangrene that has set into his arm. I didn't realize it had gotten this bad when I was in his mind earlier, looking for the source of the curse. If his arm is not removed the gangrene will spread and cause him to die before the plan can be implemented." She turned to her mother. " Go ask Poppy to prepare a private room for the Headmaster and prepare for a surgery. If we don't act quickly with his blood pressure alone he'll end up in a coma." Rory nodded and within seconds her mother was no longer standing before her but a silver gray fox that quickly darted out of the room and down the spiral stairs. Hermione shot a glance to her father who looked slightly surprised. "Tell me you know that Necromancers have two animagus forms and Patroni Dad?" Severus started and looked at his daughter. He shook his head. Hermione smirked. "Can you disillusion me and the headmaster so I can get him there without issue?" Severus nodded. "How do you plan to get him there, levitation?" When Hermione shook her head he raised a quizzical brow. She just smiled and with a sudden flash of light his daughter was no longer standing before him but a large- and when he thought it was large he meant that the head of the beast was at his waist- pure white... Fox? With nine tails.
It took the Potions Master a moment to realize that this was one of his daughters previously mentioned animagi forms. She was a Kitsune, a mythical fox that most witches and wizards never saw in the wild anymore due to their habitats being destroyed by muggles. But even without him having seen one since he was very small (there had been one that had a den near his home at spinner's end before muggles took over the land there to make more mill housing), he had never seen one as large as his daughters animagus.
The kitsune bumped her head into his hip and it was at that moment, he saw markings on her face and body. Red swirling marks down her flanks and shoulders. Red markings rimming the bright blue eyes. And a rune marking her forehead. He didn't get a chance to look at her further as the kitsune chuffed at him before she dug her snout under the headmaster's body and began shifting him onto her back. Once he was secure she turned to look at him, waiting. "So this is what Draco said he saw in that flash of light before he fell unconscious." The kitsune tilted her head. She didn't know that Draco had seen anything, then again she had been incredibly focused on removing the dark taint in her other mates soul at the time.
Severus shook his head and waved his wand, disillusioning the both of them as he headed for the door. The Kitsune and her charge followed close behind, unseen by all.
~T~
Theo sat watching from the stands as his friends and one of the two women he cared deeply for played a game of pick up with his brother in law with the school quaffle. He had been deep in thought since his sister's impromptu wedding in the infirmary just hours ago. It put things into a large perspective for him. His mother and Severus were to be wed soon, his sister was already wed to her two mates, and here he was flopping like a flubberworm every time he tried to weigh the pros and the cons of asking both Ginny and Luna to be with him. He loved them both deeply and he knew one would not come without the other in this instance as they were already a part of a relationship with each other. They had dropped hint after hint all year that they both wanted him and he had been selfishly putting it off again and again, worried about his family's curse. But now, seeing what his sister and mother had gone through in their lives just to get to the small amount of happiness they had... it was almost crushing to think about. But as he looked out at Ginny and Luna both, their hair whipping about them like spun silver in a fiery tornado of red, he couldn't help but imagine how life would be. How much his life seemed so... empty without the two girls in it. He fingered the two boxes he'd asked his mother to retrieve months ago that had been burning a hole in his pockets since Valentine's day. He had planned to just get it over with and ask them on the day but things had gone pear shaped with his sister being slipped the lust compulsion tart and things had just been a whirlwind since. But now as he sat there watching as Ginny cheered Luna on from one end of the pitch as the silver haired girl dipped and dodged Draco to get to the goal post he felt his mind solidify in his plans.
It's for the better, boy. Theo jumped slightly at the sudden voice that wasn't his own internal monologue. Ice filled his veins and his brain fuzzed in and out of focus for a moment as he realized who the voice could belong to. But then he was confused. According to family legend, the necromantic half of their family did not come to light unless the host died their first death. And as far as Theo was aware he had never technically died. Granted there was the time he was really sick as a kid and they put him in a magically induced coma for his body to fight the infection raging through his body but he didn't technically DIE in that situation... Did he? Was he a necromancer and didn't even know it?!
Merlin's saggy balls boy, you fret too much, even in your own mind. Theo started again as the voice spoke again. He quickly looked around, trying to make sure his friends didn't see him slightly panicking. Suddenly a shade appeared beside him, dressed in all black, a black turtleneck, dark denim trousers, dragonhide boots and his long dark hair curtaining around his pale face. Blue violet eyes stared at him with an intensity that had Theo frozen in place. My name is Aristeides. You may address me by Aris. I am your other half and while you are nor have you ever technically died, we still can communicate with our hosts before their first death. Most just wait until the first death or if it is of great emergency and the host needs to draw upon our strength. But I'm bored and I miss my twin sister and the only way I can communicate with her is through you once a connection has been established. Only problem is you seem to be too afraid of the power given to you by my family. I'm here to help you realize this is not a curse, and in fact I'm here to help you save my sister. But for that to happen you need those two out there. The shade of Aris pointed directly at Ginny and Luna then. Not many of us get second chances with reincarnations of our past mates. You and I have this chance. One of them knows of the connection. The blonde. The fiery one does not, nor will she probably ever, but she loves you just as much as she loves the silver haired beauty out there. They both are waiting for you to get off your arse and ask them. So how about you grow a pair of balls and do it, or throw yourself out of these stands and unlock me fully and I'LL do it. A dark brow raised at him then, baiting him it felt and Theo huffed. Just as he was about to say something in return Luna suddenly fell- LITERALLY- Into his lap from her broom.
"Oh! Hello Theo," she said in that dreamy voice of hers. She smiled at him before turning to look at the spot where the shade was. "Oh, hello Aris! It's good to see you once more. Has Theo finally accepted that we won't run away from him just because of his family history?"
Theo stared at Luna in absolute shock, meanwhile Aris started laughing. "How can you see him?" Theo asked through a tightening throat. Luna turned to look at him, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've always been able to see him. He walks beside you berating you daily, much like how Mi walks next to Ari and Aro next to Aurora. Aris doesn't scare me or Ginny Theo," she said looking at him with deep devotion in her eyes. "We love you both and we're not going anywhere any time soon. It's just up to you when we finally get to be together again as one." And with those words Luna leaned up and kissed him deeply on the mouth.
~H~
It had taken hours and many potions, but between Severus, Poppy and Herself they had managed to amputate Albus's arm and put him into a magically induced coma so he could heal. She had been keeping an eye on the heartbeats on the seventh floor as they worked on the Headmaster so she had felt when the one in the room's heart began to pick up in excitement. She had felt the castle commune with her moments later about how what had once been broken was now repaired and there was a breach in the wards now because of it. She had told the castle she would visit the Nexus and check the ward she had put in place for those bearing the Mark with malicious intent- no need for her father, mother or herself to be stuck out of the castle with no way to return inside because the wards were set for anyone bearing his mark- once she was done with the Headmaster. The castle had communed its concern for the Head Boss and Hermione had pacified it as much as she could in that moment.
Once she had made sure Poppy was well taken care of with a nice cuppa and her father was on watch of Albus, she took to her Kitsune form once more, and bounded out into the deserted halls, noticing me not charm in place as she walked. No need to broadcast that she was an animagus to everyone, but she felt so free now that she was able to shift, and she was much faster in this form so within minutes she made it to the Nexus room in the heart of the Castle, where her ancestor spent most of her days when not working with one of the founders-
The hidden room of the Library.
