Jealousy Games and Deadly Consequences

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 56- In the Company Of Evil

Draco and Hermione stood staring at the group of Death Eaters for what seemed to be the longest time, before the Dark Lord finally broke the silence.

"Have you forgotten your manners in my presence, Draco?" He asked, venom dripping from his every word.

"Sorry, my Lord." Draco replied as he bowed before the Dark Wizard.
"Hermione..." He whispered sharply, pointing at the ground.
The bushy haired girl slowly slid down to her knees, a disgusted feeling came over her as she too bowed to Voldemort.
"You may both rise." Voldemort said after a moment.
Draco nodded and returned to his feet, pulling Hermione up with him.

Lucius had returned to his feet after enduring his punishment and now strode cockily up to his son.

"Well Draco, you've finally come to accept your place among us, I see." He said, somewhat proudly.
Draco nodded slowly, as he stared at his father coldly.

Lucius let out a cold chuckle, before turning his attention to the girl that stood beside him.
"And Miss Granger, it is a pleasure to see you again." He sneered, his upper lip curling slightly.
She merely nodded, knowing that there was no sincerity in his words what-so-ever.


"So, I take it that you are ready to accept the mark?" Voldemort inquired proudly as he moved towards the blonde youth.
"Yes, my Lord." Draco replied, firmly.

Hermione shuddered.

"Good" said Voldemort. "Then we shall hold the ceremony in a few moments."

Draco nodded slowly.

"I do have a question though." The Dark Lord sneered as his cold, evil eyes glanced down at Hermione. "You know that only Death Eaters; and those that are loyal to me are the only ones who are allowed to remain alive in my presence. And you also know that I hate Mudbloods. So, why is she here?" He asked impatiently, now crossing his arms.

Hermione took a step back nervously as Draco quirked an uneasy brow.

It seemed that the Dark Wizard really hadn't accepted them after all.

It was as if he'd forgotten that Hermione had proved herself to him.

Had he forgotten how she murdered Pansy and how he'd reanimated her corpse? Hadn't he tried to help her and Draco avoid being discovered that night?

Or was there an underlying reason that Voldemort had so graciously assisted them. Were there malicious intentions that they had not been aware of?

Whatever the reason was, Voldemort was now leering down at her with a disgusted sneer. Her knees wanted to buckle, her stomach twisted into painful knots. Fear was bubbling inside her. She could feel the hatred radiating off of every Death Eater there and now she was beginning to wonder whether she was going to survive this night.

Draco swallowed and then forcing his voice to stay steady, he replied. "My Lord, Granger has helped me in all of my plans and she has agreed to join us; to become a Death Eater and serve you." the blonde young man replied humbly.

Hermione grimaced. She felt like she was going to throw up.


"Has she now?" came Lucius's cold skeptical voice as he walked behind Hermione, eyeing her bitterly.

"Yes father, she has!" Draco snapped, glaring at his father.

"Well, then I will have no objections to the two of you being...together." Lucius hissed that last word quite bitterly; making a face as if he'd taken a bite out of a very sour lemon. "Ofcourse," he added as his eyes narrowed at his son and he smirked snidely. "it is not up to me, to decide on the status of your relationship; but to the Dark Lord."

"So, young Malfoy, is this who you've chosen as your lifelong partner?" Voldemort asked with a sinister chuckle as his eyes gleamed maliciously. "This muggle-born girl? This same girl who not so long ago was a close ally to my most hated enemy?"

"Yes, my Lord." Draco replied slowly.

"There are consequences for your choices, Draco." Voldemort paced in front of the blonde slowly. "You see, I am not convinced that she is a valuable asset to us."

Draco and Hermione both swallowed nervously.

"I am not convinced that even if she does pledge her loyalty to me, she will be of any use to us." He paused and then got right in Draco's face.

"Are you sure that you want this filthy mudblood at your side?" Voldemort sneered.

Draco nodded, trying to keep his expression dark and cold.

"Very well then, she will be the first to recieve the dark mark." The Dark Wizard sneered. Then he turned to his followers. "Prepare for the ceremony!" he shouted.

Hermione gasped as she watched the Death Eaters form a circle.

Oh no, this isn't happening. She thought nervously. Please say this isn't happening.

"Hermione..." Draco's voice broke through her thoughts.

She gasped as she felt him reach down and take her hand slowly.

"Relax." He mumbled in a low somewhat soothing tone.

But there was no way that she could relax, not when a dozen Death Eaters were staring at her, and not in the present company of the Dark Lord.

Lucius smirked as he placed a gloved hand on the frightened girl's shoulder. "You should have no problem joining us, Miss Granger. After all your affections for my son are quite strong. Were they not, I am sure that you would have never killed Pansy Parkinson." his sinister voice hissed.

Hermione shuddered. She wanted to forget that. She wanted to foget that she'd committed such a horrible crime. She wanted to forget about the promise that she had made to Draco about becoming a Death Eater. She wanted to run away.

But she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to leave him. No, she just couldn't do that.
Lucius seemed rather pleased to see the fearful look in the girl's eyes. With a dark chuckle, he slowly looked to his son and nodded slightly.

Draco gave Hermione's hand a reassuring squeeze, and he looked to his father with a slight smirk as he slowly nodded back to him.

"Well, I shall give the two of you a few moments to prepare yourselves." Lucius said as he turned and strode over to Voldemort, who was now approaching the circle of Death Eaters.

Slowly, Hermione looked up and frowned as she saw the almost evil gleam that had appeared in the young man's cold grey eyes as he stared over at Voldemort and his followers.

The Dark Lord has such strong power. Draco thought as his eyes narrowed. Power that is wasted. Power that if I had, I would unleash on Potter. I'd make the whole Wizarding World fear me. He looked over at Voldemort's group of followers. I would have followers as well. People who adored me, obeyed me, and feared me. He recalled how strong his Patronus had been and instantly felt a wave of triumph wash over him. If I can conjure a Patronus that strong, then perhaps I can also grasp the intense power of the Dark Arts.

Hermione swallowed nervously. She didn't like that look on his face.
It was dark and cold.
It looked dangerous, deceitful, and deadly.

What sort of things could he be thinking? she wondered.
She cringed and then bit her lip as a series of horrifying images flashed through her mind.

Voldemort burning the Dark Mark into the young man's skin. Draco attacking Hogwarts and casting the Killing Curse on Harry and Ron. The Wizarding World crumbling and The Muggle World infested with dementors. Mass muggle killings...



She shuddered and shook her head, trying to shake those horrible images away.
No, don't think of things like that, Hermione. she snapped at herself.
But she couldn't help it.
She feared that these images would eventually come to pass if Voldemort had his way.

"Hey Hermione." Draco's voice cut into her thoughts.
He turned to her, his eyes and features now softening. "So, it looks like we're finally going to be together now." he mumbled.
She nodded slightly trying not to show her worry.

"Just think...we'll be lifelong partners." He said with a satisfied sigh.

"Draco..." She began, remembering the horrible images that had flashed in her mind moments ago.

He quirked a brow. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Are you...are you going to be killing innocent people once you recieve the dark mark?" she asked nervously.

He hesitated.

"Well?" She pressed.

"Look, I will be killing whoever the Dark Lord tells me to." he said firmly.
She shuddered at this. Then she ventured to speak again. "Even, if the people are innocent? Even if they're children?" She gasped.

His eyes narrowed at her. "If I have to." He replied coldly.

Her brows furrowed and a disgusted look of disbelief crossed her face.

"But, you will too if the Dark Lord commands." He said quickly.

I will? she gasped at herself.

