Author's note: Did i base Sloan James off a real person? Yes. Yes i did. Would love to hear your guesses in the comments.

Xoxo Catstclaire

Chapter 2- The boy who still lived

Sloan James had been a Hogwarts professor, and apparently taught Malfoy's son to boot. She hadn't been sure before if Malfoy knew the person whose body she now controlled- now the game was much more dangerous.

"Right of course," Hermione swirled her glass not looking him in the eye. "tonight's excitement has me a bit out of sorts. Forgive me Mr. Malfoy. It was a pleasure to teach your son. Wonderful student."

Hermione could not afford to reveal herself to Malfoy, and she would have to be very careful about what she said from now on. She hadn't half a clue what Sloan James was supposed to know or even who the people were that she knew.

Judging from the way the emerald suits had listened to Malfoy she decided it meant he must be pretty high up in Voldemort's new regime.

Had this been the reason Malfoy stopped the suits earlier? A glowing review from his son as his teacher? He obviously had to have some sort of motivation for stopping them. If he had an inkling to her true identity she had no doubt another gruesome death would have befallen her by now.

"Mhmm." Was his short reply, then "i was sorry to hear about your sudden departure from the school. Not even the full first term week was over before you gave your notice i've been told, what made you decide to quit?"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

How was she supposed to know anything about that?

"Needed a sabbatical." She gulped down the firewhiskey and her throat burned as it slid down. "Everyone needs a break every now and then right?"

There simple, and innocuous enough.

"The prophet said you had a nervous breakdown. Spent the last 4 months in St. Mungos to." He sipped at his drink.

Cool. Cool. Perfect. She was resurrected into the body of a certified nutcase.

"Look, i am very grateful for what you did earlier for stopping the green suits-"

"The disciples." Malfoy was not at all surprised by her lack of knowing what must be common knowledge in this world. "Well, at least you didn't refer to them as toads i suppose- anyone who does gets sent to Azkaban."

"Azkaban.." She muttered. "For that?"

"The resistance refers to the disciples as the toads, their way of garnering more members i suppose."

A resistance...

This Malfoy was chatty. The one from her youth was much more reserved. 10 years had certainly had an effect on him. Was this the result of living in the new world order? The one where Voldemort ruled, and his pureblood elitists rained supreme. She thought again of the terrified boy back at the manor- but that boy grew up. He became one of Voldemort's disciples, he obviously still embraced Voldemort's beliefs or he wouldn't be following the orders given to him.

Malfoy had always scared her to a certain degree, but now he was dangerous in a way he never had been before.

This person had saved her, allowed her a shower, provided her clothing, and even made her a drink. However the ever growing curious expression upon his face was obvious, even buried beneath all the imperiousness that came so naturally to the Malfoy's.

Was this truly one big game to him? Saving her only to get her to lower her guard, and divulge her of all her secrets?

"What purpose have you for bringing me here Mr. Malfoy?"

His eyes roved over her intensely. "Your particular skill set is something i am in great need of right now."

"Skill set. Dark arts. Defense. Okay."

If only she had any inkling as to what Sloan James was capable of. Hermione had only at her disposal what she had known in her previous life. The way Malfoy said skill set made her wonder at Sloan's accomplishments- it was something specific she was sure that Malfoy was asking of her.

When Hermione had risen hours earlier she hadn't a damn clue what was going on. Waking up in a room she had never been in before, which now she gleaned had been a room at St.Mungo's, sent her into a tail spin. When she realized she wasn't herself any longer she jerked open the bedside drawers to investigate. Sloan's belongings in the room consisted of an ID badge that only listed her name, and pureblood status, and her wand. Which Hermione supposed was good that the staff trusted her enough to allow her a wand. She pocketed the wand, and stole a cloak with 'Sloan' on it off the rack in the hall, and then she had ran for it.

Hermione needed to run for it once again, her ignorance of this new world was obvious but it would be outright catastrophic for her when Malfoy asked her to showcase her 'Skill set'.

"Like i said i am very grateful to you, but i should be going now-" She sat the glass down on an table, and motioned towards the entryway. "People, St. Mungo's will be looking for me." She hoped that last bit came off as some kind of threat. Surely Sloan James's departure from the facility would be noticed.