Once she nudged the door open with her snout she padded her way to the room and pressed her paw on the weathered stone that held an Egyptian Ankh symbol carved into it. The stone pushed in slightly and the wall sunk in on three sides before sliding to the side almost silently. Hermione swiveled her head around the room, surveying if anyone was watching a door suddenly appear, but she needn't worry. The only people who knew of this room were her Brother, Draco and Harry. This was the room she used to study with her brother and Draco when they first had become friends and she had shown it to Harry at the beginning of the year in case he ever needed to find her. Turning back around she padded quickly inside and swished her tails out of the way as she watched the wall return to its solid form behind her. It was then her ears were assaulted with noises she wasn't ever expecting to hear in this room. Three hearts beating wildly and pants and moans.
Snapping her head in the direction of the center of the room Hermione's jaw hit the floor as she took in the scene before her. Her brother was in the room with Luna and Ginny and all three were in various stages of Undress. She blinked rapidly before letting out a warning bark, too shocked to even change back at the moment.
The bark seemed to be enough for two of them though for Ginny and Theo broke apart from their heated kissing, while Luna just looked languidly over at her. Hermione growled at her brother, a string of not so nice things running through her head directed at her brother at that moment. What the HELL did he think he was DOING?!
"Is that a Kitsune?" She heard Ginny ask breathlessly. She smiled up at Theo then who was smiling like a fool. "They say Kitsune is a symbol of longevity and fertility. If one crosses your path it means you'll have a long life with lots of children." Theo grinned stupidly at that and dipped Ginny as he went to ravage her cleavage again. "Well then it's a good thing we're getting in some practice, then eh?" He whispered against her skin, causing Ginny to giggle and then moan sensually as his lips ghosted over her heaving breasts, seeking his prize.
Hermione needed a second once again to pick her jaw up off the floor at this comment. What the Hell was Theo THINKING?! Slamming her forepaw onto the flagstone floor, she sent out a blast of energy at the three, causing their clothes to immediately fly back into their places on their bodys as she shifted back to her normal form, her violet blue eyes blazing with anger at her brother. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING TRYING TO SHAG IN THE NEXUS ROOM?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DISRESPECTFUL THAT IS THEODORE?!" She shrieked shrilly at the three. Ginny looked at her in shock, blinking rapidly. Theo looked properly chastised and slightly scandalized as he looked from Ginny to Luna to his sister. And Luna... well she looked like she normally did in most situations.
"Hullo Hermione. Professor Dumbledore doing better now the curse is removed?" She asked in that normal dreamy tone of hers. Hermione immediately felt off footed by her words. The only people who currently knew about the Headmasters position were her parents, and Poppy Pompfrey. How the hell Luna knew some of the things she did, Hermione would never know. She shook her head at the silver haired girl. "He's in a magically induced coma but Poppy says he'll be fine once the shock wears off. Now, someone wants to explain to me why you guys are acting like you're all under a lust potion? And fornicating in the Nexus room of all places?"
"We tried the Room of Requirement," Giny started, looking slightly chastised but still clinging to Theo. "But there were a couple kids outside when we got there. We seemed to scare them cause one of them dropped a pair of old scales they had and the two took off." Theo added as he sat down on one of the couches around the coffee table in the middle of the room, Ginny sitting in his lap. Hermione raised a brow at this, but said nothing, turning to Luna instead who was smiling at the two of them. She then turned and looked at Hermione and said, "So when we couldn't get into the room, Theo offered to show us this room." Hermione's eyes slid to her brother as she glowered at him. Theo ducked his head, his cheeks flaming red. Hermione rolled her eyes and swept past them, speaking to her brother as she slipped off her shoes and socks, standing barefoot near a wall at the back of the room. "Well, while I'm glad you finally found your balls and asked the girls to be with you- Finally- I'd prefer if you don't do it in the Nexus room. While I'm sure you, myself and Draco were originally the only ones to know about this room, as there are other places for the Headmasters of Hogwarts to access the Nexus, this is the Heart of it all. It's a sacred place to the Castle and it's honestly rude to be shagging in the heart of her."
The three looked on in confusion as Hermione sat in the Lotus position on the ground, her eyes closed and her back turned to them. "What do you mean when you say 'Nexus' and 'Heart of the Castle', Ari?" Theo asked, depositing Ginny gently on the couch and coming to stand beside her. Hermione paid him no mind as she focused on the energy of the Castle. Opening her eyes once she felt centered enough, she spoke quietly the words she had memorized from the Wards Mistress's journal. "Opnaðu og opinberaðu hjarta þitt." the wall in front of her suddenly opened much like the entrance to the room itself. Theo looked on in surprise as a bright light emanated from within, causing Theo to shield his eyes until they adjusted. Once they had he got to finally look at what was inside and what he saw made his jaw drop.
The room inside was like that of an Acromantula web, but instead of silk the web was made of pure light. Each strand sparkled and shined, each strand a different shade in the array of colours causing a cascade of rainbows to seep into the outer room. He looked down at Hermione. He was shocked to see her reach out and touch one of the silk strands. His shock turned to horror though, as when his sister touched the strands, her head snapped back and her mouth opened in a semblance of a silent scream. Ginny and Luna immediately jumped to assist her but Theo was once more shocked to feel his arm flying out in front of the girls to stop them. He stared at his arm in shock, as did Ginny. Luna though-ever the ravenclaw- was already calculating the reasons behind it and observing Hermione while Ginny and Theo started arguing.
"No one can touch her," two sets of blue eyes snapped to their silver haired lover as the change in her tone caused them to start. That wasn't Luna's voice. It was deeper, more sultry, with a rasp like she had swallowed fiendfyre and tried to speak immediately after.
It set fire to both Theo and Ginny's respective loins.
"She's communicating with Mistress Kalinia Ravens of the Jade Grove. No one can disturb the Wards Mistresses as old passes on the guardianship fully to the new one." Theo and Ginny watched on as Hermione's body began to take on an ethereal glow and her eyes slid shut in contentment. A small smile graced her lips before, like someone turning off a muggle light switch, the glowing stopped and Hermione slumped back on the floor with a huff of laughter.
"Now let them go to her," Aris said from his mind, and out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw the shade again. He ignored it for the moment and instead went to her side and helped her to her feet. "What happened?" he asked, leaning her against the wall. Her eyes were still glowing bright silvery blue and he watched in fascination as it faded almost completely, instead settling just behind her irises, causing them to have almost a luminous quality to the violet blue coloring. "She's still alive Aris," Theo stiffened at those words as he felt himself falling to the side as Aris pushed his way forward as much as he could to get to his sister. When he hit the wall of Theo's soul, which essentially trapped the necromancer half away until the hosts first death, he growled in frustration and pounded his fists against the invisible wall in frustration, a pounding Theo felt acutely as if someone was punching his vulnerable organs. He grunted, doubling over as he heard Aris yell inside his mind, "Ask Mia what her host means Theodore. I need to hear her say it," Aris all but screamed in his head. So he asked the question. "Who's still alive Mia?"
"Kalinia Ravens," violet blue eyes speared his heart with such a piercing gaze he thought his heart momentarily stopped. "Our baby sister is still alive, Aris. Kal IS the Castle!"
~S~
Later in the evening Severus found his children in the restricted section of the Library, pouring over the journal. Harry and Draco had deigned to join their new bride once they had, as Severus soon found out the moment he was spotted, been brought here via their wife's newest ability it seemed.
