CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Summary: Sent to Volterra in order to negotiate terms of an alliance to end the war, Hermione's life is turned upside down as she is brought into the world of the Volturi, better known as the Vampire Kings. There she is made a part of a new kind of family and a most trusted member of the guard, whether she likes it or not, and surprisingly, she does. Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.

Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stepenie Myers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies, but I may have changed a few things regarding Alec's height and age.

Page count: 8

Sunday 17th May 1998

"Demetri, just how powerful is she?" Aro asked, once Hermione was free of the room.

"It would be wise to remain in her good graces, My Lord," he replied, stepping up to the dais and offering him his hand.

"Marvellous," Aro laughed, once he'd finished seeing his memories and thoughts of his time in Britain.

"What is it, Brother?" Caius asked with an arched eyebrow.

"It appears that Miss. Granger's magic is growing by the day." He turned his eyes to Alec. "Alec, what of her character?"

Alec traded places with Demetri, stepping up to the dais and offering Aro his hand.

"She was very protective of us. She did not stand for anyone saying a bad word against us, including her family. Despite her being preoccupied with preparing battle plans and producing medicinal potions, she took it upon herself to educate us on her world, so we could familiarise ourselves with the people we would be up against and that information was invaluable."

"Yes, it was," Demetri agreed darkly from behind him and Aro's mouth twitched; he had seen what his two Guards had done to some of those that had caused their mate such grief and harm in the past.

"She was particularly verbal after she had collected us from a forest she had taken us to so we could feed before the battle."

Aro took Alec's hand before releasing it with a smile.

"She caused a lot of damage," he said, referring to her in the battle.

"She did, and I believe you saw what she did to the Alpha werewolf."

"And that is?" Caius sat up straight and he looked both angry and intrigued.

"She tortured him to insanity," Alec answered, and he noticed Marcus' eyes widened, as well as Caius' and his sister's.

"Why would she do that? It was my impression she's too soft to cause such pain."

Both Alec and Demetri snorted, which earned them a cocked eyebrow.

"If you had witnessed what we had, My Lord, then you would think otherwise. Hermione tortured the Alpha werewolf to the point of insanity, as he killed the mother and father of her Godson as a revenge plot, and he also killed the child's Grandmother, leaving him an orphan and the reason he is under Hermione's care. By the time she was finished with him, he was a barely functioning human. He didn't fight back when we disposed of him. She is soft and kind, but when the time calls for it, she is fierce and deadly, as we have come to learn."

"I can't wait to see that side of her," he smirked, sitting back in his throne.

"If a member of the Coven is to break orders and target her or her Godson, then I believe you will."

"Your bond with her has strengthened," Marcus injected.

"We believe so, yes," Demetri responded after sharing a look with Alec, who had made his way back down to the dais to stand beside Demetri.

"And the child you care for," he stared.

All eyes were on him, waiting for his answer to be verbalised as Aro already knew his thoughts on the matter.

"Yes, I do," he confessed.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"I imagine I see the same as you, My Lord," he responded. "He is a human that is not filled with hatred or cruelty, but is the purest thing the world gifts. And yet, he seeks comfort from even me, just as he did for Lord Aro and yourself. He does not fear us and he does not know the difference. The child is different, even for his own world, and as he grows he will bring something to the Volturi that has always evaded us."

"And that is?"

"Life," he said simply. "I care for the child because I can see what he will be in the future and I know Hermione loves him, Hermione, whom I would do anything for, including protecting them both should they require it."

All eyes turned to Alec.

"I do not care for the child as Demetri does, but I do not wish him any harm and like Demetri, I will protect him for Hermione's sake because I don't believe she will survive losing him and I wish to spare her that pain."

"Interesting," Aro mused, observing them carefully whilst Alec noted his sister's puzzled expression.

"My Lords, we wish to ask something of you," Demetri said boldly.

"Then please, ask away Demetri, so we may discuss the response to your request."

"We wish to ask that whatever it is you wish Hermione to do for you, be postponed for a short while."

