The Infirmary was in full uproar. Chaos reigned, everyone shouting at everyone else and the Floo flaring to life every thirty seconds to deposit more people in the already crowded room. How could everything have gone to Hades in such a short time? He had received the Potter brat's warning, had checked on the completely insufferable Black who had taunted him as usual while safely ensconced in his dreary manor, had informed Albus and the Order that something was in the works and yet apparently the kids had managed to sneak into the Department of Mysteries and get themselves hurt.

Someone was laughing maniacally before it abruptly cut off when Poppy hit them with a medical-grade Stunner. It might have been Weasley Junior. Longbottom was on another bed and had apparently been deemed stable enough to be left alone for a while. Miss Weasley looked a bit worse off, as did Tonks. So the Order must have made it there at least. There were privacy curtains drawn around some beds that had been unoccupied only that same morning when he dropped off a fresh batch of Pain Potion, and at least one Healer from St Mungo's was there working on someone together with Poppy. The school matron looked up when he came closer and left the bedside after a few quick words to the St Mungo's Healer.

"Severus, good, please check on Miss Granger, she is the worst of them all and I don't know what to do, it's something Dark, I put her in a stasis," Poppy said all in one breath as she hurried onto the next person, pointing to a bed at the far end of the room with the curtains drawn.

He pulled the curtains aside around Granger's bed and froze at the sight. The witch was in stasis as Poppy had said, her whole body arched so that only the back of her head and her heels touched the bed, her arms flung to the sides. The whites of her eyes could be seen and her lips were pulled up in a snarl. If she could have, he was sure she would have howled in agony. They had pulled back her clothes, opening the formerly-white Hogwarts school blouse in the front but leaving it buttoned near her neck, perhaps for modesty. It didn't help much, but Severus was too focused on her state to notice.

There was a large gash across her front from somewhere near her collarbone down to her opposite hip. Her position made it open wider. It had bled surprisingly little, perhaps only due to the stasis. Something purple was pulsating inside of it, almost spilling out over the edges. A diagnostic charm didn't reveal much, only that the curse seemed active even under stasis which was never a good sign. The agony would still be there even if she appeared to be frozen in time.

He whipped his wand out and started siphoning off the excess Dark magic, chanting all the counter curses he could think of. The curse was resisting and the stasis spell was fraying at the edges, ready to give out at any moment.

There was something very very strange going on. He cast a diagnostic charm again. Normally it would tell of a patient's age, health status, vital parameters, and highlight problematic areas. The age part just kept counting higher and higher before it fizzled out with a hint of purple and a slight sulphuric scent. The other readings were off the charts too. He couldn't interpret her heartbeat, her temperature was either way too high or way too low or both at the same time, something was completely off about her general oxygenation levels and the wound was a black writhing mess in the middle of it. She had scrubbed her knee, too, at least that reading was clear enough.

Purple light erupted from the wound, bathing the drapes around the bed from floor to ceiling. He had to shield his eyes but could still feel the immense heat that followed. There was no sound which was perhaps even more eerie than if she had shrieked from pain. Only a dry rustle was heard, like scales on scales or the crinkle of a paper bag. When he looked again the witch was gone and a… creature sat in the bed, among the discarded clothes of one Hermione Granger, Gryffindor witch. It had two spiralled horns pointing slightly backwards and large leathery wings. Its eyes had a faint purple glow to them and the skin shimmered in purples and greens over a dark grey undertone. Parts of it looked human, but definitely not like one Hermione Granger, Gryffindor witch. Severus had his wand out even before he had opened his eyes, but the creature didn't appear to be threatening. It looked around and suddenly noticed him, baring its short fangs, but still didn't move. Its eyes bore into his with a strange intensity.

"Severus?" the creature hissed and stretched, making her breasts strain against the remainder of the clothes. A dark gash could be seen from her clavicle and disappearing diagonally down her front.

"Yes?" he said warily.

Her hand whipped out and grabbed his wrist, faster than he'd ever seen her move.

"You're still here. Now I remember. Why couldn't I remember? You wanted a friend, Severus. I answered your call." Her tongue snaked out, dark purple and split at the tip.

He tried to make sense of it, any kind of sense, but failed. "I… My apologies, but I sincerely cannot say I remember any of this. To my knowledge I've never seen you before. What have you done with Hermione Granger, if I may ask?"

The creature bared her fangs again and growled, still holding on to his wrist.

"Albussss," she hissed and tried to stand up.

Severus put a hand on her shoulder, hoping she wouldn't attack him. "Wait, you are still not well. No matter your shape or species, you need to rest. And please don't go hurting the Headmaster without a very good reason, the paperwork is too annoying at this time of night. You were very, very close to death only moments ago."

"I'm not a mere mortal, to be slave under my flesh," she snapped. "I cannot be felled by such a simple curse."