"Did you know Uncle," Draco said when he spotted him, causing the siblings to go silent. "That a Wards Mistress with access to an area's Wards Nexus, can effectively see everyone in the entire area as if they had some sort of…" he had then looked to his new Husband as if begging his help to find the words. Potter seemed to have what he sought too, for he easily took over for his Speech disabled Groom. "What he's trying to describe is much like bat sonar, or… or like beluga whales -OW!" Potter exclaimed his pain as a quill found itself sticking into his bicep, the nib piercing the skin to three inches deep. Severus followed the direction it came from and found the siblings both glaring at Potter. This made him smirk. Yes the boy had become his son in law just hours ago, and yes they had had a quiet truce of sorts once he had taken Albus to task back at St. Mungos all those months ago, but old habits die hard it seemed. Harry pulled out the quill and took the cloth Draco offered him, placing it against the bleeding hole before he continued as if nothing happened. "But, it's more visually like that of muggle movies, or comic books. I don't know if you know what those are-"
"Potter," Severus said in warning. He nodded and then continued. "Well, as I was saying, when connected to a Heart Nexus of an area, a Wards Mistress can not only see everyone in the area, but can also literally pop them to the same area as her, or any area she wants Im guessing, with just a thought?" Severus turned to look at his daughter then, though she had returned to whispering back and forth with her brother and writing in the journal. He raised a brow but did not comment on the behavior, instead answering Potter. "Indeed. Make sure you keep it from Albus, who's awake once more, if I might add." This got his daughter's attention as he audibly heard her head snap up at his words. He watched her quickly scribble something into the journal before turning to hand it to Theo. "Keep her safe Aris," he heard her whisper to his son- something he was still trying to get used to the idea of in reality, even if he had treated the boy as his own son for years- and watched him nod before shrinking the journal and placing it in the inner pocket of his vest, next to his heart. Hermione nodded in agreement to its placement before turning and heading for the doors to the restricted area. "Draco, I want you, Gin and Luna to get the potions and make sure everyone gets a dose and a kit. Healing Draughts, burn salves, the whole healing works. There should be enough kits in pouches with undetectable extension charms on them and untraceable portkeys to the cottage in case of emergency. The cottage has been affixed with wards targeting anyone with a Mark that isn't already keyed to the wards at home- so me, Mum and Dad- and will blast them twenty feet from the property boundaries, stupefy them and obliviate the last ten minutes from their minds should they touch or cross said wards. I also added a confundus charm into the obliviate just for added measures." The small contingent stared on in silence, not even showing shock or surprise at the complexity of the wards he and his daughter had made back when everything had concluded at Christmas. It was starting to realize that that was seven months ago now. It felt like it was just last week to him still.
After a pause to catch everyone's gazes, punctuating her orders to each before continuing. "Everyone is to be instructed to take the Liquid Luck at sundown. There should be enough for everyone to have a few hours worth of luck. Make sure staff are prepared and anyone coming in. Again, everyone gets a dose, and everyone gets a kit. I've set the wards on the old classroom where the kits are in my lab to accept any staff and ally who holds my Galleons, so Gin please make sure each of the Order takes one as you lead them to the Lab to get a kit." Ginny nodded. Hermione turned to her Husband who she hadn't addressed yet. "Harry, I want you to get the cloak, the map and your broom just in case. I know Dumbledore plans to still take you on the mission tonight, amputation or not." Harry rolled his eyes at the stubbornness of the old man, but nodded all the same, still saying nothing. Hermione turned to her brother, even though she still addressed everyone as she added, "I know Mum's on her way to find us now, and by her heartbeat, she's got important news for us, possibly regarding the breach in the wards. No doubt by now the person in the room has gotten a message to the Dark Lord and a plan has been put in motion."
Severus blinked at his daughter, watching with internal pride as he watched her take charge the way she was. A small smirk quivered on his lips as he watched her group snap to attention and go about their way to do their bidding. Theo came up to her from her flank and placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice sounded like he'd gargled with gravel and it made him quirk a brow in confusion. Had something happened to Theo since he had last seen the boy in the hospital wing with the others? "What do you want me to do Mia?"
Severus watched Hermione's eyes bleed black momentarily, before becoming the clear blue violet they naturally were. It was then he noticed the ring around his son's eyes as Hermione placed a hand over top of her brothers and squeezed gently. "I want you to let Theo have full control of your power while he's out there Aris. As for helping, Theo can go and find Neville Longbottom, Terry Boot, and Hannah Abbott or Susan Bones. Either will work for the Hufflepuff's and one may be easier to find than the others. I want each of them to discreetly make sure all the younger years are in their dorms after dinner. I know Albus won't put anything into effect and I don't want to alert any spies to us preparing, so while I know the teachers will be alerted by Father," they both looked at Severus then and he was struck momentarily by the sight he saw. It was faint, and maybe it was because of the bond he had with each of them, but as his two children stood there, he swore he saw silhouettes of their Necromancers- and he knew by now from years of watching Theo that he had the gift of his family- standing shoulder to shoulder with their host counterparts. But when he blinked they were gone and Hermione was once again looking at her brother and relaying orders. "They will do what they can but we need the D.A. alerted as well as the Order. I need you to get Neville to Alert the D.A. and then go to McGonagall. Tell her everything. She knows what to do if the Castle comes under attack. After you alert everyone, make sure the younger Slytherins are tucked away safely and get a message discreetly to Parkinson."
"Pansy? Whatever for? The woman's a menace, not to mention her father, is a Death Eater! And I'm pretty sure I've heard Mum mention she spies here at Hogwarts for her Dad!" Theo said, shocked at his sister's calm. She just smiled at him and patted his hand. "Draco's been scouting in his time away from me and Harry. That and Pansy and him grew up together, he knows where she leans. So when she caught Draco and Harry… Celebrating… early and without me," Theo made a face and Hermione smirked. "She told him to let her know if and when we need help, 'those who want to prove Slytherin house is more than its track record', will be ready for battle. They also get liquid luck by the way, as well as a kit with a portkeys and a D.A. Galleon. As for her spying, of course she was! Her father told her to! You know how Parkinson's family is. And Pansy always wanted to please when she was younger. Since His return she's only given her father rumors, or useless tidbits and general rants that sound like they're important but are honestly just useless shit. She's been misleading him for years. Even in fifth, just like you did and Draco did before you even asked."
"Who else? Besides Pansy?" He huffed, appeased for the moment.
"Tracy Davis, Blaise Zabini, and the Greengrass sisters from our year and Ginny and Luna's. From Seventh you have Briar Rubble, Preston Fiddlewood, Audrey Buckling and the quads Celeste, Beatrix or 'Tris', Willow and Alaric."
Again, Severus was struck with shock. So many of his snakes, hidden like himself among the house of followers, worked from within to bring pride to the house that had been tainted and stained by prejudice and fear. He would be sure to rub it in Minerva's face later once he awarded his house enough points to beat Gryffindor for the next ten years.
"A few of those are surprising, but I'll take your word for it and do as you ask. You keep yourself safe in the meantime, yeah?" Hermione nodded and hugged her brother before he left the restricted section as well. She turned to her father then as she heard her mother's heartbeat pass her brothers receding one and enter the library. "I don't know what tonight will bring Dad, but know we have each other's back and we have a plan in place." Severus said nothing, his shields fully in place at that moment as Rory joined them, but he did brush against her mind, caressing her own shields with a feeling of pride and acceptance. He accepted his little girl was all grown up and even married, and he was unbelievably proud of her at this moment. She truly was a lioness.