"After all, once you take the dark mark, Voldemort owns you and you have to either obey him or die." He added sharply.

She slowly looked down at the ground, biting her bottom lip.

"Draco...we...can't do this. I can't do this." She declared nervously. "I...I don't want to be a Death Eater. I don't want to help Voldemort kill Harry." she mumbled shakily.

Draco looked around and sighed with relief that no one had heard her.

"Draco...please let's...let's run away." She begged, keeping her voice low.

"No." he stated firmly
.
"I can't do this Draco...I can't join Voldemort. I don't want to kill innocent people! I don't want to help Voldemort hurt Harry in any way!" She emphasized.

"Too late..." he replied his voice and features darkening at hearing Harry's name. "Our fates are sealed, Granger. There is no turning back now." he added coldly. "So just deal with it, get the dark mark and serve our master."

"He is not my master!" She hissed angrily through clenched teeth. "And he shouldn't be yours either! You are too powerful to be a slave to anyone!" She added firmly.

Suddenly, his trademark smirk crept across his lips.
By the cocky look on his face, Hermione's words were sinking in.

"You may be right, and once we've been Death Eaters long enough, we could escape somehow." he mumbled.

He's not getting it! Hermione grumbled to herself. I'm trying to tell him that we shouldn't become Death Eaters in the first place! she thought frantically.



"Everything is ready." announced Voldemort. "Let's get on with it! The sun will rise within the hour!"
"Come Miss Granger." Lucius said gingerly as he gestured towards the center of the circle.

Hermione slowly nodded, and let go of Draco's hand as she followed the thin, pale man towards the gathering.

Draco slowly walked behind her, his head held high and confidence in his every step.

Hermione stepped into the circle, and stood before Lord Voldemort who slowly began to pace in front of her.

She stood deathly still as his scarlet eyes studied her.

"So, you have come to join and serve me?" He sneered.

"Y-Yes." She stammered.

A couple of chuckles came from the crowd.

The Dark Wizard stopped pacing and smirked down at her. "That is difficult to believe." he retorted.

She swallowed as he went on. "You were once a good friend to him, weren't you? he asked.
"Him?" She asked weakly.


"Yes, Miss Granger, him! The-Boy-Who-Lived!" Voldemort snarled. "The one who has foiled my every plan yet whose blood has helped me come back! The one who's parents died by my wand! The one who killed my Basilisk! The one who I couldn't kill as a mere baby! The one who only escaped with a measley scar! The-Boy-Who-Shall-Die! Harry Potter!"


Hermione felt tears welling in the corners of her eyes, as she began remembering the good times that she'd had with Harry. The way his green eyes twinkled when he smiled or laughed. The one who she had helped on numerous occasions and who in return, had helped her as well.

But then she suddenly shook her head. She knew she had to be strong.
Draco quirked a brow as he continued to watch Voldemort lecture Hermione.

"So," Voldemort sneered. "Why after helping Potter for all these years, do you suddenly wish to join me?"
The Death Eaters stared at her curiously. Lucius merely smirked finding the whole thing amusing to watch.

Draco however, looked a little worried.

Don't screw this up, Granger. he thought as he studied her uneasy stance.

"Well, what is your answer, mudblood?" Voldemort sneered.

Suddenly, that word struck a nerve and Hermione's eyes narrowed with anger.

"You are one to talk being that you are a half-blood!" Hermione spouted out.

The Death Eaters gasped at the girl in shock. Draco's eyes grew wide with horror.
"You dare to to speak to me in such a manner?" Voldemort sneered. "I had assumed that Draco taught you how to behave."
"Ha, that's a laugh!" Hermione snapped.
"You dare to mock me as well?" The Dark Wizard growled now sliding his wand out slowly, with an evil grin.

But before Hermione could say another thing, she felt someone reach up and grab a handful of her hair.

"Ow!" She whimpered.
"Shut up, Granger!" Draco hissed, roughly pulling her back against him.

"Draco...what are you-" She began.
"I said, shut up!" he snarled now slapping his hand over her mouth firmly.

Voldemort; seeing that Draco now had control of Hermione, slowly put his wand away. "It seems that your mudblood has a problem showing me proper respect." he sneered.

"I apologize, my Lord." Draco replied humbly. "Please forgive me. I am still tryng to train her to obey me. The...Imperius Curse must have worn off." He added quickly.

Hermione gasped and struggled against him. But Draco's grip was quite strong and soon she found it was pointless to fight against him.

"May I have a private moment to properly restrain her?" Draco asked humbly.

"Go." Voldemort waved him away and then turned to Lucius with a suspicious frown.

--------------------------------

Draco turned and quickly pulled Hermione off into the forest.
As soon as they were far enough away, he pulled his hand away from her mouth and let go of her hair.
"What did you think you were doing back there?" he snarled at her. "Challenging the Dark Lord like that?"

"Well what were you doing?" She hissed at him. "Handling me so roughly and telling everyone that you controlled me!"

"d**n it, Granger, you know, you should be thanking me!" he growled.

"Thanking you for what? Bragging about how you're training me to be like your d**n pet?" she hissed.

"No, for saving your bloody life!" he snarled. "Incase you didn't notice, Voldemort was about to kill you!"

She suddenly became silent.

He took in a few deep breaths and then looked around as he slowly stepped towards her.

"Look, I had to be rough. It was the only way that I could stop him from killing you." He added as he moved a hand up to her cheek and touched it.

"I don't want to lose you, and if I would have attacked him; instead of handling things the way that I did...we might both be dead right now. You can't lash out at Voldemort like that Hermione, he'll kill you." he emphasized.

She blinked and looked at him hesitantly. "I'm...I'm sorry." She mumbled regretfully.

"Now when we go back there you have to obey me." he stressed even more.
She was about to say something but he cut her off. "I know you don't like it. I don't either." he paused then smirked slightly. "Well actually...I kind of do." he joked, but then cleared his throat as he continued. "But seriously, you have to act like you are obeying me."

She nodded slowly with a sad frown.

Draco smiled gently as he tilted her chin up with his finger. He gazed into her chocolate brown eyes and stroke her cheek lightly. "I'll do what I can to protect you, Hermione." he said in a low tone as he leaned towards her. "But you've got to trust me."

She looked at him with watery eyes. "I...I do trust you..." She said slowly.

He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. She slowly melted into his kiss, feeling the warmth and the passion between them.

However, it was short lived as he pulled away from her. "Come on, let's go back." He suggested as he turned and began to walk away. She nodded and slowly followed him.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 57-Third Floor Trouble

"My Lord, I don't trust Granger and I am starting to become suspicious of my own son as well." Lucius stated as he and Voldemort stood talking.
The Death Eaters had broken off the ceremonial circle and had all settled into camp.



"Not to mention," Lucius continued on. "I am concerned about the aurors that were in the forest just before Draco arrived with that mudblood."
"Ah, I am no longer concerned with that matter because I know where that light came from." Voldemort remarked with an evil grin. "I do not trust Granger either. Oddly though, I was unable to get into her mind to see exactly what she is up to. I believe that she is using Occulmancy."
"Oh?" Lucius quirked a curious brow. Then he ventured to ask. "My Lord, if I may ask, where did that bright light come from earlier?"
"Why, it came from the mudblood, of course." retorted the Dark Wizard, annoyance present in his tone. "She is the only person here that could have done it. As far as I know, unless your son has become part of Dumbledore's Army; he doesn't know how to use the Patronus Charm."
Lucius blinked rapidly. "But my Lord that was a serious blast. How could that mudblood conjure something with such intensity?" he asked, ignoring the latter part of what Voldemort had said.
"That, Lucius, I do not know as of yet."
"Could she be dangerous?" the pale, aristocratic man asked. "I have never seen such a blast before." he added with an uneasy snort.


