Chapter 8

Peter alerted the Order of their return, and helped Hermione to manoeuvre Remus' unconscious form into the hideout. They entered into a large entrance hall and she immediately realised that the place had been charmed to be much larger on the inside. The entrance hall housed a staircase and two doors, as well as a corridor to further doors beyond. There was a cascading clamour as the house awoke, doors opened and hurried footsteps rushed downstairs. Immediately Fabian and Kingsley had their wands trained accusingly at her, whilst Alice restrained her hands yet again. Lily helped Peter take Remus through to the living room and lay him on the sofa, worry etched on her face, and Hermione was grappled unceremoniously after him. Others filtered in, talking over one another in a chorus of anxious babble.

'What happened?' demanded Frank, eyes narrowing on her.

She could feel the veritaserum still lingering on the back of her throat, but it was lessening.

'We were captured by Death Eaters… Remus was tortured, but we escaped,' she answered vaguely, as per Sirius' instructions. 'He's in a bad way though. He needs rest and water. Oh and probably some chocolate.'

'And why were you in the woods so as to become captured?' he asked suspiciously.

'Because I was trying to escape from here, where you imprisoned me,' she said coldly. 'Remus was trying to stop me, and we were ambushed.'

'I posit a different theory,' said Aberforth, stepping forward. He spoke with a gravitas which commanded attention. 'You were trying to get back to your little Death Eater friends because you're a spy. And now you're back, speaking of capture and escape to try to gain our favour. Well I don't buy it.'

To her dismay she saw others nodding in agreement.

'Seems mighty convenient that only Remus here has been tortured, whilst she looks unharmed.'

The nodding rose into clamours of agreement.

'How do we know she didn't just attack poor Remus herself and fabricate the whole story?'

'She saved my life,' came a weak voice from the side of the room, and everyone turned to see Remus wincing as he pushed himself into a half seated position on the sofa. The room was quiet, expectant. Remus lifted his forearm, showing the faint scar across his wrist.

'I was bleeding out and she gave me her blood and healed me.'

Kingsley grabbed her bound wrist and inspected her matching scar.

'Blood magic…' he murmured.

'She was tortured at the hands of Death Eaters, and gave up nothing until she was force fed veritaserum,' he continued, and the murmuring resumed, but this time the hostility was replaced by incredulity. Eyes turned back on her, with a renewed sense of intrigue and confusion.

'She's one of us, and if any of you have a problem with that you can take it up with me,' he finished, before collapsing back into the sofa, seeming exhausted from speaking.

'It's not as if we have the numbers to be turning away help…' reasoned Alice, looking imploringly at Frank, whose wand was still pointed at Hermione.

It was only then that Mad-Eye spoke up. Hermione had not noticed him in the corner, taking in the information silently.

'She can stay with us for now. We could do with a skilled healer. But I want Dorcas to take a look at her first. Alice, go and find Dorcas immediately, tell her it's urgent.'

Alice nodded and swiftly left the room.

'Until then, she must be supervised at all times,' Moody continued. 'I'm not taking any chances. Kingsley, check the two of them for trackers, and we're going to need to relocate. Who knows how much information she let slip. Frank, you and I are going to scope out this base and see what we can find. Black, we could do with your nose too.'

'That won't be necessary. They're dead,' stated Remus flatly.

'What?' demanded Moody, turning his attention Remus who was sitting upright, his expression cold.

'They're dead,' he repeated. 'They're all dead.'

'All of them?' Asked Frank incredulously.

'Yes. All of them,' said Remus bitterly.

'I killed them all,' blurted Hermione, drawing the attention back to herself. A few people rose to their feet and more wands aimed at her in fear. A stunned silence enveloped the room, broken only when Remus stormed out, followed closely by Lily and then James.

'Is that so…' murmured Mad-Eye, his robotic eye boring into her, as he wore a hard to read expression on his face. 'Then we'd best be very careful with you…'

Soon after Alice returned, accompanied by a petite witch wearing fitted magenta robes that Hermione recognised as the Wizengamot. The witch was probably in her late twenties, remarkably young for the Wizengamot, and Hermione was immediately struck by her beauty. Her long silver-blonde hair was braided down her back, and her bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle with kindness as she greeted each person warmly, before turning to Mad-Eye.