"The Dark Lord has ordered us to make sure the assailant does his job Tonight. Is everything in place? Is the Headmaster even awake yet?" Rory asked as she closed the gate to the restricted section, enabling the silencing charm around the room before she spoke.
Hermione turned and quickly filled her mother in on what she had set in motion and Rory nodded along with her. "Good, good. Ari, you should go find your husband's and meet them in the infirmary. Dumbledore asked me to find Harry when I reported to him on my way here." Hermione nodded and he watched her shields slide fully into place on her face before she held the gaze of each of her parents in turn. "Be safe Tonight. I lost one set of parents today. I just got you both back, even if I've spent the last six years yearning for one's approval," Severus snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Hermione ignored him. "I don't want to lose either of you after I just got you back. So please, watch each other's backs tonight and all of us meet at the cottage when we can break away." Rory and Severus nodded and watched as their daughter looked at them for a moment, nodded before straightening her spine, raising her chin, and exhaling a breath before she left the restricted section, the gate creaking loudly in the silent library.
"He made her grow up way too fast," Rory whispered, tears stinging her eyes as she watched the warrior witch that was her daughter walk off into the chaos that would be tonight. Severus said nothing, but Rory felt his hand slip into hers as he came to stand behind her, his lips pressing into her hair as he gave his silent support.
-Later that Evening, around Dinner Time-
~H~
"Jackson?" Hermione said quietly as she and Draco dried off after their shower. The quiet pop of appiration from the bedroom alerted them to where the elf was. "Mistress Mia be asking for Jackson?" Hermione nodded. "Can you please do my hair in a simple half tail? You know the look I'm asking about, yes?" Jackson nodded enthusiastically, making Hermione smile. She knew the little elf loved to try and help her tame her hair but most days she couldn't care less. But she knew tonight was a performance and even the attire needed to be perfect, down to the tendrils of hair that would soon be framing her face.
Draco brushed past her quietly as he made his way to the wardrobe where the Nott family elves had already moved Harry and Draco's things to the extra wardrobes that had been in the room. Hermione quickly donned a dressing gown and sat at the vanity, letting Jackson tug gently at her hair, releasing the knots and leaving them in silken black strands, the different colours that made the shade reflecting in the candle light. Quick as a snap, her hair was clipped up in a half pony, tendrils of hair framing her face that now had the attention of the little elf.
Hermione nodded her assent, and the elf worked quickly to paint her face with makeup that would be presentable at the revel to come. Once her makeup and hair were finished she made her way over to the bed where her gown had been laid out in pieces. The first donned was the black skirt, simple in it's A-line design it flowed to the floor in a waterfall of hued silk. Opening the buttons down the back she easily stepped into the skirt, her feet sliding into the knee length boots hidden at the bottom of the bed under the skirt. She buckled the buckles of the boots into place as Jackson buttoned the skirt for her. Once finished she lifted the blood red peasants top over her hair, making sure not to ruin Jackson's work. Once the strings of the shirt tied and the bell sleeves were in the proper place, she lifted the outer corset that would go over the shirt. Placing it around her waist, just under her bust, she heard another crack of elven appiration and turned to see Freyja and Tyr, Freyja's elven mate and the elf specifically bound to her family service (much like Jackson, though he had begged; while he loved and adored the Nott family he had become increasingly attached to Hermione enough to where Lencey had sent the elf with the letter she'd received about Tyr joining her household). Because Tyr had been Freyja's mate and she was bound to her Grandmother, she had told Jackson to go back to the family home and let Tyr know that he was more than welcome to stay with Freyja and she would employ his services while there, this way he didn't have to leave his wife and family. This was her first time meeting Tyr after she had sent the message with Jackson, who had told her when she and Draco came from dinner that Tyr had asked to be beside her that night, but he would take his new Mistress upon her offer if she really felt it was alright. Message received and assurances sent, she had sent Jackson off to relay to the elder elf while she and Draco showered. Now it seemed, the elf and his bride had arrived as requested by them both.
She sent a welcoming smile to them both that turned into a grimace as Jackson pulled the strings taught on her corset. Freyja tutted and Tyr shook his head, grumbling something in elvish before coming to stand behind Hermione, gently shoving the young elf to the side. "See here's my boy," his raspy voice said behind her. Suddenly a swathe of magic fell over her and she could breathe again, even though she could feel that the corset had been fully tied and was sitting as snuggly on her body as when Jackson did it. Turning to Tyr she smiled brightly. Bending down and grabbing the elf by both sides of his face, she planted a large kiss on his weathered and leathery cheek. "I was honestly worried I'd pass out from wearing this thing tonight. Thank you dear Tyr." The elf's pale skin suddenly burned bright pink, the blush covering his entire form. Eyes as wide as dinner plates and welling with tears, Tyr placed a claw-like hand to his Cheek. "Mistress gives Tyr a kiss… Tyr is not worthy of such affection from the Mistress!"
Hermione smiled down at the small elf and held both claw-like hands in her own. "You deserve all of that and more dear Tyr. All of you do. You're all members of this family, as new as it is. And in this family affection is given out freely and without need for deeds and accolades to preface it." She looked at each elf in turn at this, making sure they all knew her stance on the matter.
Draco watched quietly from the corner, tying his black tie as he observed his wife take the elves in hand, gently. It reminded him much of the way he tried to treat his own elf Dobby when he was younger. Dobby had been an oddball in his family and Draco had taken to his antics as a child, wishing for a friend who wasn't being held to high society standards. Dobby had been that friend. He knew his father hadn't treated the elf the best, between keeping appearances to the other pure blood death eaters as well as getting frustrated with Dobby's clumsiness and odd antics. It had made for a frustrating time for his father and, while he had been sad when Do by had been set free, he had spoken to the elf since (hearing from Hermione about Dobby's antics in second year as they got to know one another had enticed him to try and call the elf in the prefects bath his fifth year. They'd had a heartfelt reunion and he was happy to hear how happy the elf was and had especially shared in Dobby's joy of finding and collecting all of Hermione's knitting pieces she left the other elves). He had even sent Dobby a very nice acromantula silk jumper for yule this year, coming to the kitchens to gift it to the odd elf himself before he'd departed for Christmas. The elf had balled his eyes out at the sight of it and Hugged Draco tightly in thanks, pulling it on over the six other sweaters, and almost toppling the stack of 37 knitted hats he still wore.
Shaking his head of his woolgathering, he pulled out the box he and Harry had gotten Hermione's ring in. They had both contacted Gringotts almost the moment Hermione had been summoned to the Headmaster's office, employing Christopher (who had also ended up being a witness to their bonding and helped them sign and notarize the wedding document- which he'd been instructed not to file until after the war) to carry the missive for Gringotts, effectively giving him permission to enter and take from their vaults, any items they described to him. It was all legally documented so the Goblins couldn't kick a fuss and both men had already known what they were looking for. They'd both discussed these possibilities-things they may need to think ahead on- and so both already knew exactly which rings they'd wanted for Hermione from their vaults. Harry's chosen ring had originally been his mother's engagement ring. It was a sterling silver band that was designed to look like vines or branches. Small clusters of sapphires dotted spots between the vines, completing the ring. He'd told Draco it was a part of a set but he hadn't liked the wedding band. They both agreed that Diamonds weren't really Hermione and the attaching band to the ring had a diamond on it. Draco's ring he chose ended up complimenting Harry's in the end. He'd chosen one of fae design, with a hexagonal cut moonstone gem as its centerpiece. When Christopher had owled them the rings, they had taken them out to compare and the oddest thing happened. The two rings had fused into one when put in close proximity to one another, creating one ring. It was that ring that he pulled out now and held out to Hermione, who had been watching him stare at the box while he was woolgathering again.