"I have." Voldemort sneered angrily, as if he were remembering something long ago.
Lucius was curious but dared not ask about it.
"The sun will be rising soon." He said slowly, changing the subject. "We will have to perform the ceremony after it sets tonight."

"Actually Lucius, I believe I am going to postpone the ceremony." Voldemort said sharply, the bitterness never leaving his venomous voice. "It's not worth the time going through the whole thing, if I'm just going to turn around and end up killing them."


"Killing them?" Lucius asked, and then he winced at the thought of being punished for questioning the Dark Wizard.


However, Voldemort merely shrugged. "Yes, Lucius. I feel that Granger is up to something. Why she came here with your son, I do not know. I'm also sorry to say that Draco has disappointed me." he replied coldly.


Lucius looked uneasy as Voldemort continued on.


"Up until this school year, I was most pleased with his success. He was doing well. I felt certain that he would make a promising Death Eater." Then his voice grew darker."But, it is troubling that he has developed feelings for that mudblood."

He paused, now glaring at Lucius disapprovingly.


"He is also a liar. He has never put Granger under the Imperius Curse. At first, I felt certain that he would dispose of her once he was finished using her. But yet he brings her here! I sense that he is turning on us, Lucius and I will not tolerate that."


"I understand my Lord. If you wish, I shall go and kill the mudblood personally." Lucius sneered hastily.
"And risk losing Draco completely? No Lucius! Use your brain! If we kill his beloved mudblood, he will never join us and may even run to join Potter and his group that are under the protection of Dumbledore." Voldemort sneered. "No, we need a more practical plan. One in which will bring him back to us, without him even knowing it."


"Forgive me, my Lord, but I am not quite sure that I understand."


"I am saying that we must be subtle about this, Lucius!" Voldemort snapped. "We must not be hasty!"


Lucius nodded slowly.


The Dark Wizard smirked. "At least we have someone inside the castle that we know will get the job done." He stated proudly.


"But will he actually do it or will he cower away?" Lucius asked, then quickly shut up as Voldemort scowled at him.
"My Lord, we have dealt with so many traitors as of late-"


"Yes." Voldemort cut him off.


"He will do it, Lucius. He values his life too much to disobey me." Voldemort sneered cockily.


"But what if Potter..." Lucius began, but the Dark Wizard hushed him.


"Silence! Your son and the mudblood are on their way back." Voldemort said in a venomous whisper.

Just then the two heard footsteps and looked to see that Draco and Hermione had indeed returned.


"We're ready father." Draco stated firmly.
"The ceremony has been postponed, Draco." Lucius snapped at him.
Draco nodded. Hermione stood beside him, secretly sighing in relief.
"However, I do have a job for the two of you." Voldemort cut in quickly.
"And what would that be, my Lord?" Draco asked slowly.
Voldemort looked to Lucius then back to Draco. "I want you and Miss Granger to go back to Hogwarts." he sneered.


Draco wanted so badly to question why, but he knew better and kept his mouth shut.


Hermione however, did not. "What? But we'll get captured if we go back to Hogwarts." She gasped.


Draco shot her a cold look.


"Well Miss Granger, forgetting your manners again?" Voldemort asked with narrowed scarlet eyes.


"N...No" She mumbled, realizing she needed to bite her tongue.


Draco nudged her with his elbow.


"I mean...forgive me, Lord Voldemort." She said, fighting back the urge to vomit for what had just come out of her mouth.

Voldemort, however, smirked and then continued, "As I was saying. I want the two of you to go back to Hogwarts, in secrecy of course. You can't let anyone know you're there."
Draco raised a brow.
"I am sure that at least one of you, has dabbled in enough Dark Magic, to know how to sneak in." the Dark Wizard sneered, looking right at Hermione.


Draco swallowed nervously, his grey eyes suddenly flashed with fear.
Hermione's heart began racing.
Voldemort knew about her having the book.


"Not to worry though Miss Granger, you will not be killed since you are becoming one of us soon." he chuckled staring hard at her, as if he were probing her mind.


Lucius just smirked.


"You know the 'Eyes of the Enemy' spell, so you should have no trouble sneaking into the castle undetected. When you get there, go to the third floor corridor. You will meet up with our spy. You cannot miss him." Voldemort concluded with a wicked chuckle.

Hermione swallowed. So many questions wanted to burst out of her. Why did he want them to go back there? What was the point of meeting up with his spy inside of Hogwarts? What was his motive? Did any of this have to do with Harry?

"We will go at once, my Lord." Draco spoke up quickly.
"Good, my spy will tell you both the plan in detail when you get there." the Dark Wizard sneered.
Draco nodded then grabbed Hermione's hand and led her away quickly.

When the two were out of sight, Voldemort turned to Lucius. "You know what to do." he stated firmly.


Lucius nodded and with a quick bow he turned and briskly walked away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using the first light of day, Draco and Hermione made their way out of the dark forest and stopped upon seeing Hogwarts castle just ahead.


"Better cast the spell, Granger. We don't want them to detect us." Draco mumbled.


Hermione pulled out her wand and chanted the concealing spell.


Once she was finished, she shoved her wand back into her pocket with an annoyed huff.


"What's your problem?" he asked raising a brow as they walked across the grounds.


"Well, I can't help thinking that we're going to regret doing this." she replied uneasily.
He simply shrugged.
"I mean don't you find it rather peculiar that Voldemort is sending us back to the place where we just escaped from?" she asked exasperated.


"Not really, I mean we're going to be meeting up with his spy. Nothing peculiar about that." he replied.


"Draco!" She suddenly snapped jumping in front of him, grabbing him by the front of his robes. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Of course I am, now calm down." He mumbled lightly pushing her away.
She stepped in front of him again.


"Draco, think about what we are doing. We are going right back to the place that we just escaped from. If we go inside that castle, we will be caught. I just know it. Harry will-" he suddenly cut her off.
"Oh this is about Potter again!" he snapped, quickly growing irritated. "Look, I am sick and tired of you mentioning him all the time, Hermione. It seems every conversation we have you have to bring, him into it."


She frowned at his outburst.


He took a deep breath then more calmly he spoke. "We are here to talk to a spy that is waiting for us in the third floor corridor. I'm a little leery of who it is, but I'm sure we will find out soon."


"But how do we know there's going to even be someone there? Voldemort could be setting us up!" she snapped as he walked away from her.


"I highly doubt that Voldemort would do that, especially when we could become a great asset to him, especially me." Draco stated arrogantly as he stopped in front of the doors of Hogwarts.
Hermione looked at him uneasily. "Draco...are you actually looking forward to serving that evil monster?" she gasped.
He turned to her, a dark gleam in his eyes. "No Hermione, I am looking forward to the power that I will receive by serving him." he sneered greedily.
She nervously bit her lip.
"Now, let's go." he said gesturing to the doors. She nodded hesitantly.

Inside, the two made their way down the corridors, Draco walking proudly with his head held high as Hermione trailed slightly behind him.
And then it was off to the moving staircases. Up they went, Draco seeming more eager and Hermione becoming more hesitant.
Finally, they had made it.

The third floor corridor.

They stepped off the moving stairs and slowly walked towards a familiar door.
Hermione's eyes widened.
I remember this place. Fluffy was locked in this very room that we are about to enter. The trapdoor in the floor led us to the stone in first year. She thought to herself.

Draco grabbed the handle of the door and then pulled it open. It creaked on squeaky hinges as the two entered the small room.


As soon as they were both inside, the door slammed shut behind them.


