Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this story! I ran into a bit of a brick wall with it and started writing on my other stories until I could finally climb over the wall! This chapter was actually quicker to write than I had thought. Just started writing it a few hours ago and now?! Here it is for all to read! I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favourited and followed this story. It is great to see such response for this story! The idea began, as most of you know, a simple one shot dedicated to all of our favourite torture scene in Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 and now here is the second instalment's tenth chapter! Well, I think I prattled on a bit too much now, so here's the chapter! I hope everyone enjoys the surprise at the end! :)
"Life is never what one expects."
The three walk through the halls of the manor towards The Dark Lord's study as the early morning sun tries vainly to enter through the heavily curtained windows. "I dare not speak of any of this until we are in the study. Severus is waiting for us," The Dark Lord says as He opens the door and leads the two witches inside. The study was just as Hermione remembered it, but the wards felt different as she passes through the doorway into the lair of the dark wizard.
"I took the liberty of adding a few extra wards for this meeting, My Lord," Severus says as he stands up from the chair he was sitting in and bows slightly. "We mustn't be too careless with this meeting."
"Thank you, Severus," The Dark Lord replies as He closes the door and walks towards the desk by the fire. Sitting down in His chair, He nods His head indicating that He wished for them to be seated. The three others sit as one, Hermione and Bellatrix in the black leather love-seat to the right of the desk and Snape in the hard wooden high-backed chair on the left, as they wait patiently for their master to speak. "Bella and Severus already know what the task is, but I wished to wait until you were completely ready before I spoke to you, Hermione. I wanted to make sure you were well before setting this task upon you."
"I am ready, My Lord," Hermione begins as she looks upon the wizard and smiles. The smile unnerves Severus slightly as he remembers back to a time when he was much younger and another, even darker witch than Bellatrix, had been a part of the fight against the Light.
"Ah... where are my manners!" The Dark Lord says with a smirk as he reads the wizard's facial expression of surprise. "Severus... you must remember Enyo, yes? Well, it seems as if Miss Granger here is her reincarnation. I know we all have been waiting patiently for her to return to the fold."
"My Lord?" Severus questions, his eyebrow slightly raises when he stares at the younger witch. "I am surprised that I did not recognise her while she was in Hogwarts. If I had known beforehand, I would have protected her from the start."
"If any of us had known, I would have made sure to keep her away from Dumbledore and fostered her myself!" He looks upon the witch in an almost fatherly way then clears his throat. "But at any rate, we can not change the past now... we must look to the future more than ever." He pauses slightly, taking in the three people in front of Him. Each of the witches and wizard had helped Him in some way or another gain extra traction in the war more-so than anyone else that He had on His side. He smiles to Himself as He realises that this time He will win with the aid of the three people in front of Him. "Now, as I told you, Hermione, this is of the utmost importance. As you know, Dumbledore and that wretched Potter boy have destroyed some of my Horcruxes. If we are to win this war, I will need replacements for these destroyed items before we can move on. We have to be quick about it though or else they will capture the remaining ones and destroy them."
"My Lord... if I may?" Severus says quietly, hoping that his interruption would not deserve a hex. Nodding His head in approval, the Dark Lord allows Snape a small reprieve from torture and allows him to speak. "When I was at the Order meeting yesterday, I let slip the information about your Horcruxes. As Hermione... or shall I say, Enyo? Had correctly surmised that Potter would not say a word, so I had to press the issue. He then began to tell them which Horcrux he thought was left."
"Which one?" The Dark Lord asks as He grips His wand tightly. His anger pulsing out of Him in torrents.
"The diadem, My Lord," Severus states as he watches the wizard relax a bit.
"Well, that would leave two more that he doesn't know about," Voldemort replies coolly as He places His wand back on the table. "All the same though, I would prefer to make more before we strike. Is there anything else you can tell us?"