Without a word, he pulled the ring from the box and took her hand in his, sliding the fused silver bands up until it fit snug against the warm silver of her wedding band, fusing into the small notches that suddenly appeared to take the tips of the leaves from the other ring. Silence reigned in that moment. No words needed to be said. She knew. He knew she did. And they both could feel Harry with them, deep in their cores, even if he wasn't here with them.
A patterned knock on her door broke the moment and reality reigned once more. Hermione and Draco looked intensely into the others eyes for a moment, each taking a deep breath, and gripping one another's hands tightly, they both turned and headed for the door, opening it with the Prince Family Flourish.
~T~
-Two hours Previous-
Theo made his way quickly with Ginny andLuna to the Great Hall. Dinner was on its way to the end, Luna having said to wait to find everyone until dinner and work on getting the kits prepared first. That had taken a fair amount of time, but then the girls had each gone to their dorms to pick up some products they each had from Ginny's brothers. They had wanted to add them to the kits as well before they sectioned them all out and set them off to be doled out to the D.A. and the arriving Order. By the time they had finished, dinner had been well on its way, and then they had to go down the four flights of stairs, running into Tonks and Lupin on the way. They had quickly told the two to alert more of the Order and to not trust what they saw tonight. Ginny had promised their old professor that she would explain and to meet her in the abandoned classroom they had come from. From there they had made their way here.
Theo quickly made eye contact with McGonagall, giving her the hand signal Hermione had shown Aris. It was one she had worked out with McGonagall the day they had gone to check her parents. The Transfiguration Teachers sharp eyes narrowed at him for a moment, probably wondering how the hell he knew the signal, before she gave him a single sharp nod and rose from her seat, sweeping by each head of house and giving them a quiet word before disappearing behind the teachers entrance. The three split up, the girls going to each of the other three tables, to alert each of their Lead Members from that house's D.A. members. Theo in turn went to the Slytherin table, looking for Pansy. He found her quickly enough. She was surrounded by Millie, Tracy, and the Greengrass sisters. Good. The only one he had to worry about in that group was Millie. As I was about to say something, an elf popped up next to Millie and begged for her attention for just a second. Millie turned on the small creature and began to berate it, and Theo took that second to grab Pansy by the arm and squeeze and pull in a quick pattern. When she turned to scold him about grabbing her she saw him jerk his head towards the door pointedly. The others picked up the motion and began covertly gathering their things. Pansy meanwhile didn't show any sign of acknowledgement and started berating him as intended. It wouldn't be until later that Theo and Aris- who'd been puzzling it as well- figured out that Pansy had been running a distraction for the others to leave the hall with Millie near. Each somehow already knew to head to the infirmary floor even before Theo or the girls could tell them. Pansy joined Theo and Luna and Ginny moments after she'd scolded him out of the hall. Huffing slightly she smiled at the boy. "My apologies Theo, I had to make it believable to Millie, otherwise she'll tip off her father, who's supposed to be one of the ones on mission tonight; one of the low level, outer circle members who's trying to get a tip at glory by trying a faulty plan. He'll be one of the ones trying to breach the wards by flying tonight, by the way."
Ginny looked at Parkinson incredulously. "How the Hell do you know all that?!" Pansy and Theo both chuckled, knowing her mother was one of the few female Death Eaters who'd reached Inner Circle status and never been arrested for it. Theo's mother was the only other to share the unblemished arrest record. But then he shocked the holy living shit out of Theo and stopped the young wizard in his tracks when she said, "I know because my Mother is one of the Many spies Dumbledore has had placed in the Death Eaters since 1979."
Pansy quickly noticed Theo had stopped and went back for the wizard, sidestepping onto a new staircase that was coming to help her retreat. The steps Theo stood on shook ominously, like a small earthquake being felt underfoot, but they stayed in place as Pansy took his hand and pulled. It was then Aris let out a bellowing laugh that reverberated through Theo's entire being. "That shaking, my brother, was Kal laughing at you!" Theo choked on his own laughter as he followed the others to the not-so-abandoned classroom turned lab. He patted the railings of one staircase as he ran up them and he felt the stone warm under his hands. It made him smile.
It would be the last time he smiled. That night..
~Present Time; Astronomy Tower~
Hermione stood off to the side, checking on Harry as they watched a glaze-eyed Zacharias Smith disarm the Homunculus Hermione had waiting. The Real Dumbledore was currently under the cloak and unconscious in stasis after he decided to try and off himself and Her husband in turn by drinking poison on leaving Harry in a bloody inferi infested cave! Hermione was seething, as was Draco through their marriage bond, feeling his wife's fury and his husband's desperation and fear as they had been waiting in their places. Hermione had quickly picked the story through Legilimency, leaving poor Harry a little foggy-headed as she tried to gently go through his mind. The two newlyweds watched Bellatrix tell a cloaked wizard to get the boy to do it, right as Severus and Rory entered the room. Both knew what was about to happen and they watched in cold detachment as her father raised his wand. Hermione stepped out of the shadows then. It was a little off script but she had a gut feeling all evening that she needed to do this. And so she stepped up to her father and placed a hand on his. His whispered spell cut off mid cast as both he and her mother looked at her. She didn't say anything, just stood in front of her father's wand.
A cackling noise was heard beside them. All eyes in the room turned to Bella then. Hermione, Severus and Rory all raised an identical brow at her, mirror images that would have made a great family portrait had someone been there to snap a photo. "I knew this Gryffindor bitch wasn't made enough to be true to our Lord. She is your daughter after all, right Snape?" Severus said nothing of course. Bella didn't expect him to and she went on before anyone could interrupt. "And we all know you can't be trusted. You're as much Dumbledore's man as you were obsessed with that mudblood bitch that birthed the Potter boy." Severus rolled his eyes, not bothering to say anything, though he saw Hermione's eyes were alight with fire and she seemed about ready to explode, the older dark witch being her target.
"Severus," Homunculus whispered. "Severus, Please…" Hermione whipped around and flung a wandless, non verbal spell at the Homunculus. Green light jetted across the expanse of space and struck the Headmaster's double directly in the chest. "You'll never ask him for another thing again, Headmaster. This family is fully behind the Dark Lord. As we ALWAYS have been. You hear that Bella?!" Hermione spun around as the body of the Headmaster copy slipped over the parapets and crashed to the ground somewhere below. But Bella was no longer there. Her cackling could be heard Down the steps of the tower. Yelling and spell fire sounds made its way up in her wake, reminding them all that there was a battle being waged below. "Let us take our leave then. Ari," Severus waved a hand for her to go down first. She nodded and made her way down the steps, the other Death Eaters following.