Draco and Hermione both jumped slightly, but then regained their nerve and walked forward slowly.


"That's close enough." whispered a voice from a dark corner of the room.


The two stopped and stared in the direction that the voice was coming from.


"So, are you the spy?" the blonde young man snorted arrogantly.


Hermione gawked at him. "Draco, don't just blurt things out like that! What if it's not the spy? We could both get in big trouble."


A cold chuckle erupted from the corner and a cloaked figure moved from against the wall where it had been sitting.


Its outline was visible, but the face remained in the shadows.


And then slowly it moved towards the two.
Its footsteps were slow yet slightly squeaky.
Draco took a couple of steps back from it, but Hermione stood firm in her place. She was not about to be intimidated by whoever it was.
The figure moved towards her slowly.
She stood nervously watching as it came closer and closer.
And then it stopped just mere inches from her.


There was something odd and frighteningly familiar about the cloaked figure's presence.
"So, the traitor has returned." came a familiar male voice.


Hermione gasped, her eyes grew wide, her heart pounded in her chest.
"What?" she mumbled in a low voice as she pulled out her wand.
The tip lit up just enough to see the figure in front of her.
Slowly the figure pulled back his hood and took another step towards her.
What Hermione saw made her freeze.
It was a male just a little taller than her.
He had messy, red hair.
Several small freckles spread across his light colored face.
A menacing smirk played upon his lips.


"R-Ron?" She gasped in shock.

"Weasel!" Draco snarled, losing all fear and uneasiness that had been building up in him.


"So, the traitor has returned." Ron repeated in a cold tone as he glared hard at Hermione.

She swallowed nervously and slowly began to back away from him.
"Weasel, you're the spy for Voldemort?" Draco drawled, his brows furrowing in disgust.

Ron's face twisted into a dark, evil grin as his eyes slowly shifted to Draco.


"You could say that." He replied slowly drawing his wand and pointing it at the blonde young man.

"Expelliramus!" snapped a fourth voice.



Ron's wand was blasted out of his hand, and he spun around to see a figure emerging from the opposite corner that he had been hiding in.
Suddenly something flew out, and landed on the floor beside Hermione.
She looked down.
It looked like a cloak.

An Invisibility cloak.

Harry's Invisibility cloak!

[Liz-Miia Parker]

Kiirusta Liss sellega ;D

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 58-Traitor! Traitor!

"I knew that something was up." Harry said coldly as he stepped into view.


"H-Harry-" Ron began but Harry cut him off.


"Don't say a word!" Harry warned the red head, his eyes filled with fury. "It's bad enough that Hermione turned against me, but Ron, I never thought that you would!"
Ron's eyes were wide.


Hermione and Draco slowly inched towards the door, but Harry quickly said, "Colloportus!"sending a blast of light at it, sealing it shut.


Hermione whipped out her wand and was about to chant the 'alohomora' spell, but the dark haired young man shouted another 'Expelliramus' and her wand went flying across the room.


"Now you three back up against that wall! Now!" Harry ordered angrily. His green eyes were narrowed and his face was twisted into the most horrible scowl.


Hermione and Ron slowly backed towards the wall, but Draco stayed put.


"Didn't you hear me, Malfoy?" Harry growled.


The blonde stood there with a smirk on his face.


"Sure, I heard you, Potter." He replied arrogantly, staying in his place. "Of course, I don't take orders from those who are beneath me." He added.


"Draco..." Hermione shot him a worried glance but he simply brushed it off.
"Malfoy, I am already in a foul mood. Don't push me to doing something that I will regret!" Harry warned.
Draco's eyes narrowed slightly as he backed against the wall with the other two.
"Harry," came Ron's voice. "I...I'm not with them."
"Oh yeah?" Harry sneered. "From what I heard, you are!"
"But I'm not. I only lured them here by pretending to be a traitor. I'm not really one!" Ron whined.
Harry studied him a moment. "Prove it!" he snapped.
Ron blinked then swallowed. "I...I don't know how to. But look, the two criminals are here now. They fell for the plan that I made." he squeaked.
"You're lying!" Harry growled now poking his wand into Ron's chest. He then looked into the young man's almost black eyes.


But wait, Ron's eyes weren't black. They were usually a crisp colored blue. Harry raised a suspicious brow. "Who are you, really?" he demanded.


Draco glanced to Hermione then looked to Harry who was busy confronting the red headed young man and smirked.
Slowly, very slowly his hand moved up, quietly slipping into his robes.


"You're not really Ron, are you?" Harry hissed.
"Maybe I am...and maybe I'm not." the red head sneered wickedly.
"Well if you-"
"Expelliramus!" Draco snarled, purposefully blasting Harry into the wall.
Hermione gasped loudly.
Seeing his chance, Ron dashed over and grabbed his wand off the floor.
"Expelliramus!" he shouted at Draco, blasting him against the door.


"What are you doing?" Hermione gasped at the red head.


Ron rounded on her and pointed his wand at her.


She stood glaring at him.


"Ron?" She mumbled slowly.


He chuckled then keeping his wand aimed at her, he slowly turned to look at the two young men who now lay sprawled out on the floor, covered in bits of dust.


"It looks like it's just you and me now." He said slowly moving towards her.


"What's gotten into you? Are you possessed or something?" She snapped.
And then, as he moved closer towards her, she saw it.
His eyes were dark, almost black!

"Of course!" She stated as she nodded almost triumphantly. "I don't know why I didn't notice it before! You are under the Imperius Curse!"

Ron's eye twitched slightly as he took a step back from her.

"Ron...Ron if you can hear me, then you have got to fight this curse! You have to break it!" she shouted at him, hoping the real Ron inside would hear her.

"No! Stop shouting like that!" hissed the red head pushing her away. "I am not under anything." But there was hesitation, almost a stutter in his tone.


"Ron, fight it!" Hermione shouted again.
Harry groaned and lifted his head, seeing Hermione was holding Ron by the front of his robes.
He quickly searched the floor for his wand.
Finding it, he gripped it tightly and scrambled to his feet.

Noticing Draco was still knocked out; Harry rushed towards Hermione and Ron, disarming the red head as he approached them.
"Harry, you have to listen to me, Ron is possessed!" she said frantically as he stomped towards them.
"She's lying Harry, she's the one who is possessed!" Ron retorted.
"Shut it, both of you!" Harry snarled pointing his wand at them.
Just then, Draco began to stir and Harry turned his attention to the blonde Slytherin, warily.


As he did so, Ron nudged Hermione and pointed at the floor. Her wand was lying not too far away.
She scowled at him, but slowly knelt for it.

"Harry, Hermione's after her wand!" Ron shouted, causing Harry's head to snap back and see the bushy haired girl reaching for it on the floor.
"Oh no you don't, Hermione!" Harry snapped, kicking the wand away as he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to her feet.
"What? But...I" she scowled at the red head angrily.
"See, Harry? I'm still on your side." Ron stated, trying to sound convincing.


Harry's face softened just a bit as Ron made an attempt to walk forward. "Come on, mate. I'm on your side." the red head said warmly.


Harry studied him for a moment then said, "I'd like to believe that Ron, but-"
"Harry, he's possessed! Listen to me; you can see it in his eyes!" Hermione's voice cut in.


"And why should I trust you, Hermione!" Harry rounded on her holding her hand tightly. "You joined Voldemort!"
"No Harry...I didn't..." She said unable to control her now shaky voice. "I almost did but I..."
Harry let go of her hand and kept his wand pointed on the two.


"I...I don't understand this! I...I'm confused! I...I don't know who I can trust anymore!" He shouted.


