Disclaimer: Any familiar characters belong to J.K. Rowling
Chapter Five: Losing Restraint
After dinner Hermione retreated to her haven that is the library. At the back of the library was an isolated area for the legal section and a cosy window seat that provided panoramic views of the Hogwarts grounds. The Forbidden Forest looked eerily magical as the sun set behind its trees. Hermione had post it notes on one hand, a pen on the other as she read, Slytherin's biography resting on her knees. Her shoes lay on the library carpet, her robes hung off her shoulders as her hair fell in her eyes. She looked the very image of the hard working student. It was this scene Alphard Black stumbled across as he sought a quiet area to sit and read some Dostoyevsky.
Alphard Black to the untrained eye was as Black as one could get. Physically he had inherited the trademark dark hair and silver eyes. Moreover he exuded the Black air of old money and high influence in the way he walked, his impeccable manners and deliberated way of speaking. Yet he was a Griffindor, avid reader of muggle fiction and was a hopeless romantic. He was drawn to mystery and heresy. Opposed tradition and pioneered revolution. So when he found Hermione Prince, the enigmatic Griffindor with unusually short unruly hair, seated in his usual spot he was trapped.
Hermione's war trained experiences told her she was being watched and she lifted her head to meet Black's steady gaze. The resemblance to Sirius was incredible.
"Hello?" she asked as he continued to stare.
"My apologies Ms. Prince. The image of you reading by the sunset is quite captivating."
Hermione cringed. She was not accustomed to such overt flattery.
"The sunset is beautiful." She agreed. "Would you like to join me?" There, Rosaline would be proud.
She patted at the space in front of her. Alphard sat opposite her, his long legs extended beside her. He opened his book and continued where he left off. Hermione saw he was reading Crime and Punishment and took a liking to Alphard at once. Few wizards were well versed in muggle literature and Dostoyevsky was a favourite.
They read in companiable silence as the sky grew darker and more sinister. As the clock approached 11pm she yawned.
"Ms. Prince, may I walk you back to the tower?" Black asked Hermione pleasantly.
Hermione was taken aback by the chivalry that she couldn't seem to escape in this time period but merely nodded and took the arm he offered her.
"Tell me about yourself Ms. Prince." Black asked, his voice smooth like velvet.
"Please Alphard call me Hermione." There were two ways to deal with their antiquated behaviour she decided. Either they adjusted to her or she adjusted for them.
"Hermione.." he seemed to savour her name in his mouth.
Hermione unconsciously shivered and not unpleasantly.
Alphard kissed her hand chastely before parting at the stairwell. Hermione this time was braced for it and merely smiled at him like his attentions were a daily occurrence for her. She snorted inelegantly at the idea of her being a damsel in distress.
As Hermione dreamt she was locked up in a tower by an evil snakeman, a helpless princess waiting for a prince that would never come, Tom Riddle sat in the common room surrounded by his followers.
The green light of the dungeons was illuminated by the one fire that crackled behind RIddle. His face was half submerged in the dark as he spoke to the five death eaters before him. "Grindelwald grows in power seeking the same aims as we do. The elimination of the statute of secrecy so wizards can take their rightful place in society. We cower though we are superior to the filth that run free. We are forced to accept their blood tainting the pure. Salazar began a mission to eliminate mudbloods from learning the magic of our ancestors, but he did not succeed. I would like to finish his task."
He paused.
"How my lord?" breathed Lestrange, panting in ruthless excitement.
"The Chamber of Secrets will be opened again."
"It is but a legend, master." objected Dolohov nervously.
"It exists. The heir of Slytherin possesses the skill to open the chamber to release the beast inside."
"Do you know the heir, my lord?" asked Black quietly.
"I believe I may be the heir of Slytherin."
The five followers looked at Riddle with a renewed perspective. Some shone with reverence, others with fear.
Hermione poked the sleeping girl awake the next morning. Xandra groaned and buried her face deeper into her pillow.
"What?!" Xandra reluctantly opened one eye to glare at Hermione.
"Your mother is deputy head of the auror department." Stated Hermione.
"Yes…" Xandra had a feeling she knew where this was going.
"So she must have access to Grindelwald's manifesto."
"Merlin Mione! That's high security shit you want me to get for you!"