"And why do you wish that?"

"She is not the same person that came to Volterra. She is grieving the loss of her parents."

"Yes, I saw, it was quite gruesome what they had done to her parents, and for her to be the one to discover their bodies was rather cruel, even by our standards," he commented.

"We took care of the ones responsible," Alec promised.

"I know; I must applaud your creativity."

"Thank you," they both replied.

"She is also grieving the loss of her friends and peers, of her professors and comrades, and the loss of the man she saw as a father and two of her friends. For the first week after the battle, she only ate because we made sure she did. She hardly spoke to anyone but us and she locked herself and her Godson away from everyone. For the second week, the funerals of the fallen were held and she began attending them, and she started letting people back into her life but it was clear to us she was only doing it so she wouldn't be a cause for concern. She is better than she was but she has a long way to go before she is anything like the person she once was, and I don't think she's mentally ready to verbally spar or keep up with you just yet."

"She appeared to be fine."

"It was a facade, My Lord. When she returns to her rooms, she will collapse on herself. We wish her to be in better health before she is to follow through with your plans."

"Very well, I agree to allow her time to heal."

"Thank you, My Lords," Demetri bowed his head in respect and Alec did the same.

"Now, tell me of Miss. Granger's capabilities."

Alec and Demetri shared a look before Alec spoke. "We have learned a great deal about her, My Lords. We have discovered that she is able to block outside influences from her mind, which is a rare magical skill. Demetri and I tried to use our gifts against her, as per her wishes, but we were unable to." The room was deadly quiet. "She is able to control her ability, as on the second trial our gifts were successful. She has told us that she is also able to read the thoughts of others, if she wishes to, but her ability to block outside influences is much stronger."

"That is most certainly useful," Aro muttered.

"As you have witnessed, she is able to use magic to cause an individual unimaginable pain, in a way that is similar to Jane."

Jane didn't look pleased by his words, judging by the fury on her face and the glare she was sending his way.

"But this magic was used by every follower of Voldemort's, as it's considered dark magic. We have observed that after the battle, Hermione is using her words and wand less and less when she is casting magical spells, which leads us to believe that sometime in the future, she may not need it at all. As you have witnessed, she is also able to turn herself into an animal, and she is a different person altogether when she is in battle. The Fire Magics that she used terrified every magical folk present on both sides of the war and Voldemort himself was frightened of her."

"She is very powerful indeed, even for such a young age and her power will grow with time," Aro commented. "You are both excused, you may escort Miss. Granger to her new rooms. I believe the Katerina suite will suit her needs well. Demetri, your rooms have been moved to the Hunters suite."

"My Lord's," they both spoke, bowing their heads. They turned and made their way out of the chamber with Demetri picking up the cat carrier as he walked past it.

Hermione was pacing back and forth, bouncing Teddy in her arms as she waited for them.

"All done?" She asked them, seeing them approach.

"Yes," Alec spoke. "And now, we are to take you to your new rooms."

She frowned. "The suite I stayed in previously was more than adequate."

"The Rosalinda suite is only for guests, you are now a resident at Volterra, and Lord Aro believes the Katerina suite will be more suitable for you."

"Alright then," she shrugged.

She followed them down the corridors of the castle, noting that they were heading towards were her old rooms used to be and she was not aware that the Katerina suite was at the end of the corridor, making it not only the biggest suite in that wing of the castle, but she had both Alec's and Demetri's rooms as the closest to hers which would offer her more protection.

"Here we are," Alec said, opening the door for her and they stepped in behind her.

Hermione's eyes widened; she had thought the room she'd previously occupied was massive, but it didn't hold a candle to the room she was currently stood in and it had to be almost double the size.