"Yes, My Lord. I spoke with a few of the others while we were at the meeting and sowed the seeds of dissension into the Order. Minerva and Kingsley now believe that the boy is covering up the actual object that is Your Horcrux. They believe that he doesn't actually know and is just sending them on a wild search for a fable. I also led the whole group to believe that Miss Granger here is under the Imperius Curse."
"Excellent, Severus!" The Dark Lord exclaims with a smirk. "How well do they believe this ruse?"
"They believe it fully, My Lord. They feel as though Miss Granger has been a complete innocent during her whole time at Hogwarts and believe that it has to be the curse that has caused her to kill her long-time boyfriend."
Hermione's eyes widen at Severus's last statement. "Why in bloody hell do they believe I was dating him! I would rather drink belladonna than even think of that idea!
"They believe it because Potter thought you two were together, so it made sense to play on that," Severus states with a shrug.
"This will make the plan run much more smoothly!" The Dark Lord exclaims with a chuckle as He turns His attention to the two women. "Now as you both know, I will be in need for more Horcruxes. This will not be an easy task, but Severus has made it a little bit more manageable. Hermione will send an owl to meet with some members of the Order. The missive will explain how a ward set up near the Ministry had disrupted the Imperius Curse placed on her and that she was able to escape from us. It will also say that she is hurt and is in need of aid. When they come to help, you, Bellatrix and a few others will capture them and bring them here." He stares at Bellatrix. "You will ensure that this group will not kill the group that comes to help, Bellatrix. Am I clear?"
"As glass, My Lord," Bellatrix replies as she thinks over the plan. "My Lord... how will we have them believe the parchment that Hermione sends? I mean, why would she be near the Ministry instead of locked away here?"
He stands up from His chair. "Leave that part to me. Now go, we must be ready in only a few days time for this to work properly!"
Minerva glances over The Daily Prophet as she brings the cool glass of pumpkin juice to her lips. The past couple of days have felt like a roller coaster so the witch is very glad of the reprieve she has received today. It is a Saturday and she had Apparated from Hogwarts earlier that morning, along with Professor Trelawney, to Andromeda and Ted Tonks's house to escape the torment of the Carrows. The rest of the Order had been using the couple's house as a new safe house after everyone had found out that Grimauld Place and The Burrow could possibly be compromised since Hermione is now part of the Death-Eaters. Minerva sighs as she puts her goblet down and lowers the paper. She had to be Imperiused. Why else would she be in Tom's camp now? She had spent her whole time at Hogwarts with Ronald and Harry and they were all best friends. Why would all of that change now? The professor takes off her glasses and cleans them as thoughts keep thundering in her head. She places her glasses back on and picks the paper up again. She turns the page, barely glancing at the headlines any more, as she reaches for her goblet again. This time as she lifts the glass to her lips, she freezes and gasps. On the third page, next to a large picture of the Ministry of Magic are the words:
Undesirable No. 2 Escapes!
By: Rita Skeeter
The goblet drops from her hand and clatters to the floor causing Trelawney to look up from her breakfast and gawk at her friend, her mind barely registering the noise as she continues to read.
We at the Prophet are shocked today as we help the Ministry
with their hunt for Undesirable at Large, Hermione Granger. Miss
Granger was taken in by Aurors Savage and Proudfoot yesterday to
be brought to the Wizengamot for charges of treason to our beloved
government. Miss Granger, 18, had been seen numerous times in
the company of, Villian-At-Large, Harry Potter, has eluded the Ministry
several times before this year when she was asked to come in by order from
the Muggle Regulation Department. She had refused each time until she had
been recently captured breaking in to Malfoy Manor. Granger was complacent
when Aurors responded to the scene. However, when they neared the Ministry,
she struggled and escaped from the two wizards. It is suspected by Minister
Thicknesse that the young witch was under the Imperius Curse. A curse that the Order of
the Phoenix places on unwilling witches and wizards to comply with their wishes.
The newly appointed Head of Magical Law Enforcement, Antonin Dolohov
believes that the Aurors had managed to hurt the witch before she Apparated away
but still believes she is armed and extremely dangerous. If you see this woman
on the streets, be careful and alert a member of MLE or an Auror. We at the
Prophet have been kindly given a recent photo of the witch so we may show the
public who they are to watch out for.