Malfoy brushed passed her. "Are you hungry?"

Hermione blinked.

"You said I wasn't your prisoner."

"I make a fine roast."

"If i'm not your prisoner then i can leave, right? You won't stop me, or have your wards shove me back in?"

Hermione stomped her foot.

"It's getting late Ms. James. What kind of host would i be if i sent you off into the dark after the night you've had? My son would never let me hear the end of it." He motioned with his hand. "Now come along won't you, i'm quite famished myself."

Hermione followed, and as she watched him work in the kitchen she tried not to let her mouth water but it was a losing battle. The aroma was garlicky, but not overpowering enough to be off putting. He chopped carrots when he began to speak to her again.

"Ms. James are you aware of why the disciples locked in on your location? Earlier."

Hermione stared at him for a long moment.

He continued on. "They were looking for something- someone actually."

Hermione held her breath.

"The area you were found in had a rather sizable magical disturbance tonight. As a Disciple part of my job is investigating such disturbances."

Had Sloan purposely done this- purposely resurrected Hermione? It struck her then that yes- she must have. Sloan planned this. Her breakdown, her admission into St. Mungo's, this woman had led an interesting last couple of months in her life.

"Who were they looking for then?" Her throat swelled.

Then Malfoy's eyes glinted considerably. "Ron Weasley-" he smirked. "or Hermione Granger."

Hermione's pulse raced.

"They're both dead." She breathed out. "Why would they be looking for 2 dead teenagers?"

Malfoy's voice was patient, and kind. "There are no ways we are aware of at this time, that bring the dead back, but i do believe it is possible. You even told me once yourself you thought it possible. Don't you remember your dabblings into Necromancy Ms. James? You wrote an entire thesis on it as i recall. Although your beliefs are notoriously taboo in most circles i find the discussion a breath of fresh air."

Hermione forced her face into a pleasant smile, even though her bones felt cold.

It wasn't his son's teacher he had aimed to spare from the Disciples at all. Malfoy wanted her for the commodity of Necromancy. He shared in the belief Sloan James had- that Hermione knew was certain, the dead could rise again in another body sure, but it was entirely possible.

"That still doesn't make any sense why would the disciples be looking for those specific people- if people could be brought back to life why would it be them? The disciples couldn't know it was Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger- if anyone were brought back from the dead tonight."

Malfoy's eyes turned predatory for a moment. There was a tension between them like the beating of a drum that just got faster and faster with each spoken word between them. She couldn't help but eye the door.

Malfoy tossed some salt into his roast, and shut the oven door.

"I will be quite upset if you try to leave, so do us both a favor and don't."

Hermione smoothed a piece of hair that fell in her eyes back.

"Ok." She said though she hardly meant it.

Malfoy continued with their conversation once she agreed to not leaving.

"A while back a new prophecy came out. I never got the opportunity to see it for myself but from what i was informed it spoke of 2 individuals rising from the dead and reuniting with an old friend in order to set the world back to rights."

Just 2 individuals- so why not Harry? Why wasn't Malfoy expecting Harry to be apart of this prophecy. Why Ron? Why Hermione? She was so confused. But Ron... if the prophecy was true then Ron came back to or maybe he might come back next-

Then something occurred to her. "When exactly did that prophecy come out?"

Malfoy smirked. "4 months ago." The same time Sloan James had her mental breakdown. Sloan James had prophesied it Hermione had no doubt.

"Ah."

"Yes well, you can imagine how the Dark lord took this. He almost immediately believed it had to be Granger and Weasley in this prophecy."

The timer rang, and Malfoy pulled the roast out.

"2 individuals rising you say? Well why Granger, and Weasley? Why not Harry Potter and one of them?"

Malfoy chuckled. "Far as i know Potter only died the once as an infant, wouldn't be much use in trying to bring back someone who isn't currently dead."

Hermione dropped the fork Malfoy had just given her. It clattered onto the fine china, and the sound rang out like a battle cry.

Alive.

Harry Potter was alive.