"Trust me, Potter." Draco sneered now slowly standing up.


"Ha! That's a good one, Malfoy. Like I could ever trust a Death Eater like you!" Harry snapped back.
"Death Eater?" Draco laughed arrogantly rolling up the sleeve of his right arm, exposing his pale, bare skin. "Do you see the Dark Mark on me, Potter?"


"No, but that doesn't mean anything!" Harry growled.


"Hehehehe, my you are all entertaining." cackled a muffled, squeaky voice.


Harry, Hermione and Draco all looked around, wondering where the voice had just come from.
But as their backs were turned, Ron reached into the large pocket of his cloak, and slowly pulled out a furry little creature with tiny beady eyes.


Harry slowly began to turn around. "I don't know where that voice came from but I feel we're not alone in this-" he stopped seeing the creature in Ron's hand. "room." he added suspiciously.


Hermione and Draco frowned darkly.


"Ron, is that a rat in your hand!" Harry suddenly asked as he studied the rodent.


"Why yes, Harry." Ron said mockingly, as the sarcasm returned to his tone. "Don't you remember my old friend, Scabbers?"



Harry suddenly realized what was going on.

"Harry," Hermione gasped inching forward. "Is that-" but he cut her off.


"I should have known." he sneered pointing his wand at the rat. "Wormtail; Voldemort's cowardly underling."


The rat suddenly leaped out of Ron's hands and scurried across the floor.


"Stupefy!" Harry shouted. Wormtail dodged the spell as he scurried towards the door.


"Petrificus Totalus!" that spell missed as well.


Hermione and Draco stood there watching Harry chasing after the rat, with wide eyes.
Ron stood there as well, but he looked almost entranced now.
Hermione was the first to notice this.


"Ron?" She asked moving towards him but Draco stepped in her path.

"Stay away from Weasel, Granger. There's something odd about him." he warned.


"But I want to see if he's alright!" She protested.


"Why?" Draco snapped. "Are you thinking of teaming up with him and Potter again?"
"Look, I want to see if we can help him!" she said sharply ignoring his comment.
"Why?" Draco growled. "Look, you don't need to be worrying about Weasel!"

The rat, seeing he was cornered now, quickly spun around to face Harry, shifting to his human form.
Draco stepped in front of Hermione as Wormtail drew his wand and pointed it at the four of them.
"Well well, it seems that the Dark Lord cannot trust a single one of you." the rat faced man hissed as he looked from Ron to Draco to Hermione.
"Ron," Wormtail said with mock sadness. "I thought you were going to work with me. I thought you and Lucius made a deal. Don't tell me you're going back on your word!"
"What is he talking about, Ron?" Harry asked, his green eyes darting over at the red head who now had a guilty look on his face.
"Well I...I didn't have much of a choice Harry. Lucius showed up and well threatened to kill me if I didn't willingly allow him to put me under the Imperius Curse." Ron whimpered.
Harry's eyes grew wide. "R-Ron, how could you do you that?" he asked incredulously

.
Draco smirked, finding this rather amusing, but Hermione looked as if she were going to cry.

Ron's face suddenly flushed red from anger. "Well would you have rather me fought him and died?" he asked through clenched teeth.


Harry's cold glare stayed firmly on the red head. "Well I wouldn't have helped him!" his voice filled with disappointment.


"Well...Well I am not you!" Ron shouted now enraged. "Unlike you, I don't have a lot of power. I'm not as strong as you are! I can't simply utter a spell and use it to its full strength! Bloody Hell, I can barely cast a spell without messing up!"

Tears now formed in his eyes, as his chin quivered. "Yes, I was wrong for obeying Lucius but if you were as weak as me, and you valued your life; you would have done it too!" and then the blackness covering his eyes melted away, allowing the crisp blue color to return.


"What the hell are you saying, Ron? That you're a coward! That you're helpless? I know better than that! I've seen what you've been through. I've seen the way you have helped me. And you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for!" Harry shouted.

"Enough of this!" Wormtail cut in between them. "My point is that I am one of the only ones that the Dark Lord trusts. I am the only one who makes him proud."


He then looked to Draco. "Not even your cowardly father holds the Dark Lord's favor as I do."


Wormtail then looked to Harry with an evil grin. "And to think, I first got into his favor informing him about you and your parents!" He sneered.

"You bastard!" Harry snarled, lunging at the rat faced man.
Wormtail cried out as he and Harry fell to the floor.

"I'll kill you!" Harry snarled shoving the tip of his wand into Wormtail's throat. "I have every right to!" he added his voice cracking.


"No Harry, don't!" Hermione cried out.

"Harry, please!" Ron begged.

"Killing him won't help; it will just make it worse!" Hermione shouted.

Harry finally backed off. "Get up!" he snarled forcing Wormtail to his feet.
"Get against that wall!" Harry hissed, hatred in his every word.

"Go on, kill him Potter." Draco sneered. "Stop being a good boy for once."

"Shut it, Malfoy!" warned Ron.


"I should...I should kill him!" Harry snapped as he slowly lifted to wand to Wormtail's head. "I'm going to do it...I mean it. I am!" Harry's voice trembled



.
"Harry..."Hermione mumbled starting towards him, but Draco grabbed her hand and held it, shaking his head slowly at her.
Not even the blonde wanted to get in the middle of Harry's wrath now.



Hermione put her free hand over her mouth, watching intently.


Wormtail braced himself against the wall as the dark haired young man stepped back, still pointing his wand at the rat faced man.
"You betrayed my father, and Sirius, and Lupin. They trusted you and you stabbed them in the back! You told Voldemort about me, and you framed Sirius! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to make you pay for what you did to my family, for what you've done to ME! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Harry shouted.

"AVADA..."

The door suddenly blew off its hinges, and a flash of black quickly swept into the room.
"Expelliramus!" Severus Snape hissed, blasting Harry's wand out of his hand.
Snape was not alone, because right behind him was none other than the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 59-A Painful Goodbye


"Harry, please stand back. We will take it from here." Dumbledore said sternly.

However, Harry hesitated and refused to tear his angry eyes from the being in front of him.

“Harry?” Dumbledore repeated as he approached the young man who had his wand pressed into the rat man’s throat.

“Shall I intervene?” Snape asked as he raised a brow at the old wizard.

“I shall handle this, Severus.” Dumbledore replied. And then he turned his attention to the dark-haired young man who was shaking with rage.

“You don’t want to do this, Harry.” The old wizard spoke gently as he stepped a bit closer.

“Yes, I do! I want- I want to kill him!” Harry’s voice trembled as the corners of his eyes began to water. “My parents…he betrayed them…He has to die!”

“I know you are angry and upset and I understand that-“ He cut himself off as he found Harry was trying to ignore him.

“You bloody bastard! I’m going to kill you…” Harry sneered at Wormtail, trying not to listen to the old wizard.

“Harry… Harry, please look at me.” Dumbledore’s voice had almost softened to a whisper.

Harry sniffled then forced himself to look at the old wizard. His eyes were glistening with tears that were ready to fall.

“I know that this man has caused you a lot of pain and right now you are not thinking clearly-”

“Oh I am thinking clearly!” Harry snapped. “I am thinking that I clearly want to kill this rat!”

“That is your anger talking, Harry. It isn't you. And you have every right to despise this man but…you do not have the right to commit murder.” Dumbledore replied slowly.

Harry could feel a sharp pang in his chest and he was thoroughly convinced that if he could just kill Wormtail, that feeling would go away. And for a moment, he was angry that Dumbledore was there. He was angry that anyone else was there. He wanted it to just be Wormtail and himself and he wanted to blast the rat right to his grave!