'What's going on then, Mad-Eye?' she enquired. 'I am incredibly busy right now, but Alice said it was urgent.'

'We have a situation,' he said, gesturing Hermione. Dorcas regarded her and offered a kind smile, and Hermione felt herself put at ease.

'Dorcas Meadowes,' she offered her hand in greeting, and with a wave of her wand removed the bindings on Hermione's wrists. She knew the name, and recognised the face from a memory long ago when Sirius had showed her a photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix. She recalled Dorcas laughing in that photograph as Sirius whispered something in her ear. Glancing at the young man now, she saw undisguised awe on his face as he gazed at the enchanting witch. She also recalled, with a pang of dread, that she was murdered at the hands of Voldemort himself. She never knew why, but she sensed that Dorcas Meadowes was a very powerful witch.

'What's your name?' she enquired, shaking Hermione from her thoughts.

'Eliza,' said Hermione, shaking her hand.

'A practiced liar, I see,' she replied thoughtfully. 'What is it you wanted from me, Mad-Eye?'

'I need you to determine whether Eliza here is to be trusted. She claims to be on our side, and to work for the Ministry, and yet none of us know her.'

'I see. And does Eliza consent to examination?' Dorcas asked.

'I'm afraid she has no choice if she doesn't want to remain a prisoner.'

Dorcas' eyes flashed a warning.

'I am an ethical practitioner Mad-Eye, as you well know. I will never use my magic against someone's will or with the intention to cause harm...'

'Dorcas, this is important-' he said impatiently.

'Those are my terms,' she said firmly. 'Take them or leave them.'

Dorcas stood almost a foot shorter than Moody, and yet she regarded him with a stern look that would make McGonagall proud.

'Fine,' snapped Moody eventually, and Dorcas' sweet smile returned, 'Just, do what you can.'

'Everyone out,' she commanded, and the room emptied. Hermione was intrigued by the captivating power this woman had over everyone.

'Now, love, can I get you something to eat and drink? You seem positively famished.'

Once Hermione had finished her soup and bread, and several glasses of water, she found herself sat in a comfy chair opposite Dorcas.

'Now then, let's get started shall we? I am a trained Legilimens, sworn to the Legilimens Oath.'

It was only then that Hermione noticed another presence in her mind alongside her own, so subtle it was almost undetectable. It starkly contrasted other attacks she had experienced, and she immediately threw her guard up, shutting Dorcas out.

Dorcas chuckled lightly,

'Forgive me, I like to do a peripheral observation of my clients first, just to get a sense of what I'm dealing with. I can feel a lot of pain and sadness in you, and I am so very sorry for that.'

She looked genuinely saddened.

'I promise I will not read your thoughts or memories without your consent.'

'And what if I never consent?'

Dorcas smiled.

'Then your mind will remain your own. Though, it seems as though you wish to gain the Order's trust, so I am wondering why you appear resistant to me if you have nothing to hide.'

'We all have secrets.'

'That we do,' she nodded in agreement. 'I will only see what you allow me to see, and I am sworn to complete confidentiality, except in the prevention of direct harm to others or in violation of wizarding law.'

Hermione considered this for a moment.

'And how do I know you're telling me the truth?'

'An excellent question,' she nodded enthusiastically, and rolled up her sleeve to reveal a silver mark on her wrist. 'This is the mark of the Legilimens Oath which I spoke of. And, if you'll allow me to show you something…'

Hermione felt something probing at the walls of her mind once more. She lowered her defences just enough to let it in, and was met by a warm sensation of truth and reassurance. An image danced across her vision of a younger Dorcas. She stood at the centre of a round room surrounded by older witches and wizards in long turquoise robes adorned with markings which resembled the one on her wrist. She saw Dorcas swearing an Oath, and a wizard mark her wrist with silver light. The image faded and Hermione was looking again into Dorcas' eyes.

'So… what is it you would like to show me?'

Hermione swallowed, before letting Dorcas into her mind.

There they stood in a beautiful garden which Hermione had projected.

'How lovely,' commented Dorcas, looking around the garden. She wore a beautiful floating summer dress. Hermione looked down and noticed that she was wearing her Ministry uniform. She was an adept Occulumens at best, and had to concentrate to focus her mind only on what she wanted to show.