Severus raised an eyebrow at her. "Then what are you? Only hours ago you were a student here called Hermione Granger, general pain in my neck and Gryffindor know-it-all."

She glared at him. "You may call me Hermione like you did when you Summoned me years ago. I am Demon, as you call them. You should know this."

He had a very hard time following her thoughts. "As you say. I am not saying I do not believe you, but I have no memories of it."

He had his wand ready but was careful not to make any sudden movements. Anything to avoid upsetting this… creature. Her claims were outrageous but he wouldn't be so foolish as to dismiss them outright without careful analysis. He didn't know much about demons, only the common lore. Although he'd enjoyed the Dark Arts that was an area he had stayed away from, having seen first-hand more than once what happened when a Contract got broken. If the Summoner was lucky, there would be something left to bury. If not, their grandchildren would be paying the price.

"I will make you remember, and I will make them pay," she growled, but she did settle back in bed, arms crossed over the wound. "Albuss most of all. But for your sake, I will wait until you remember."

Without warning his arm burned, making him clutch it and hiss from the sudden pain. She sat up abruptly, fangs bared, clearly ready to strike whatever had happened before she noticed his arm.

"Oh. He's Summoning you?"

Severus nodded. "Please. Stay here and wait for me to return. I have to inform Poppy of your status and that you are not to be disturbed."

She grumbled but nodded, crossing her arms as she settled back against the pillow. With a shimmer her form changed and Miss Granger lay there instead, her clothes still bloody but with no trace of injury across her stomach.

He called for Poppy who was ever so grateful to hear he had sorted out Miss Granger, since she still had more than her hands full with the rest. After a summary inspection the school matron agreed to leave Hermione in peace to sleep off the aftereffects of the treatment, and he was finally able to leave for his other Master with a quick Floo detour to his quarters for the hated mask and cloak.

~ x ~ xx ~ oo ~ xx ~ x ~

He ended up in the Lestrange Manor, a dreary and run-down old Pure-blood manor house between Birmingham and Leicester, where the Dark Lord had free reign since all living Lestranges were Death Eaters. The atmosphere was tense and it was clear this wasn't a mere social gathering. He nodded at Yaxley and went to stand next to Rowle, the Death Eaters arranged in a rough semi circle in front of the almost throne-like chair the Dark Lord preferred to use, up on a dais by the wall. It seemed he wasn't last to arrive at least, several Inner Circle members were missing. The Dark Lord paced in front of his chair, waiting for more people to arrive from the raid. Gradually they started to filter in one by one, some of them bleeding or clearly suffering from various hexes but choosing to answer the summons over seeking out healing. Nott and Rabastan were the first to arrive, followed by Mulciber, Macnair, and Dolohov.

The Dark Lord was not at all pleased. He was practically foaming at the mouth, ranting about incompetent people who couldn't even detain a couple of teenagers.

He looked around the room and singled out Dolohov, pointing a bony finger at the wizard.

"Explain yourself!" the despot hissed.

"We were taken by surprise, my Lord. Malfoy thought they'd hand over the prophecy but they just ran instead like little rabbits and then Dumbledore arrived with that bloody Order he's got. There were too many of them and we had to run."

The Dark Lord glowered at the Death Eater. "Where is Bellatrix? And Lucius?"

Dolohov shrugged. "I didn't see them on my way out, my Lord. It got a bit hectic and the Aurors arrived just as I made it out. But I think I killed one of Potter's friends, my Lord," Dolohov added. "No way she could live through that."

"We shall see," the Dark Lord hissed and beckoned Dolohov closer. He grasped the Death Eater by his hair and stared into his eyes while Dolohov twitched and grimaced.

After a while the Dark Lord let go. Dolohov crumpled to the ground and was swiftly whisked away by Nott. The Dark Lord looked around before, unfortunately, focusing on Severus, a hint of a smile on his lips. Severus took a deep breath. His shields were already up and the dialogue with Hermione was hidden deep within his mind, but he hadn't had much time to sort out a good cover story.

"Ah. Severus. What have you heard from Hogwarts?"

Severus bowed his head. "I have not heard of anyone dying as of yet, my Lord."

The Dark Lord gestured at him to come closer.

Severus approached cautiously, sinking to his knees in front of the Dark Lord who immediately grasped his chin and pushed inside his mind. The very strange altercation in the Headmistress' office, with the request for Veritaserum and Draco Malfoy leading the little group of Quislings, but with Potter's message garbled into complete gibberish which wasn't very hard considering what he got to start with. Waiting in his quarters and correcting fourth-year essays until Poppy called for him. The scene in the Hospital Wing but with a few players obscured or changed, especially the Order, and then Miss Granger with the wound, showing Severus casting simple counters and diagnostics but making it appear much less serious than it had been.