Several chests of drawers were positioned against the stone walls along with the large wardrobe made of dark wood. A vanity table of the same wood sat on the opposite wall with a large chair that had lilac cushioning. Two large couches sat by the fireplace with a large dark wood coffee table in the centre of it and a lilac rug beneath it. The poster bed was the biggest thing she had ever seen in her entire life, and it would easily fit several bodies, never mind just hers. The covers looked thick and warm to protect her from the chill of the castle at night and they were silver in colour with lilac detailing, whereas the curtains that were tied back to the bedposts were lilac in colour with silver detailing. A large chandelier hung in the centre of the ceiling and the walls were covered in beautiful works of art, which she doubted she would be able to even guess the price of.

She eyed a room to the left, recognising it to be the bathroom and there was a room to the right, which she approached. She opened the door to see that it was a smaller room with a fireplace on the left wall along with a window. A room which was obviously meant for young children.

"A nursery?" She questioned in surprise.

"We believe that was once its purpose, yes," Demetri nodded. "Lord Aro thought this room would be much more suitable for you and Teddy." Hermione nodded and she couldn't help feeling touched at the thoughtful gesture. "This is the largest suite in this wing of the castle, and you are at the end of the corridor, with mine and Alec's rooms close by," he explained. "Lord Aro thought you might be more comfortable in knowing we weren't too far away."

"I'm sorry to be an inconvenience," she sighed.

"You are not an inconvenience," Alec spoke, sounding none too pleased that she thought that of herself. "Should you require anything, it is mine and Demetri's responsibility to see that it is available to you."

"Why are you so kind to me?" She questioned, turning around to face them.

They both looked at each other like a deer caught in headlights, which surprised her.

"You are important to us for reasons you don't yet understand," Demetri said, a frown of confusion forming in her brow as she tipped her head slightly. "But someday all will become clear, and we hope you can forgive us."

"You have no reason for needing my forgiveness, not after everything you have done recently," she promised them.

She walked out of the nursery and back into the large room, heading over to the bed where she put the now sleeping Teddy down onto the covers, surrounding him with cushions for his safety, and she then summoned everything from her beaded bag, the boxes stacking up on top of each other and waiting to be unpacked.

"Would you like some help with unpacking?" Demetri asked.

"Only if you don't have other responsibilities that need your attention," she replied.

"We are all yours," he said, and she didn't know how true his words were.

Hermione pointed out which boxes should go in Teddy's nursery and within a few seconds, they were gone from the pile. She blinked in surprise before giving her head a shake and opening the cat carrier and five kittens bounded out of it with Crookshanks following after them.

"Alright, you may explore but do not leave the suite and be careful not to get stepped on," she told the kittens before they darted themselves about the room, darting under furniture as they chased each other. Crookshanks surveyed the room before he clambered up onto one of the couches and falling asleep in a curled up ball. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

Whilst Alec and Demetri were busy assembling the furniture in Teddy's nursery, she set to unpacking her clothing into the wardrobe and chests of drawers before moving to the bathroom and unpacking the essentials. She set the minimal hair care and beauty products and jewellery she owned on the vanity and placed the framed photographs of her parents and family and friends around the room, some of them magical and some of them muggle.

She left her own book collection as well as Dumbledore's alone, knowing she would need a room to put them in which she added to the list of things she would need. She placed a Containment Charm around Teddy before stepping into the nursery to see that Alec and Demetri had finished with the furniture.

Now, there was a crib against the wall along with a chest of drawers and wardrobe, and there was a changing unit, too. Hermione thanked them for their help before pulling her wand and banishing the rubbish and empty boxes. She magically placed all of Teddy's clothing and supplies away in the correct places before placing a blue rug by the crib and a larger one in front of the fireplace. She charmed the ceiling to reflect that of a starry night and added a few photos on the wall before she retrieved Teddy and for the first time in weeks, she allowed him to sleep in a crib rather than beside her.

They left the nursery and Teddy sleeping peacefully, Alec and Demetri's eyes flickering about the photos in the room curiously but when Demetri felt a tugging on his robes, he looked down and Hermione sighed.

"Wheezer!" She hissed before she picked him up and scowled at him as he meowed at her. "You have got to stop doing that or you'll never be allowed to the leave my rooms, which means no rats for you," she scolded before putting him down and she busied herself with transfiguring a large cat bed that would fit the five kittens, from an old blanket she found in her beaded bag.