'I see you are an Auror, and yet Mad-Eye says he does not know you.'

Her mind flickered to the Chronoflux, and before she could stop it the giant machine appeared before them both, glinting in the sunlight. Hermione gasped and jumped in front of it, trying pathetically to shield it from Dorcas' view.

'What a glorious machine!' she marvelled at it joyfully. 'I see you are from the future…'

Hermione felt the pain and sadness of her hopeless situation, and the sky darkened as storm clouds covered the bright sun. She was startled as a glass wall rose from the ground, and gasped when she saw Harry on the other side.

'Harry!' she called out, but he didn't respond. She banged on the glass, but he didn't hear. She was losing control of her thoughts as the grief continued to destroy the garden. Lightning burst overhead as Harry was struck down by a green flash. Voldemort stood over him laughing victoriously, as huge cracks appeared in the ground, decimating the pretty garden. Then she noticed the bodies lying beside Harry… Ron, Ginny, her parents, Sirius, Molly, Remus…

'I don't want you to see this!' she cried out desperately, turning to face Dorcas who was watching the scene unfold with interested.

'As you wish,' the young witch closed her eyes and Hermione calmed herself down. It took her a while to regain control, but the memories faded and she fixed the deep cracks in the ground. Yet, no matter how she tried, she couldn't seem to make the sun come out again.

'May I open my eyes again?' asked Dorcas, and Hermione nodded. She did so, and blinked at the sight.

'Your control is very good,' she said kindly. 'But holding back your thoughts is exhausting. How about we take a seat?'

A garden bench appeared and they sat together.

'I'm worried about altering the future with my actions…' blurted Hermione as soon as the thought entered her mind. 'I don't want to ruin everything we fought for.'

'And so you find yourself in an impossible situation of what to do,' commented Dorcas.

'Should I even be trying to help the Order now? What if I make everything worse?'

'I can't tell you what to do. But I do believe we should always do our best to practise kindness and to lessen the suffering of others.'

Hermione chewed her lip and looked at the floor. Her mind returned to Remus being tortured by Wilkes, and as soon as she thought it they materialised in front of her.

'NO!' she shouted, as Remus writhed on the floor before her in pain. Wilkes' eyes shone with malice as he fired curse after curse at him. She closed her eyes to shut them out, but the figures still swam before her vision.

'Make it stop!' she cried desperately.

'You need to stop thinking about it,' said Dorcas patiently.

'I can't!' She opened her eyes again and instead saw an enormous wolf, blood dripping from its mouth as it ripped Wilkes' body apart over and over again. The more agitated Hermione got the more the wolf seemed to grow in size and ferocity until it was all she could see. She felt Dorcas place a calming hand on her arm and the vision faded.

'How did you…'

The witch just smiled and said vaguely,

'I've been in this job a long time.'

'What is your job?' Hermione enquired, intrigued.

'I sit on the Wizengamot. But I also help with hearings. I am the Chief Legilimens of the Ministry's Justice Department. I do a lot of defence work in court with criminals. People are generally more open when they are relaxed,' she smiled and gestured the scene before them.

Hermione noticed then that the garden had transformed into the little highstreet near the flat she had shared with Ron. They were sat outside her favourite coffee shop, and she watched as her old school friends wandered down the street, chatting and laughing in their school robes. She also spied members of the Order as she had known it in the second wizarding war. Sirius was tinkering with his motorbike as little three-year-old James tried to help by passing him spanners. Harry and Ginny watched on, his hand resting lovingly on her growing bump. Across the road was a cute little bookshop, and she spied Remus and Tonks through the window, with little Teddy in tow.

Hermione thought about Sirius and Tonks. What if she could save them?

'Would you care for my advice?' asked Dorcas, clearly able to see what it was Hermione was thinking.

Hermione nodded, grateful for anything she could offer.

'We don't know what the future holds, none of us do really. All we can do is do the best we can right now.'

Hermione failed to see how this was useful advice, and Dorcas laughed lightly.

'Though your intentions may be good, I fear it would be unkind to tell people of their possible impending demise. Puts them in a rather stressful situation, wouldn't you say?'

Hermione wasn't sure if she agreed.

'But I could save them...' she began.