The Dark Lord withdrew abruptly and Severus knew better than to sigh with relief. He might return at any moment. "It seems you failed, Antonin. Come closer."

Severus fell back into the shadows, hiding his smirk while Dolohov ended up punished. The wizard would live but it was a close call. The dubious entertainment was cut short by the arrival of Dear Bella and Lucius which gave the Dark Lord something else to focus on. Apparently several of the others were caught including Avery senior, Travers and Jugson. Losing Avery was a serious blow to the Death Eaters as the man had been the brains behind several successful operations, but Jugson was more of a thug and not exactly known for his brains.

~ x ~ xx ~ oo ~ xx ~ x ~

It was late enough to be early when he returned to the hospital wing after debriefing with Albus, relieved to be all in one piece without requiring a patch-up by Poppy. She had her hands full with the rest of them anyway.

The demon appeared to be resting, having reverted to her form again. She had wrapped herself in her wings and lay on her back with her eyes closed. Her colouring, breathing pattern and temperature all seemed normal from what he could tell from a distance. He was not about to go poke a demon without permission, but it really appeared as if she had shed the curse with the change. He settled in the visitor's chair by the bed and tried to figure out what to do. He didn't want Poppy to poke her head in and see Hermione in such a state, nor Albus.

He must have fallen into an uneasy sleep, sitting in the chair by the brooding demon's bed, as he woke up with a start to something cold and smooth placed in his palm. He already had the wand ready in his other hand even before he opened his eyes.

It was a smooth white pebble, the kind found on beaches, attached to a leather string. It didn't appear to be magical and felt rather nice in his hand.

The demoness stood in front of him, wings unfurled. She looked wary.

Memories started trickling back to him, first gradually and then more and more like an opened floodgate.

Studying Potions and discussing theories with her, playing board games and reading books on all kinds of subjects. Working on curses and deflection, working on homework in other subjects, how she'd always melted into the background when others approached, how the Marauders had taunted him for having an imaginary friend but he knew she was real.

"You were my friend," he said in wonder, looking at her. She was beginning to look achingly familiar again, even with wings and all.

Hermione twitched a smile at him, making her look almost human again. "That's what you asked for, wasn't it?"

She used to be with him in Cokeworth, never following him home but always there when he could escape. They had a nest of sorts in the old mill and spent countless days reading together.

"I Summoned you?" He could hardly believe his own daring. A mere kid, summoning a demon. He would have cuffed himself upside the ear and grounded him for months if he'd caught himself doing that now. The memory of the actual Summoning was vague, fleeting.

Her lips twitched again. "You were the most brazen nine-year-old I have ever come across. Summoning a demon with parts of your da's newspaper and a drawing of a cat, only to ask for friendship? That's unheard of in all my centuries in this realm. You had brought your finest treasure to pay me. I still have them, by the way."

"This stone. How did you get the necklace back?" He turned it over in his hand again, letting his thumb rub over the smooth white surface. He remembered the trip to the beach, one of few happy memories from his childhood, and memories of turning it over in his hand just like that were bubbling up.

She looked a bit shifty and scratched her cheek with the edge of her wing. "I just, erm, convinced the house-elves to find it. I was quite certain Albus would have kept it."

Severus dragged a hand across his face, trying to make sense of it all. "Why were you human? Why couldn't I remember you?"

Her nostrils flared and a hint of sulphur and lilacs wafted through the room. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore caught me, forced me into this shape when he realised you had befriended me. The day Lily and James died. He went to their house, saw you clutching her, and found the stone."

Severus felt dizzy and was glad to be sitting down already. "I never realised. He must have Obliviated all my memories of you. I never remembered you, not once in all these years."

The demon nodded.

Suddenly Miss Granger's demon summoning activities in the bathroom made a lot more sense. She must have felt that she had been missing some part of herself.

"So this explains a thing or two. Hagrid's dog, for example. The way the troll was terrified of you. The Dementors and the Boggart. And that evening in the girls' bathroom."

She hummed in agreement.

"And now what?"

Hermione shrugged and shifted on the bed. "They have wronged us."

Severus frowned, tracing his lips with two fingers. He could feel another headache coming on. It had been a very long night already. "We have to play it smart still, Hermione. We need time to prepare and plan."

He needed time to think, above all. To absorb these new but old facts and to work out the potential consequences. The Headmaster's actions cut deep, that the old wizard would have Obliviated him in that way, removing a huge part of his life from his memory without notice. He shuffled the confusion, the hurt and the concern down deep behind his Occlumency shields, to take out later when he was alone and hopefully better rested.

She nodded. "I will play my part so they don't notice anything."

"And then we make things right."

"We make them bleed", she hissed, her eyes burning purple for a moment.