"What do you wish to do with those?" Alec asked, gesturing to the chest and the boxes still in the room.

"They're my books and trust me, they're bigger on the inside," she replied and their eyes widened slightly. "I don't really have enough space to put them anywhere just yet, so they're going to stay in there for now."

She took a seat on the couch beside Crookshanks and he opened his eyes to look at her before crawling into her lap and falling asleep once more.

"What are the chances of someone trying to harm either me or Teddy whilst we're here, particularly so early in my residency?"

"In all honesty, quite high, at least until this evening when the Lords announce your presence here," Alec answered.

"And afterwards?"

"Less of a chance, but there may still be a few that would challenge the Lords if they believe they would be able to get away with the punishment of harming you."

"And breaking into my rooms?"

Anger overtook their features, as they were obviously remembering that incident.

"We will be nearby," Demetri assured her.

"But you can't protect me twenty-four-seven, as I'm sure you have other responsibilities that need your attention. I only ask as I might be able to use magic to prevent anyone I don't wish to from entering my rooms, but it will be a permanent fixture, which is the reason I didn't use it the last time I was here."

"And how would it work?" Alec asked curiously, moving to sit on the couch opposite her, stepping around the kittens that were following on his heels and Demetri mimicked his actions.

"It would act as an invisible barrier. I will place it on the entrances to the room, which would be the doors and windows, and if I make it specific to the vampire race, no one would be able to enter unless I key them into the wards. If they should try, they will be propelled backwards by a magical force."

"And who would you give access?" Alec asked with a raised eyebrow.

"To be honest, only you and Demetri have my trust, possibly Felix, too, we'll see."

"Felix?" Demetri questioned in surprise.

She shrugged. "From what I remember of him, I quite liked him but we'll see if my instincts are correct or not later this evening."

She stood from the couch, moving a none too pleased Crookshanks from her lap as she approached the door to her rooms. She took her wand and spent the next ten minutes muttering under her breath as gold and silver swirls of magic seemed to paint themselves onto the door before she moved to the windows in the room, then on to the bathroom and into Teddy's room. When she'd finished almost thirty minutes later, her breathing was heavy and sweat was beading down her forehead.

"I'd forgotten how exhausting that is," she breathed out, leaning against the wall as she got her breathing back under control. She found an apple in her beaded bag and she made her way back over to them before slicing the apple in half and handing them half each.

"We don't eat," Demetri said in confusion.

"I don't want you to eat it," she rolled her eyes. "I want you to bite into it. It will collect the venom from your fangs which I can use to grant you access through the wards. I need something that contains your DNA, and since I can't use your blood or saliva, it has to be your venom."

They glanced to each other before biting down into the apple and Hermione was careful as she took the slices from them before adding them into the wards. The windows and doors in the room glowed blue before she banished the venomous apples.

"Done," she declared, sitting on the couch and she yawned, failing to stifle it.

"You've had a busy day," Demetri commented, "You should rest before the ball this evening. We will collect you at seven o'clock and escort you to the ballroom."

"Thank you."

They both smiled at her before standing and leaving the room. As they closed Hermione's door behind them and they were in the corridor, Jane appeared before them.

"What are you keeping from me?" She demanded, her eyes narrowed on Alec.

"I'll just leave you two alone," Demetri said, stepping off to the side.

"Stay," Jane commanded, her eyes still holding Alec's.

Their eyes flickered to each other.

"Hermione is my mate," Demetri offered.

Jane's eyes narrowed on him.

"Lord Marcus has confirmed it."

"Hermione is my mate, too, Lord Marcus has confirmed it," Alec said and Jane's eyes widened.

"But she is human," her brow furrowed, bemused.

"She won't be human forever, and she is not just any human, she is a Sorceress."

"I think the two of you should talk alone, so, if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to that is anywhere else but here," Demetri lied, quickly vacating the corridor to leave the squabbling twins to their own devices. He did not want to be caught in the middle.