'Perhaps, or perhaps not. You nor I know how this time travel thing works. Right now the future is as uncertain for you as it always has been for everyone. All we know is that we will all die someday, but no one knows when or how. Even if you told me when I was supposed to die, I'm not sure I would believe you any more than a market stall fortune teller. Don't let these fears cloud your mind, nor the minds of others.'

Hermione fell quiet, mulling over this perspective.

'Mind if I take a little look around?' asked Dorcas.

'Okay…' said Hermione absentmindedly, realising she had nothing left to hide from the witch. Dorcas smiled and walked off into the street, stopping to chat to people as she went. Hermione watched her go, and her mind wandered. Would she want to know if she was destined to die? Would that information make her change her plans? Or was she too stubborn and thought she knew best? Would she have changed her behaviour if she knew it would have made Ron stay? Probably not... this was who she was and perhaps it was better to know that they were not suited for one another.

'Hey Hermione,' came a voice.

She turned and saw Ron walking towards her. He motioned the empty seat beside her enquiringly and she nodded stiffly. He sat down.

'It's been so long. I miss you,' he said, looking sad. She felt her heart flutter but said nothing.

'Who is this?' asked Dorcas, walking back over to them, looking intrigued.

'Ron Weasley,' he offered, extending his hand in greeting, which she shook.

'My Ex-Husband,' Hermione added coldly.

'Not yet,' he corrected, 'We haven't finalised the paperwork.'

'Only because YOU have been too busy holidaying with your new lover,' she glared, and another large crack ripped through the highstreet.

'Oh so this is my fault, is it? Just like everything…' he said defensively.

'YES!' she yelled, 'It is your fault. YOU left ME, remember? After everything we went through together, you just upped and left me for someone else!'

'Would you like to stop?' asked Dorcas, looking concerned between the two of them, as pieces of the coffee shop began to fall around them.

Hermione ignored her, desperate to hear what Ron had to say.

'If only you weren't so bloody focused on the job all the time, maybe you would have had a little time for me, but no! It's always work, work, work with you. You're a perfectionist and a control freak, Hermione. Your mind is still stuck in the past, in the war. You need to learn how to switch off and remember what fun is.'

She reached for her wand to hex him, but suddenly everything went dark.

Hermione opened her eyes and it took a moment to remember where she was. Dorcas was sat across from her looking at her thoughtfully. Hermione felt embarrassed.

'I'm sorry… I didn't mean…'

'Nothing to be ashamed of, Hermione,' she smiled sweetly, 'But I think I have everything I need, so thank you for your cooperation. And I am so sorry about what happened to you.'

'You can't tell them that I'm from the future,' she said hurriedly.

Dorcas nodded.

'Of course. I won't tell them anything, except that they can all relax. You mean them no harm.'

'And Remus? He didn't mean to kill all those people… please don't arrest him…'

'As far as I can tell, Mr. Lupin conducts himself with extreme caution and care, and poses minimal risk to those around him. He acted in self-defence, and so the only violation of wizarding law I can see is being unregistered. And on that subject, I say, no one likes a tell-tale,' Dorcas winked and Hermione felt herself relax.

'Although I would be interested to speak with him too. He is very intriguing.'

With that Dorcas stood, indicating that the session was over.

'Mad-eye?' she called, and a few moments later he entered the room.

'That was fast,' he commented and Dorcas smiled sweetly.

'She was very cooperative.'

'And?' he said, expectantly.

'You can trust her. She is on your side and means you no harm. She is what she says she is, and she has a good reason to not tell you anything more, so you will just have to let go of control and trust me.'

Moody frowned, clearly displeased with this vague answer.

'And did she really kill all those Death Eaters?'

'I will never lie to you, Mad-Eye, yet even so, sometimes the truth is more damning than protecting the lie. Those Death Eaters, and all other supporters of Voldemort who were present, are dead, so you need not worry yourself. Yet I will also not be requesting any arrests, so you can puzzle that one over to your heart's content. Now, I strongly suggest that you ask Sirius and James to head over to the hideout and tidy up the evidence before Voldemort finds it.'

Moody brooded on this new information, and finally said with a huff,

'Fine.'

'And she's still hungry,' said Dorcas with finality, before she swiftly departed.