Minerva stares blindly at the picture of Hermione that was taken the year before at the End of Term feast. "I can't believe that woman," the professor mutters as she crumples the paper and throws it on the table.
"You can't believe what woman, Minerva?" Andromeda asks as she walks into the kitchen with Molly, George, Ginny, and Fred in tow.
"That reporter, Rita Skeeter! That's who!" The Gryffindor Head seethes. "Something has happened and Hermione has escaped You-Know-Who's grasp! They tried to take her to the Ministry and the Imperius Curse must have worn off. I know Scrimgeour... before he died, he must have had someone ward the Ministry against the curse and its affects were negated when they brought her there. She has escaped and is on the run from them, but who knows where she is now! We need to find her to help her!"
Suddenly a screech comes from the window and an owl flies through it dropping a letter in Minerva's lap. "What's this?" She tears open the envelope and gasps as she reads who it was from. "It's Hermione!"
"Well, what does it say?" Molly asks though she still felt animosity towards the sender. Even if the witch had killed her son while under the Imperius Curse, the Weasley matron still had her misgivings.
"She says she is okay, but needs a blood replenishing potion and dittany. The Aurors had hexed her pretty good and she has lost a lot of blood." McGonagall turns towards Molly and gives her a weak smile. "Hermione also says she feels horrible about killing Ronald. She had just recently found out she had killed him and that she almost didn't heal herself as way of avenging his death, but that she knew she couldn't because she has new information for us about one of His weaknesses. I must go to her!" The professor exclaims as she stands up from the chair.
"Sit down Minerva," Molly says as she gently puts a hand on the older witch's shoulder. "We will go and bring her back here. You need to stay here and protect Sybil. Does it say where she is?"
"Yes, it does. Please be careful Molly... who knows if He placed any charms on her to follow her wherever she goes."
"We will go with her to help," George offers as he looks at his twin who is nodding solemnly.
"I don't think there is anything to worry about, Minerva," Andromeda says as she levitates the dishes off the table and settles them into the sink.
"We will also take Moody with us as well just as a precaution," Ginny states as she receives a glowing approval from her mother.
"Then that settles it. We should be back soon," Molly says as she glances at the paper that Minerva gave her and grimaces. "I don't understand why she would hide in Sirius's old house..." shuddering uncontrollably, Molly continues, "too many bad memories in my opinion."
"Well... maybe it is the only place... she really thought to go," Sybil offers between bites of toast.
Molly nods her head. "Come now, we should really get going." She grabs a hold of her youngest child before Dissapparating with a soft pop.
"Don't worry, professor," George begins before Dissapparating.
"Everything will be all right," Fred finishes before leaving as his family did.
"I hope they are right," Minerva says as she looks up at Andromeda.
"I am sure everything will be fine..." the middle sister of the Black family replies. "You will see, I promise."
Trelawney begins to nod her head in agreement but suddenly stiffens. Her eyes roll back in her head and an unearthly voice gravels from the back of her throat. "Beware the progeny of Mars; for the snakes will ensure their master's power and their terror will be great and everlasting!"
Andromeda loses her concentration and the plates that were levitating towards the cupboard fall with a crash.
"Sybil?!" Minerva exclaims as she starts to stand from her chair. "Are you okay? What does she mean by that, Andromeda?"
The witch spins around and stares wide-eyed at her old professor. "Oh no... you are not moving from there!" Andromeda shrieks as she casts an Incarcerous and causes thick black ropes to fly out of her wand and wrap around McGonagall.
"What are you doing?" Minerva asks as she struggles in her chair.
Suddenly Nymphadora bursts through the door to the kitchen and stares at the scene before her. "Mother?" she questions with her eyebrows raising in disbelief.
"Grab McGonagall. I will take Trelawney," Andromeda states as she looks her daughter in the eye. "It is time."