“Harry, please lower your wand.” Dumbledore said as he reached out and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “You have done well in capturing this criminal. Let the Ministry handle it from here.”

After a moment, Harry sighed deeply and then lowered his wand and stepped away.

"Severus, if you will please take care of this." the old wizard gestured to Wormtail.


Snape nodded quickly and then seized Wormtail by the arm.


"I believe your cheese-loving, arrogant days are over." Snape hissed at the rat faced man as he escorted him out the door.


There was a long, uncomfortable silence as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco slowly looked to the old wizard.

Dumbledore looked to Harry then Ron and then he shifted his gaze to Hermione and Draco with sorrowful eyes.


"I see that...the two of you have returned to face your punishment?" He asked slowly.


"Yes, Professor." Hermione replied slowly.


"Yeah." Draco answered quietly.


"I want you both to know that I do not harbor any ill feelings towards either one of you." Dumbledore spoke slowly.


Draco quirked a brow.


"So you're not sending us to prison?" Draco asked slowly sounding relieved.


"No Mr. Malfoy, I am not sending you to prison." replied the old wizard. "But you will be placed under severe observation." he added sternly.
Draco nodded slowly, cracking a tiny smile.


"However," Dumbledore turned his gaze to Hermione. "I am afraid that I cannot excuse you from going to Azkaban, Miss Granger."


Hermione gasped then swallowed with a slow nod.


Harry and Ron slowly lowered their heads.


"Wh-what? But...But why are you sending Hermione to Azkaban, sir?" Draco asked quickly becoming alarmed.


"Mr. Malfoy, the rules are clear as are the laws of the Wizarding World. Miss Granger has used one of the three Unforgivable Curses and that is an unforgivable crime. The consequences are severe. Therefore, I cannot allow her to remain here. She must be sent to Azkaban." the old wizard stated firmly.


"But what about her...her classes? What about her tests and...stuff?" the blonde retorted in a shaky tone. "She's Head Girl for crying out loud!"
"Not anymore, just as you, no longer hold the title of Head Boy. As of now, I am revoking those positions from you both." Dumbledore replied.
Harry blinked and looked to Ron who raised a brow in disbelief.
Hermione was at a loss for words as was Draco, who now had the most shocked look on his face.
"Now, will the both of you kindly remove your head badges and give them to me." added the old wizard opening his hand.
Hermione looked to Draco.
Draco looked to Hermione.
Then Hermione reached down and slowly removed the badge from her clothing. Taking one last look at it, she placed it in the old wizard's hand.
Draco shook his head and simply ripped his badge off, nearly slamming it down on top of the head girl badge.
Dumbledore drew his hand back, and sadly closed his long fingers around the badges with a regretful sigh.


"I am deeply sorry for having to do this." he said slowly.
"I...understand." Hermione said, her lips trembling as her eyes filled with tears.


Just then Snape had returned alone.
"The carriage to Azkaban has arrived. It is waiting." He said in his usual cold manner.
"And where is Pettigrew?" Dumbledore inquired.
"He tried to escape in his animagus form so I prepared a special holding compartment for him. "Snape replied with a sly smirk.


The he looked around at the solemn faces and cleared his throat. "Yes, well it is ready." he announced again. Then he looked over at Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, I believe you will be in my care from now on." He said slowly.
Draco nodded slowly.

"Well, it is time." Dumbledore said as he turned and quickly led Hermione out with Harry and Ron following behind.

Seeing Hermione being escorted out made something stir within the blonde Slytherin. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes tightly. And as he did so, his mind flashed back to the beginning of that school year. Why couldn’t he just zap back to that time? He was truly feeling something now. Something strong. He wanted to run; to hide from this pain that was now radiating in his chest. He didn’t know what was happening but he found himself making a wish. A wish that would take him back before all of these complications; back to a good time. A happy time. A time where his biggest worry was homework.

Draco stood there like a statue. His legs had become as heavy as stones and wouldn’t move at all. To make matters worse, it now felt like something was swirling around in his stomach and he was on the verge of throwing up. Clearly, something was very wrong with him.

Snape stared at the blonde questionably. After a bored sigh he spoke.

“Come Draco, I have a class to teach.” His voice was sharp and filled with disdain.

Draco opened his eyes his head snapped up.


"Professor, please let me go see Granger off.” Were the next words out of the Slytherin’s mouth.

Snape raised a brow.

“I’ll come back. Just…let me go say goodbye.” Draco said, urgently.


Snape looked more than disappointed by his request but finally gave a slight nod. "Very well, but see that you are back in ten minutes, Mr. Malfoy." he said sharply.

Then he turned and briskly walked away.


Draco turned and broke into a sprint as he dashed to the moving staircases, which took a few minutes to go down.

He looked down to see that Dumbledore and the three Gryffindors were now on the ground floor, walking out the double doors.

"Granger…” Draco mumbled as he made his way down the stairs. His feet hit the stone floor; nearly tripping in the process as he rushed down the corridor. Moments later, he burst through the double doors in time to see a tall, burly man snap a pair of silver shackles on Hermione's wrists.

"Hermione!" Draco called out hurrying towards the group.

Harry and Ron glared as Draco approached, but Dumbledore shot them a look that told them they should remain silent.

"Draco..." Hermione said lifting her head slowly as the Slytherin rushed up to her.

"Hermione..." Draco breathed.

“I-I wasn’t sure you were going to be able to see me off.” She said softly, trying not to let her voice crack.

“Well, Snape said I could but my time is limited.” He replied.

She nodded then her eyes lowered to the ground as tears formed at the corners of them.

Draco tried not to notice for he was still feeling pain in his chest and stomach. His mind was swirling with things to say, but nothing seemed appropriate for this moment.

“It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?” Her voice broke in.

“What?” He asked as he forced himself to look at her.

She was now looking back at him, trying to smile through her tears.

This didn’t help him at all. In fact, it made him feel even worse.

“I always thought that this situation would be reversed. You were the one taken to Azkaban and I was the one seeing you off.” A tear slid down her cheek.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way.” Draco replied almost in a whisper.

Hermione forced a smile and lifted a hand to brush a part of his bangs out of his eyes.

He felt a small tingle from her touch as her fingers lightly swept through his hair. Though the pleasurable feeling washed away the instant he heard the clinking of the shackles around her hands. It brought him back to the painful reality.

All over Hogwarts, student faces and heads had popped out, gawking at what was going on. Within minutes, it seemed every window had a dozen observers looking down at the scene taking place.








“Alright, wrap this up. I have to get going!” snarled the burly man who was tapping his foot impatiently.

Draco glared at the man and then looked back to Hermione.

“Hermione, I…” he began. But then stopped and decided that they had exchanged enough words.

Moving forward he closed the gap between them as his lips met hers. It was a slow, soft, non-intrusive kiss that warmed his heart and sent a tingle down his spine, making him feel light-headed as the world disappear around them.

And there they were, just the two of them floating through heavenly clouds of bliss. Their feet no longer planted in the ground but uprooted and free to travel through the vast universe set before them. Draco had never felt anything like this and he was certain he never would again. He was going to hold onto this feeling, hold on to this sensation. But what was this?



“That’s enough!” a voice growled and Draco was ripped from his peaceful sanctuary.

All too soon, the precious moment had been interrupted and Draco didn't want to let her go, but he had no choice, and he released her, brushing his lips across hers lightly as he slowly pulled away.

"Up you go." grumbled the man as he hoisted Hermione into the carriage.


Just before the carriage door closed, Harry and Ron caught a glimpse of a small round cage with a familiar rat in it. They couldn't help but smirk to each other but then frowned once more as they looked back to Hermione.