"I'm glad we are on the same page".
"I'll see what I can do." Xandra yawned.
That evening Hermione sat in the History of Magic section this time surrounded by newspaper articles that marked the rise of Grindelwald. She had borrowed them earlier from Diggory's personal archives. It wasn't too long before Riddle joined her.
"Hello Hermione" Riddle smiled at her, polite as ever, scoffed Hermione.
"Tom, how are you?" Well, two can play at that game. She smiled falsely.
"Looking forward to picking your brain. Looks like you've done quite a bit."
Hermione went through the sources she'd read that might be useful. Riddle commented as was required. When they finished reviewing the notes they began to write the synopsis of their argument.
"Slytherin and Grindelwald fundamentally believed in the same ideals. They imagined a world where wizards were at the top of the hierarchy, ruling over muggles believing in the divine right of magic is might. They also agreed that the muggle to wizard ratio was unacceptable. Where they departed was the way they would achieve this. Slytherin saw this hierarchy as already existing informally but saw the statute of secrecy as giving muggles a right to not know their superiors. He opposed the creation of an organized government that enforced muggle protecting laws on fellow magical beings. Grindelwald in contrast believes in the government enforcing laws to uphold magical supremacy. His first step is overturning the statute of secrecy so there is a controlled regulation of muggles as second hand citizens. Muggles in their rightful place."
"Acceptable."
"That'll be our main distinction but we'll need to do a critique on their reasons in believing muggles to be inferior and their theories on how a muggleborn possesses magic I think." Hermione thoughtfully added.
"Also pros and cons of the statute of secrecy."
"Which are?"
"The crux of the problem is that there are far more muggles than magical beings. History indicates muggles develop a hostility to wizards and have persecuted them which only succeeded because of their sheer number. On the other hand, secrecy means that muggles are deluded in a world rid of magic. They are not able to be utilized for the superior cause because we have to hide from them."
"And what do you mean by "utilized for the superior cause"?" she challenged him with a dangerous edge to her voice.
"Well firstly the waste of resources spent on upholding the statute of secrecy outweighs the need for discretion. Secondly, we enslave house elves, creatures with longer lives than muggles and slower birthrates, who possess more magic than muggles. It'd make far more sense to enslave muggles instead and it would solve the population control once we are able to monitor their breeding as is needed. Thirdly-"
He paused as he finally saw the effect of his words. Her fists were clenched the edge of the table. Knuckles turned eerily pale while her face was flushed with impassioned rage. Hermione closed her eyes fighting the urge to bring out her wand and murder him right there and then. His words taunted her of her past. She thought she was desensitized to the pureblood philosophy but here Riddle rationalized his arguments with a detached logic that made his words thousands time more cutting, more hurtful.
"Hermione?" Riddle reached out a hand and touched her hand lightly.
Riddle not Voldemort. She forced herself to look into his eyes. Black not red. Inhale. Exhale.
She flinched. A late reaction to the skin contact. RIddle retrieved his hand quickly.
"We should probably also mention one of Salazar's solutions was creating the chamber of secrets. In effect it did the same thing Grindelwald's troops are attempting to do. Kill mudbloods." She spoke as if nothing had happened. Said the word mudblood with the same detached tone he described their natural inferiority and this time Riddle flinched and he had no idea why.
Hermione glanced at her watch.
"Thank you Tom, that was fascinating." and Hermione truly meant it too and she walked away not addressing the look of puzzlement in the prefects eyes.
Hermione closed the library door behind her and leaned against in breathing heavily. She had been so close to losing control. In front of Riddle. She couldn't afford to make mistakes. She had to focus on securing his friendship, for lack of a better word, find out what happened to Rosier and stop Grindelwald.
How had Dumbledore previously let him go so far? She'd have to persuade him to act. She hoped he hadn't found the elder wand yet. Defeating him would be far easier- Wait a second! The deathly hallows! Grindelwald was searching for the cloak which wasn't at the Potter's but here in this very tower. How could she have been so stupid-
Hermione felt a grin stretch on her lips. She had underestimated Xander for there on her bed was Grindelwald's manifesto.
A.N. Yes I know I changed it but it felt too much too soon. Cutting out has unfortunately meant I now have a incomplete looking chapter. Apologies, I'll get on that on my redraft.