Hermione ran with fleet feet, each step like a lunge toward the inevitable future she would find. Her thoughts raced along at the same breakneck pace, analysing her surroundings as she tried to figure out where Tom could be.
She doubted he remained in his study. Not when he'd sent men to her dorm. It wasn't quite defensible.
Where, then?
Around her the portraits scurried from one frame to the next, whispering and whimpering and exchanging news. As she passed by one of a teaparty where the participants were decidedly not relaxing in the afternoon light, she overheard Professor Dumbledore's name.
Hermione skidded the a halt, her soft-soled shoes almost making her pass the painting by. "What was that about Professor Dumbledore?" she asked the women.
"He's on his way to meet with Riddle." The painted figure held a gloved hand to her chest. "They're going to meet at the Astronomy Tower. He's insured a challenge and everything."
Professor Dumbledore had challenged Tom? It was unthinkable!
Only, not really. If she thought about it logically there was no one better suited to fight Tom than her Arithmancy professor. He was older than Tom, had been his teacher once upon a time, but this was the man who defeated Grindewald, who it was said even the Minister respected for his power and duelling prowess.
More, Dumbledore would have had time to prepare for the fight. She wasn't sure whether Tom was planning this attack from the start or whether he'd done it because Hermione abandoned him. Either way, Dumbledore surely had the upperhand.
She pivoted toward the Astronomy Tower, intent on watching the battle and perhaps finding a way to help. If nothing else, she could bargain for the older man's life.
The stairs shook and grumbled beneath her feet as another explosion rocked the castle. It had to be the two professors; who else could produce such power?
She steeled herself for whatever she might find and finally stepped out onto the Tower proper.
Dumbledore stood with his wand lightly gripped, but each movement he made was so deft that the more minor flick could cause calamity. He was poised, tight control. As she came around the bend, she saw Tom was the exact opposite.
His normally affable features were twisted with hatred and his wandwork was forceful punctuation to his spells. Hermione had never seen him look so inhuman, so utterly unlike who she thought of as Tom.
He was Lord Voldemort and his eyes shown crimson in the night.
She was frozen as the wind whipped about her and the two powerful men continued their deadly dance. Red and green marked most of Voldemort's spells, but Dumbledore had a rainbow of colors coming from his own— blue, gold, red, white— and she recognized some of them.
There was arresto momentum to slow a deadly rain of hale, and there was the disarming spell.
"Avada kedavera!" She cried, but Dumbledore easily stepped out of its path with a deftness that belied his age.
Tom had thrown the Killing Curse.
No, she reminded herself. Voldemort cast it. Let him be this newly named monster.
At her cry, the battle lulled. Both men turned to find her watching them and the hatred drained from Voldemort's face, replaced by cool command.
"Hermione, come here."
"Miss Granger, I really must insist you leave," Dumbledore said concurrently.
She shook her head. "Professor, he's trying to kill you."
"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "But what he wishes for you is far worse."
For the first time, Hermione wondered if it was true that Dumbledore was mad. He thought being by Voldemort's side was worse than death?
Isn't it?
After all, she had said no.
She took a deep, hesitant breath and stepped forward. "I will join you only if you promise to leave Hogwarts and everyone in it— including Professor Dumbledore— alone." Hermione held her head high as she gave her demand, proud of the unwavering tone.
Voldemort chuckled. "If you come with me now? Sure, sweetheart. Your beloved professor and all of your little friends will be safe as long as they reside in the castle."
"Miss Granger, Hermione," Dumbledore began, but Voldemort kept on.
"So long as none in it attack and force me to defend myself."
"Then recall your Death Eaters." The name was vile on her tongue.
"Hermione, you mustn't—"
"It's my choice," she told the aged man. "I can make my own decisions."
She had to stop this chaos. Even through the doors she could hear cries for help.
"Come to me," Voldemort bade and Hermione walked toward him. From the corner of her eye, she saw Albus Dumbledore begin to move. She pivoted and cast, "Expelliarmus," as the pale visage of a bird flew between her and the monster at the other end of the tower.
Green streaked through the ghostly being and past her cheek, straight to the old man's chest and he flew backward as his wand clattered to the ground.
"Professor!" She threw herself toward the crenulations to watch his body land hard on the ground, barely visible in the darkness.
Footsteps tapped behind her. A voice said, "He was casting against me, you saw."
Hermione spun about, her wand outthrust toward Voldemort. "He was casting a protective spell, a patronus!"
"Still," he spread long, pale fingers. "What was I to do? Allow him to continue his feeble attempts to win? Now, come, Hermione. You made a promise."
"Sod you and your damned minions! You are despicable and I will never join you." Hot tears overwhelmed her vision until she blinked them away. Voldemort's expression fell flat and he raised a brow. "What is to stop me from continuing my siege now?"
"You got what you wanted." She sniffled against another torrent of tears. "I doubt you care for tormenting children."
He shrugged. "Until you come with me, I do not have everything I want."
"The world does not revolve around you!" Her voice was hoarse with the cry, deep with her rage. In this moment, she felt she may have been able to cast the Killing Curse herself if only she could end him.
She thought of it, but her wand shook in her fist, and Voldemort shook his head.
"Hermione, Hermione. If you are so adamant about leaving me, then do so. Leave the castle. I won't stop you."
"What?"
He held up a finger, touched his wand to his throat, and began to speak. All around the castle, his voice echoed.
"People of Hogwarts, your headmaster hides away in his office, and your beloved deputy headmaster is gone. I killed him myself. For those who recognize my voice, it is true. I, once known as Tom Riddle, am now Lord Voldemort, and I have taken over this castle.
"Those of you who wish to leave have an hour to gather your things and go. I and my Death Eaters will make no attempt to stop you. Those who wish to stay are welcome to do so. I will allow the remainder of the school year to be carried out as usual.
"The choice is yours."
Hermione gaped all through his announcement, wand still pointed at him. He couldn't be serious, could he?
"Time is ticking away," he murmured when she did not move.
"You'll really just… let us all go?" she whispered; he still heard.
Voldemort nodded. "I am a man of my word. And I promise you this, my love, you will regret this choice should you make it. The world is changing and I cannot protect you from it if you are not with me."
"You're the one changing it," she accused, to which he nodded.
"Indeed. Most mudbloods are weak little things compared to you, and some muggles go on to have multiple magical children. It's disgusting. We need to prune those trees before they grow out of control."
Hermione sidled toward the door. Something clacked across the stone as her foot touched it. It was Dumbledore's wand. "What are you planning?"
"I plan to rid the world of such muggles." He was so calm about it; it chilled her to the marrow.
"And the muggleborns?" she asked as she bent to retrieve the wand that was all that remained of her professor.
He shrugged. "You can affect change, Hermione. Come with me." He held out a hand to her again.
Hermione shook her head and eased toward the door. Her fingers skimmed it. "I can't."
"You won't," he corrected, crimson gaze still on her. "We'll see if living out there the next few months changes your mind."
She opened the door. "Never."
Tom laughed and shook his head at her denial. "You'll come back to me. I know you will."
His laughter followed her as she ran back to Gryffindor Tower for the boys.
Notes:
It's the last chapter in the arc so I felt like I had to post it. Next week begins the War arc.
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