She looked to them sorrowfully. However Harry's face was distorted with anger, his green eyes almost looked menacing. And Ron's face showed a lot of hurt, disbelief, and so much pain.


And then the carriage began to pull away slowly.



He had wanted to say that he would miss her, and so much more; but he couldn’t get a single word out. All he could do was stand there silently, fighting the inner pain of his body as he watched the carriage become more distant until it finally faded out of view.
He couldn’t move, couldn’t even think clearly. He was hurting too much.




"I wish Hermione well." mumbled Ron regretfully.


Hearing these words, the blonde Slytherin turned and stomped towards Harry and Ron.


"You act like she's going on a vacation, Weasel." he snapped bitterly.


"Why don't you run on to Potion's class, Malfoy?" Harry sneered.


Draco got right up in Harry's face.


Harry stood up to him as tall as he could.


Dumbledore was about to intervene when Draco said, "A while back, you asked me a question, Potter and I lied about the answer."


"Huh?" Harry asked scratching his head with a confused expression.


"It was about Hermione!" He snapped.

“Oh!” Suddenly, Harry understood. “You mean about do you love Hermione?”

Slowly, Draco nodded. “You know my answer, now.” He mumbled as he backed down.


Harry and Ron's eyes widened at this.


Even Dumbledore seemed a little taken back by the blonde Slytherin's words.


After glaring at Harry and Ron for a moment, Draco spun around and stormed back into the castle.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 60-A Burst of Rage! A Glimmer of Hope?

"Did he just hint that he loved Hermione?" Ron gasped, with an uneasy frown.


"Yeah...he did." Harry mumbled nodding with a confused expression.


"I can't believe him." the red head grumbled on. "Malfoy, doesn't know the meaning of love. He only knows evil, evil, ferret, and evil." Ron said bitterly.

"Ah but perhaps Mr. Malfoy is slowly learning the meaning of love." Dumbledore cut in

.
Harry looked to the old wizard. "Sir, I don't mean to be rude but why does Malfoy get to stay here, while Hermione goes to Azkaban?" He inquired changing the subject.

"Yeah, that git should have been sent away too." Ron chimed in.


"It's not fair, professor. Malfoy committed a crime and he should be severely punished and thrown out of Hogwarts." Harry added coldly.

Dumbledore shot Harry a stern look.

"Well then, perhaps you would like to be punished and thrown out of Hogwarts." he stated calmly.
Harry flinched as the old wizard continued on. "If I'm not mistaken, Harry, you almost used an Unforgivable Curse as well."


"But sir, I had a good reason...he was-"

"Harry." Dumbledore held up a hand, hushing him. "There can be no good in a reason when it involves doing something bad. As foul as Pettigrew is, he should be dealt with by the Ministry, not a hot-tempered, vengeful young man."

Harry scowled and looked down, shaking his head annoyed. Ron looked down quietly.


"Now, I think the two of you have a class to attend." Dumbledore added with a knowing nod.
Harry nodded silently and turned and stomped away. Ron hurried after him.

----------------------------------------------


Draco sat quietly, glaring down at his book fuming as Snape began a long, lecture on antidotes for certain poisons. However, he didn't care about it.
He was too busy replaying that kiss with Hermione in his mind. It was the best feeling he’d ever felt.

Just then Harry and Ron walked into the classroom and of course, the scuffing of their shoes on the stone floor broke his beautiful dreamscape.


"Ah, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, twenty minutes late. That will be three days of detention for each of you, now take your seats." Snape's bitter voice sneered.


Both Gryffindors quickly sat down.


Draco looked at them, scowled and looked down again without saying a word.
He paid no attention to the curious looks they were giving him. He also ignored Snape's lecture. He even ignored his own housemates, who were giving him confused and cold expressions. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and live in that wonderful moment that he had experienced with Hermione. But in this classroom, there was no chance of that happening.


"Mr. Malfoy, pay attention or I shall have to take points away from you." Snape finally warned him as he noticed the blonde young man was not even paying attention or participating.
Draco just slammed his book closed, glaring down at his desk.”Go ahead. It’s your bloody house anyway.” He snorted under his breath.


"Mr. Malfoy, if you do not cooperate and open your book right now to page 423, I shall be forced to take ten points from you." Snape said warningly.

"Fine, go ahead!" Draco snarled enraged jumping out of his seat glaring at Snape angrily. "Take away all of my bloody points! Give them to Potter and Weasley, I don't bloody care!"

Snape's eyes widened in disbelief as did every students’, at Draco's enraged outburst.

Harry and Ron had jumped slightly at the harsh tone that Draco had used.
Draco then grabbed his bag and forced the door open as he stormed out of the classroom.
"Bloody hell." Ron mumbled, as he looked to Harry slowly. "That git has really lost it."

-----------------------------------------------------
Hermione's tears had dried by the time she had arrived at the prison. She grimaced as she was led by two large guards; towards the foreboding doors that led into Azkaban.
She took a quick look around at her surroundings and frowned.

The place was huge; much bigger than even Hogwarts castle. Larger than anything she'd ever seen before.
With an ear splitting creak, the doors opened and she was led inside. The walls were old, discolored and cracks were visible throughout them. The candle holders were stained with rust and grime. It looked as if they'd been embedded into the walls for centuries.
The corridors were wide, and the ceiling was high. As Hermione passed by several cells, she noted the sizes of some of the larger inmates and understood the reasoning for the building structure.

"In here." said one of the guards, suddenly steering her to the right.
Hermione was led into a small round room where a little old woman, with grey, matted hair and a pudgy face was sitting behind a small brown, wooden desk.


The woman adjusted her extremely, large bifocals, and blinked her bright green eyes.
"Upix, Lawq, you may go now." she said in a high shrill tone, waving the two guards away.
They nodded to her and then left the room, closing the door behind them.
Hermione stood there nervously chewing on her bottom lip as she looked around the bare room.


"Sit, sit, sit!" the old woman squawked briskly, gesturing to the thin, metal chair in front of her desk.
Hermione looked to her and nodded as she quickly sat in the chair.
"Now then," the old woman said in a rather upbeat tone. "My name is Veranda Viswaters. I am your evaluator and case advisor. It is my job to interview you and decide what kind of holding capacity you are to be placed in."
Hermione swallowed nervously as the old woman spoke the words 'holding capacity'.
"Let's see who you are." Veranda said brightly as she picked up a large gold folder and opened it on her desk.


"Ah, here we are." She announced. "Hermione Granger."
Hermione nodded slowly seeing the dozens of parchments that were contained inside it, come pouring out.


"Oh my!" Veranda laughed as the small pile straightened itself out on her desk.
Then after a moment, the old woman began to sift through each one mumbling aloud on certain ones.
"MmmHmmm...okay....hmmm....hum...ooo…gained high marks at Hogwarts, good, good." she nodded approvingly as she glanced to Hermione quickly and then back at the papers.
"Hmm...special services to the school first year....Hmm Mhmm..."
Hermione began to sweat as the old woman read on through the stack, more quickly now.
Veranda was now on the last page and was still doing her share of 'hmm's when suddenly she stopped. "Using the Killing Curse, an Unforgivable curse on another student. Oh dear...so this is why you've been sent here." She suddenly gasped.


Hermione bit her lip hard and folded her trembling hands in her lap. She was scared, and it showed.
"My goodness child, your record before this is squeaky clean. What possessed you to utter such a horrendous curse?" She gasped, her green eyes looking as though they were going to burst out of her bifocals.
"I...I was angry and...that voice." Hermione stopped feeling tears forming in her eyes again.
Veranda scratched her head and then looked down at the parchment again. "It says here that there was suspicion that you were under the Imperius Curse and something about a book?" the old woman looked confused.