Harry waited for the appropriate moment, knowing he was supposed to act like he thought it was Severus- My Father-in-law… gods that's still weird to think- who cast the curse on the Headmaster's copy. He was supposed to chase Severus out to the grounds and fight him there and flip as he took Hermione. He looked down at the unconscious Headmaster. What they'd seen in that cave tonight… it haunted Harry still, like a bad Vietnam flashback a muggle soldier might have. He knew there was a name for it, but honestly in the moment he was still trying to fight the feeling just to think and keep his mind on the plan. Taking a deep breath he cast a wandless finite on the spell keeping him in place. He'd noticed, as he made his way down the stairs, that his magic seemed to have grown fully and settled deep inside him finally, since his flashy marriage to Draco and Hermione. He Wondered if it was due to them being a triad or not? He'd have to ask Hermione when she met with them at Raven's Cottage, the small home he'd bought for her as an escape. It had soon become the home of the new Order that consisted of his new family, including Ginny and Luna, the Twins, half the staff of Hogwarts, Lupin and Tonks, and finally- strangely enough- Lavender Brown. Since Christmas when Hermione had found her in Diagon Alley and sensed the heartbeats, she had brought Lavender to the cottage and had employed Jackson and, weirdly enough Dobby, into staying at the cottage on half day bases between the two elves so Lavender was always taken care of and had someone for company.
A stray spell brought Harry's mind back to the present as he started screaming his father in law's surname. He was a good few meters behind them, just enough to be out of spell range as he continued to scream accusations.
It was then everything went to Hell.
It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. You wanted to look away but for some morbid as fuck reason, you couldn't. That's what it felt like for Harry as he watched Severus and Hermione glide through the mass of fighting students, staff and outer circle Death Eaters that had come along for distraction. Severus was yelling for retreat, that what's done was done. The Death Eaters were leaving, throwing shield spells at their backs. He watched Draco slide in by Hermione, making good on his promise to Harry earlier that he would be by their wife's side tonight, knowing there would be a revel.
But then Bellatrix turned around and, sliding her half lidded gaze from Snape, Rory, Hermione and Draco at the front of the pack, back to the crowd, searching frantically as she walked backwards slowly, keeping in pace with the slowest Death Eaters as she searched. Her eyes alighted with triumph right at the same moment Harry caught sight of Theo, who had run up to check on Ginny and Neville. SHIT!
Harry sprinted down the steps, trying hard to reach them. He yelled out to them and Theo caught sight of Bella as she raised her wand. Thinking she was aiming at Ginny, he pushed her out of the way just as the curse left Bellatrix's lips, causing the Death Eater contingent to turn back and look on in absolute horror as the spell struck home on its intended target.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A streak of Green Light.
A scream of absolute grief, feminine in sound.
Theodore Leonidas Nott, aged just shy of seventeen, crumpled to the ground, his violet blue eyes dull and vacant as they stared up at the ceiling.
The entire hall became quite the grave as the gravity of what just happened settled on all standing there. Each student was looking from the body of Theodore Nott to the cracking emotionless mask of Hermione Granger. Everyone there knew that it was her brother who was just killed.
A crack of thunder sounded throughout the Hall as vines shot up from each side of Bellatrix, a strand each wrapped around a limb and one around her throat. A dual toned grief filled scream filled the air as Hermione's eyes blew into full black, a snarl on her face as her hands became clawlike. Rory's own transformation was happening beside her and Severus Snape looked ready to dismember Bellatrix Lestrange.
"You won't live long enough to regret the crime you have committed to my family this day Bellatrix Hera Lestrange." Hermione said as she practically aparated next to the deranged woman. And if Harry was Honest, she just might have. If the Castles Nexus held Mia's sister's soul and Hermione was her Mistress, she'd have control of the ward.
Hermione looked into the madwoman's eyes as her magic flared. She just had to think and whatever she wanted happened. She felt incredible. Like she was on ecstasy. It was an intoxicating feeling. She knew it was a mix of the Unforgivable she'd cast, as well as adrenaline and grief at seeing her brother cut down. But in that moment she didn't care. She would use it to her advantage.
"Time to pay up, bitch. You've killed three of my family in a week. Time for the Furies to take their pound of flesh." With a wicked squelching sound, Hermione plunged her hand into the woman's chest. Seconds later Harry watched as a ripple of magic exploded in the hall, knocking all but Hermione, Bellatrix and Harry Himself -who ended up just out of reach at the top of the past set of stairs- completely on their arses. A body from behind Bella rose up and the woman wrapped in vines jerked violently as another hand was plunged into her chest from behind.
Aris twisted his neck back and forth, feeling the vertebrae pop back into place. He sighed, his completely onyx gaze catching his sister's over Bella's shoulder. "Hello Mia." He said. "Shall we, dear sister?"
"You're explaining back at Raven Cottage. Felix should have kept you out of situations such as this," Mia scolded her brother. "Mother's beside herself and Father, while unconscious, is spitting for vengeance." Aris just quirked a brow, in such a fashion you could immediately see the resemblance that made him Severus Snape's heir. Mia rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I have a whole voyeuristic revel to get over, so the faster we finish the faster I get over it. In the meantime I want you to take everyone back to Raven Cottage. We'll be there as soon as we can. Take the body with you. Make sure everyone is taken care of. And for Gods' sake give Theo back control for now. He needs to come to terms." Aris nodded and they looked at Bellatrix.
"sundrast í grunnatóm." They intoned together. As the spell took hold, Mia pulled out her hand, Bella's heart clasped in her fist. She grinned wickedly as a spatter of blood splashed her face as Bella's eyes widened. She didn't understand how she was still alive even as her body began to disintegrate to its base atoms from the floor up. "Goodbye Bella." She whispered as she squeezed the heart in her hand. Something compelled her to bring the organ closer and her tongue poked out enough to lick it before she dropped it to the ground and the heel of her boot. The moment she did Bella's body exploded into her base atoms. All that was left is dust. She looked up at Theo then, whose blue eyes had returned and he looked at his hand, covered in blood that it was, holding the woman's esophagus. "That's disgusting!" He yelped, dropping the… organ? Hell he didn't even know what the thing now on the floor was even classified as.
Groans from behind them alerted them to people waking from the blast of power. "Quick, get Gin and Luna and Harry to Ravens Cottage as fast as possible. I'll meet you there in two days." Theo nodded as he saw Luna sit up, look around and smile serenely before getting up and walking straight to them. She pulled Theo down and plunged her tongue straight down his throat, causing Hermione to look on in shock. "Welcome home love." She whispered against his lips. She turned to look at Hermione. "Your father's conscious Mia. Get everyone out. We'll fill in Minerva and then head to the cottage and prepare it." Too stunned by the exchange and running on adrenaline and Dark Magic, Hermione just nodded and turned to look at Harry, who had been slowly making his way towards her, like she was a cornered animal, ready to bolt.
"Hermione? Harry?" They both looked back as Draco groaned their names and sat up. They both ran to him and embraced quietly. They knew they didn't have much time. Others were on their way to the entrance from other sectors of the castle, having finally caught sight of the Dark Mark Bella had made earlier after she fled. Hermione and Harry both pelted Draco's face with kisses, Hermione apologizing for knocking him out, Harry just asking if they were both okay.
