AN: This is not a bashing story.

Harry stood frozen, his mind reeling with the weight of Neville's revelations. His heart pounded in his chest as he processed the unthinkable – Hermione, his brilliant and loyal friend, had succumbed to darkness. She had become the very thing they had once fought against – a dictator ruling under the guise of peace.

Neville's voice broke the heavy silence that engulfed them. "Harry, I know this is difficult to hear, but Ron and Hermione...they had their reasons, their own demons that drove them down a dark path."

Harry's voice was barely a whisper as he asked, "What could possibly have driven them to such extremes?"

Neville took a deep breath, the weight of the truth evident in his eyes as he began to unravel the twisted tale. "After your disappearance, Harry, the Death Eaters continued to resist, even without Voldemort. Ron and Hermione became the leaders of the Order of the Phoenix, and during the brutal civil war, they fought relentlessly, yet coping poorly with your presumed death."

The complexity of it all was overwhelming, but Neville's voice never wavered as he continued. "In the end, they managed to defeat the Death Eaters. Hermione seemed to return to her rational self, though there was an unsettling change in her. She seemed to radiate an otherworldly beauty, her charisma drawing people towards her cause."

Harry's brow furrowed as he tried to understand this sudden transformation. Hermione, forming a political party with Ron, Ginny, and even Draco Malfoy – it was beyond comprehension. They promised equality, an end to discrimination, and pacification for all. And somehow, Hermione had risen to power as Minister of Magic.

"For a time, it worked," Neville continued, his voice tinged with a mix of sadness and concern. "But as the magical world was ravaged by the effects of World War III, Hermione's sanity began to crumble under the pressure. She grew increasingly unhinged, becoming more authoritarian by the day."

Neville's eyes searched Harry's, conveying the weight of the ultimate revelation. "It was then that Ron discovered the horrifying truth. Hermione had become obsessed with the idea that she alone held the power to restore peace to the world. She embarked on a plan to take over the Muggle world as well, assuming the persona of Portia Clay."

The pieces began to fall into place, and Harry's horror deepened. His friends, once bound by love and loyalty, had become entangled in a darkness he couldn't fathom. Hermione's descent into tyranny shattered his trust, but the revelation Neville had yet to share shattered him to his core.

Neville's voice quivered with emotions that mirrored Harry's own internal turmoil. "Ron told me that they had done something unforgivable, something that haunted them both. He refused to divulge the details, but he said he had to repent and set things right. He disappeared. Ron, opposing his own wife."

The revelation crashed over Harry like a tidal wave, leaving him stunned and speechless. Unforgivable... Horcruxes – the darkest of magic. The idea that his friends, people he had fought alongside, had resorted to such measures was beyond comprehension. It was a betrayal that left him feeling empty and lost.

Neville placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder, his voice filled with empathy. "I know this is a lot to process, Harry. But we must stay focused, we have to find a way to confront Hermione, to stop her before she plunges both worlds into further darkness."

Harry nodded, a newfound determination burning in his eyes. Even amidst the despair and betrayal, a spark of hope flickered within him. He would face the truth head-on, confront Hermione, and bring an end to the tyranny she had wrought.

The path ahead was uncertain and perilous, but Harry Potter had faced darkness before. With Neville by his side and the memory of his lost friends urging him forward, he steeled himself for the battle that lay ahead. The hunt for Ron, the confrontation with Hermione, and the fight to restore balance to a world teetering on the brink of destruction would test the depths of his strength and courage.

As the weight of his friend's choices sank deeper into his heart, Harry made a silent vow. He would bring light to the shadows, confront the darkness within his once closest friends, and reclaim the hope that had been so swiftly stolen from their grasp.