"Keep our girl safe over there Dray," Harry told him as they embraced and kissed. He then embraced Hermione and left a chaste kiss on her lips, caressing her cheek and subtly removing the blood spatter Bella's heart had left. "Are you going to be punished for this?" He asked, holding up his thumb covered in Bella's blood. "Probably. But not as much when I tell him she killed a potential Necromancer recruit. Twice. " At Harry's confused look she added, "Kallina came up with the idea from the journal. Originally Theo was to stay out of sight and I altered her memories before we got back. It would have been the perfect revenge with no fallback on me cause I wouldn't have killed her but she would be killed for disobeying direct orders, plus I get revenge for her murdering my Mum and Father. But this… I will be punished for this. He was her most trusted General, even if she was losing favour quickly with all her recent fuck ups. So I'll probably be in a bit of pain, but nothing I can't take. I promise. Just get home and be ready when we get back."
Boy did she end up being wrong.
He was extremely angry when he found out she was killed. And that Bella had hit Theo with the killing curse twice in succession, effectively giving the boy the true death. She was tortured, both emotionally and mentally. He surprisingly didn't have her taken by any of the outer circle, proving he had believed her about the soul bond. But what he did do in turn was worse. He forced Draco to take the mark, branded not with a skull and snake like the others, but an Augury. Like her and her Mother shared. He then put him under the imperius curse and forced him to fuck death eaters in front of her. He then told her how he knew of her bond to Malfoy and how she had fixed the compulsion from when they'd last seen her. He said he knew a bond such as theirs would cause unbelievable mental agony on the non participating partner, and physical agony to the one doing the deed. And it was causing Draco agony they could see. He couldn't stop his body's movement from the imperius, and his bond was responding by sending lava-like pain shredding through their body. He then revealed why she wasn't the one being fucked by the outer circle for her treasonous act, even if we'll deserved for what Bella in turn had done to cause it.
"We wouldn't want any new Necromancer spawn to be lost due to poor physical handling of its mother, now would we?" Oh my Gods… he thinks I'm still pregnant! That told her many things in that moment on the identity of the person who could have told him of her bond to her one husband but not the other. So she was forced to watch, held in place by her mother and father- their own torture for their failure to stop Bella or their daughter- and forced to watch as Draco fucked one of the female groupies from the outer circle and while his own Father was Imperiused and forced to fuck his own son.
But the night wasn't finished there. Once both Malfoys had spent themselves they were forced to their knees before their Lord, the groupie thrown to the depraved fuckers of the Outer circle to have their way with. Severus and Rory were also forced to bow and kneel before their Lord, thanking him for the 'Honor' of being the ones to assist in her Punishment. Lucius was forced to say the same. And then he called the unknown Death Eater from the Tower before them all. He knelt in front of them all, head bowed in supplication. "My Lord, it is an Honor to serve, as always."
Hermione, Lucius, Severus and Aurora's heads all snapped up in shock. They knew that voice. As Voldemort began to regale the Death Eaters with this Mystery Brothers accolades, Severus had opened the link and looked at Lucius, catching his gaze from the corner of his eye to connect him to Hermione and Aurora. He had no idea if it would work but he hoped with how close the three out of the four of them were, he would be able to do it.
Is that who I think it is? Lucius asked. There's no fucking way. Aurora countered immediately. He detests the Death Eaters and everything they've ever done to his family. His wife's family!
How are you pulling off this impressive magic Severus? Lucius asked, intrigued once he heard Aurora in his head and still feeling others there. Severus and someone else. Now is not the time Luce. This will complicate things if it is him. He knows my position. My true position. If he chooses to… we're all dead. This little snit he just pulled will be nothing compared to what he may find out from that man in front of us.
Sofandi Dauði. They all snapped to attention at Hermione's words. She wasn't looking at any of them though. Sofandi Dauði. Say it back to me. So I know you know how to pronounce it. Say it's an old family torture curse. Dark ages family magic. Withering death spell you can call it. It won't hurt anyone he makes you take out and I can brew the antidote when we get out of here.y father or Mother can bring it to them and get them away safely.
Are you sure? They looked ahead of them, hearing the voice of the one they were just talking about. How was she doing this? It has to be Amia. She always had great power over Mental magics along with her necromancy. She was able to give her reanimations personality, actual brain functions, while we made mindless creatures. She was always the most powerful out of us siblings. Aro's voice floated in as she watched from Aurora's mind.
I promise Arthur. Please trust me. He can't hear us either so make sure to keep your attention on him. Hermione said, ignoring them all. Right, of course. The man said and then went on to placate the Dark Lord, saying he flattered one such as himself, a simple blood traitor. Good. Very good. Now, be ready. Say it back to me.
Sofandi Dauði. Wand movements? He asked. Same as Avada Kedavra, just non verbal. She told him. Right, right. And you're sure it will work? He asked, fear evident. I promise you Aruthur Weasley that this will work. Now, he's bringing out your reward, be ready for anything. Show no emotion but elation and gratitude. Even if it's your mother or Ginny.
She ended up being very close. The unknown Death Eater was de-masked, revealing the face of Arthur Weasley to all the shocked faces of the Death Eaters, making Voldemort cackle. "Yes, even I was surprised as you all when dear Arthur came to me and begged for me to let him join us. He told me he had been led astray, poisoned by his wife's magic for years! Years that haughty shrew would put potions into his food, jinx his items with spells that muddled his mind and turned him away from the true path of his purebred family. But it was our dear sister Ariadne Snape who showed him the true light. First with how his wife reacted to her accident and the trial. He was revolted. He spent time away from home. And that's when he noticed my friends. He stopped feeling support he had felt for muggles and muggleborn people. He realized quickly that his wife had been poisoning him. So he went to Dumbledore, asking for help and he tried to obliviate him! His magic was failing him though and the spell never took. Our dear Arthur though, a brilliant man, acted like he had to fool the old man. He then came here, hoping for an audience with Lucius, his most unlikely ally, but Bella caught him and brought him before me. I chose to accept him into service, under the condition he found a way into Hogwarts and killed the Headmaster. While you may not have been the one to throw the curse, the man is dead and you did brilliantly with that young boy from Hufflepuff and the vanishing cabinet. So I shall reward you, and we shall celebrate!"
Cheers rang out at that and Voldemort snapped his fingers. The doors flung open and two struggling bodies were brought in by four low level Death Eaters. The two people were thrown at the feet of the Dark Lord, and when they looked up, the red headed woman screamed in terror, muffled by the gag, as she stared up into the smiling face of Voldemort.
Hermione watched and mentally coached Arthur on showing nothing but elation and gratitude as Molly Weasley and her youngest son Ronald were brought before Voldemort. She had no idea the real reason Arthur was here, but she knew Albus had something to do with it. Voldemort's story on how Arthur arrived reeked of the old goat's schemes. It was the most flimsy bullshit she'd ever heard and she was surprised the Dark Lord Believed it. Maybe that was why he gave him the task of killing Dumbledore? She had no idea and didn't have time to think about it. She hoped this spell would work. Mi had come up with it on the spot to help Arthur and now they were quickly trying to wandlessly transfigure the small shilling she kept in her bra- corset in this instance- into a small shriving stone that would break under her shoe. She was also trying to wandlessly charm a vocal charm to say a word when she cracked the stone. She'd already molded the word to Arthur's voice. She was thinking quickly on her feet, no planning, and her mind was screaming at her to always have a plan. But something Harry said as a joke before everything went to shit and they all ended up in the hospital kept playing in the back of her mind. It had been about a plan if they got separated at any time. A safe place to go. They'd agreed the cottage was best. But they had no plans of attack and it made Hermione anxious. Harry had laughed and said, "Hermione! When have any of our plans ever actually worked? We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose. I get you want a plan, but that's so far ahead and with it is information we yet don't have, so for now, just leave it as a safety contingency plan, okay?" She remembered it now, that first bit playing back. "When have any of our plans ever actually worked? We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose." Well, let's see how winging it went.
"My dear Arthur, here is your reward. You get to choose who you kill tonight in celebration of Dumbledore's demise. The son who shamed you? Or the wife who poisoned you?" As he spoke, Hermione heard something slither up near her, sending her newly acquired animagus senses on fire. Big predator. Enemy. It screamed in her mind. Odd, she didn't think anything big enough to take on her kitsune would fit through the door. She was almost five feet tall on all fours after all.
Then she made the mistake of turning her head and came face to face with Nagini, her gold slitted eyes staring lifelessly at her as her tongue flicked out to taste the air around her face. She was coiled up, using her muscles to prop herself up to Hermione's kneeling height and it was an intimidating sight to see when you realized that she was an 8.43 meter, 227 kilogram green anaconda and not a python like everyone seemed to think. She kept her face impassive as she slowly raised a brow at the snake, going against her instincts that were screaming not to antagonize the predator. A strange hissing noise sounded from her then before her head came to touch Hermione's, snout to nose.
A spark, something dark, like velvet and electricity all in one. And then she heard it. Two heartbeats. One beating in time with Voldemort's.
Nagini had the same dark thing tainting her that Harry had before she'd lost her child removing it.
H…hel…help. M..m-me…p-ple…please.
The snake jerked back before slithering to her master, snapping her jaws at Ron as Hermione watched in shock. That was a woman's voice. Coming from the snake. What the fuck?
"My Lord, the choice you have given me is difficult indeed. While my wife has brought me great shame and betrayal by poisoning me and my children with her potions and mind altering spells, I do still love her. But can I forgive her? I am torn. So I therefore look to my son and think, can I choose to murder my misguided son? Could he only be this way due to his mother's influence?" Hermione snapped back to attention and quickly placed the transfigured stone under her boot, raising her toes inside the shoe enough to keep any pressure off the stone. She needed to focus. Think about everything later. She focused back on her link with Arthur. "I have come to a decision, my Lord." Arthur said and Hermione quickly saw his plan in his mind. A good one. It would spare Ron, but also keep him safe as well. Molly could be retrieved. "I cannot abide by my wife's betrayal. It goes beyond our love. It in fact, shatters any illusion that there was any. And therefore I have no issues with taking her life, in fact I relish it. Thank you again my lord."
Voldemort nodded and waved a hand to the captives. Arthur stepped up and produced his wand with a quick wave and Hermione yelling NOW in his mind, he mouthed the words and Hermione stepped on the stone, causing Arthur Weasley's voice to echo through the room, "Avada Kedavra!"
Green Light jetted from his wand. If one looked close enough they'd realize the colour wasn't exactly right. The unforgivable curses colour was a bright emerald. Hermione's spell was a soft seafoam green. But the spell hit home too fast for anyone to realize and Molly Weasley slumped over, her eyes rolling back in her head and closing as she hit the ground. No one commented on why that could be. They were too busy being shocked at what happened to Ronald at the same moment.
Quick as Lightning, Nagini had struck Ron in the throat, tearing arteries and shredding his windpipe as she pulled back and struck again. Her body coiled around Ronalds, squeezing him with her 1.11 meter girth. They watched in horror as the boy was squeezed so hard his eyes popped from their sockets, dangling by the small string on muscle attaching them to his skull. They watched Nagini disengage her jaw and begin trying to swallow his body hole, her specialized venom making the boy paralyzed as he bled out and was digested by a snake.
Hermione felt like she was going to vomit. Friends they may no longer be, but Hermione never, ever would have wished this on him. She wanted to cry, scream, rage. She wanted to Kill Voldemort then and there, but she knew she couldn't. Not yet. That snake was connected. A horcrux maybe? She had to be sure. Which means she had to endure this. Just as Arthur did.
Voldemort clapped his hands then, gaining all of their attention. "Ariadne, Draco, Severus, Aurora and Lucius. You are all excused from tonight's activity, though you may of course partake if you wish. But I wish you to stay and mingle with your brethren for a while before you retire. As for the rest of you, let the Revel begin! Take this trash and begone with it. Do with it what you will, you depraved animals! Tonight let us let our baser instincts rule in celebration of our victory!"
Cheers rang out through the hall and Death Eaters grabbed Molly before anyone could blink, tearing at her clothes as they pulled away their own. Oh fuck… Arthur… But Arthur wasn't watching. He was still watching Nagini, who had made a good headway on Ron at this point, being on his shoulders. Hermione looked away from the sight and stood when instructed she was able, gripping Draco's hand as she kept her head down, trying to assess him through their bond.
It was going to be a rough night…
~0~0~0~0~
Authors note:
Sofandi Dauði- sleeping Death. I kinda thought sleeping beauty curse. But then my mind went way dark. So yeah.
Also, quote in bold is from the movie obviously. I don't own but I do love that scene and had to add it. Now to the real note, please read:
Wow… 16,547 words. And before anyone goes to the comments and adds how this note adds, I did the word count before adding this note, which is written on a totally different document and so the word space is currently blank (I'm writing this before the chapters finished). (Edit: now finished final word count added).
So, as you guys may have noticed… a lot happening here. And Hermione hasn't even been able to properly deal with the grief of losing her adopted parents. Don't worry. It's coming. But in the meantime, I kinda want to explain Aris's premature arrival. Originally he just randomly popped up as I was writing, like explaining the other half of Theo's thought process, but then he took on real life before I could stop it and he dug himself a little sarcastic hole in mah heart and I couldn't stop bringing him out.
That being said I have always had this planned for Theo and I did have his murderer planned too. I just chose it now cause I felt strategically it would make more sense in the long run for what I want to do.
Now, as a small added note for the length of time it took this. First off I want to apologize. For some reason these characters decided to hide away in my mind for months behind writers block. I knew what I wanted to do, but not how to make it happen, and any attempt I made with the characters… well, yeah they didn't want to cooperate X.X But the Severus and Hermione from my Falling in Reverse story wanted to tell me all of these ideas and such so they got to play instead.
And then I learned just some of the depths that is Google Docs. I know it sounds weird but until my friend in Ohio (whose also a writer) told me about how she has all her writing on Google docs, I'd never once thought about it. Or how I can use the app on my phone or my newly acquired tablet to write when the urge hits… Even when I'm not near my PC!
To say my brain exploded… I'm sadly embarrassed to admit that yes it did explode and I was giddy for days, adding all my documents, All of my writings I had on usbs and my PC… yeah. And then I kinda forgot about it on and off. Like right now I'm just reminding it as I went to write this oh man ADHD is a bitch…
That said I will endeavor to get chapters out sooner as my ADHD is influencing my plot bunnies and a few one shots are now floating round my head that I may add to AO3. Not sure yet. We'll see. Until then I'm sorry about my hectic schedule but I refuse to make anymore promises cause fate hates me and makes my life unpredictable hell just when I think I've got a routine. So next chapter will be out when I can get it there.
Enrini for now in this chaos of a world.
-Ash