"The Death Eater's book. I'd had it since summer, but at the time I didn't know that it was a Death Eater's book. It was titled 'Discovering You True Worth and Finding Where You Belong'. It seemed harmless and I liked the stories in it at first." Hermione stopped and then let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm such a fool." she mumbled.
"Is that book still in your possession?" Veranda inquired.
"No ma'am. You see, I...I lost it." Hermione said, hoping that the old lady would fall for her lie.
"Well, if it is no longer in your possession, then you cannot be charged for it." the old woman stated simply.
Hermione nodded.
"Let's see. It says here..." Veranda flipped to the front of the stack. "It says here that you are a muggle-born witch, is that correct?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am." Hermione replied.
"Well being that you are muggle-born, there is a chance that I can prevent you from having to be locked up here for the rest of your life. After all you don't have any previous records and if you can convince the Ministry of Magic that you were under the Imperius Curse then you just might be able to be free again." Veranda admitted with a little cackle. "That's the joys of finding a loophole and I might add that finding loopholes is one of my specialties."


Hermione's eyes lit up with hope.


"However, you must keep your nose clean and do not cause trouble." The old woman pointed her finger at her warningly.


"I'm more than happy to conduct myself in the proper manner." the bushy-haired girl replied.


"And don't keep the wrong company." the old woman added.
"I won't." Hermione replied firmly.


"Good. Well, then you're well on your way to becoming a free woman." Veranda said cheerfully, making Hermione crack a small smile.


"But until your hearing, you will remain here." the old woman added firmly.
"When...is my hearing?" Hermione ventured to ask.
"It says that your hearing will be the fourth of December, exactly at noon and no lollygagging, the Ministry is full of impatient officials!" Veranda answered opening her desk drawer, fumbling through pieces of small parchments.


"So, I'm to remain here for three months?" the girl asked nervously.


Veranda nodded slightly.


"Now, I must find where to put you." The old woman's voice grew soft as she studied over a list of the prison locations. Her round, plump finger trailed across a few places before finally stopping on one.
"Ah! The Northeast Tower." She said briskly.
Hermione gave her a funny look.
"It's the safest place here away from our other prisoners and the most comfortable." Veranda said standing up. "Come, I'll take you there myself. " she added.
Hermione slowly rose to her feet, and blinked as she saw that the old woman was no taller than 4 ft.
"Come on now, follow me. "Veranda said, as she waddled towards the door. Hermione nodded and followed her out.

[Liz-Miia Parker]

Omg, päris lahe. I hate Harry!

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 61-On a Mission

Draco marched down the corridor seething with rage. "d**n it, there has to be something that I can do to get her out of there. Dumbledore has to be able to do something!" He said to no one in particular as he quickened his pace to the Headmaster's office. "Chocolate Frogs" He spoke.
The steps appeared and Draco hurried up them to the Headmaster's office.

"Professor, I need to talk to-" Draco began as he burst in but immediately found it empty. His grey eyes narrowed and he scowled. "Great." he grumbled half-turning to leave. But then something lying on Dumbledore's desk caught his eye.

He stopped and squinted at it as it sparkled. He strode over and as he came closer he saw it was the Head Boy badge. “A lot of good this thing did for me!" He sneered rolling his eyes. Then his expression softened as he looked to the second badge partially sticking out from under it. It read Head Girl.
He reached down and picked it up, looking at it longingly, running his thumb lightly over the Gryffindor's sparkling crest.

"She worked so hard to get this." He mumbled. "She excelled in every class and this year she finally made it to this point. And then..." He stopped as a quick flash of Hermione blasting Pansy appeared in his mind. "She gave everything up for me. All her hopes and dreams were gone the moment she spoke the words of the Killing Curse. I never should have let her do it. I should have been the one who blasted Pansy that night. Even though it would have killed me, I still should have. Hermione's lost everything now because of me!" He growled. Then he put the badge back down and shook his head slowly.
"There's only one thing I can do." He then placed the badge back on Dumbledore's desk. With a quick turn, he briskly walked out of the room.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ginny Weasley; who'd seen Draco exit Dumbledore's office in a huff, ducked behind a statue as the blonde Slytherin came rushing by.
As Draco turned the corner, Ginny hurried out from her hiding place and then rushed towards the Headmaster's office, rattling a suit of armor as she accidentally bumped into it on her way.
She quickly looked around hoping that she hadn't made too much noise. It seemed that she hadn't. So, turning back around, she mumbled "Chocolate Frogs." As the steps appeared, she rushed up them.

Draco had left the door open, and so the red headed girl made her way into the office. After taking a quick look around she slowly moved towards the bookcase that held all of Dumbledore's most important books.



She skimmed the titles, wrinkling her freckled nose as she disturbed some of the dust that had collected in clumps upon the shelf.
"Achoo!" she sneezed loudly, blowing even more of the dust particles around.

Then sniffling slightly, she continued her search. "It has to be here." She mumbled in a cold tone.
And then she looked up and saw a black book, sticking out amongst a few brown ones.
"There it is." she whispered as she spotted it on the very top of the shelf. She made a grab for it slowly, but found she was a little too short to reach it. She tried jumping up and down a couple times but her index finger was barely able to touch the worn black cover.
She let out a frustrated huff, and then quickly looked around for something to stand on. "d**n it, I have to get it!" she grumbled through clenched teeth.
--------------------------------------------
As Draco turned the corner, he’d stopped in midstride as he heard what sounded like metal clanging.
The sound had come from the direction that he had just come from. Maybe Dumbledore was back?

Turning slowly on his heel, he walked back around the corner just in time to see a figure hurrying up the steps towards Dumbledore's office. He raised a curious brow as he slowly started back towards the steps.
-------------------------------------------
Ginny had grabbed a small wooden stool and was now pulling it towards the tall bookcase. After testing its sturdiness, she climbed up on it and slowly stood up.



"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" drawled a cold voice.
Ginny jumped slightly and gasped as she turned to see Draco standing in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" She snapped at him.
"I think the question is; what are you doing here, Weaselette?" He replied with a suspicious smirk.
"Well I...I'm just-" she began.
"Just snooping around in old Dumbledore's office." he cut her off with a cold chuckle.
"Yes...I mean no! I needed to...I was looking for..." She stammered. Then she scowled. "Look it's none of your business what I'm doing here. Just what are you doing here, Malfoy?" she added bitterly as she grabbed the book that she'd been after and jumped off the stool.

His tall figure cockily moved towards her. "I heard a noise and saw someone heading up here." He sneered as he glared at her. "So, I decided to see what was going on. And who should I find but you nosing around in the Headmaster's office."
She backed against the bookcase as he came closer.
"So, stealing a book from the old wizard, huh?" He snorted, rolling his eyes. "I'm not surprised."
Her eyes narrowed and she dove into her robe and quickly pulled out her wand, pointing it up at him.
He stopped in his place and reached for his own, only to discover that he didn't have it. He then remembered that it must still be in the room on the third floor.
"You can't stay out of anyone's business, can you?" She hissed hugging the book to her with one hand.
"Oh and like you can, Weaselette?" He snapped, as anger filled his voice. "If it wasn't for you, your annoying brother, and Potter; Hermione would be here and she and I would have been able have a normal relationship. She could have stayed Head Girl and I could have stayed as Head Boy."


"Ha! Normal? A Slytherin dating a Gryffindor is not normal, Malfoy!" She snapped.


"Well we could have started something. We could have made it become normal!" He snapped back at her. "But you, your brother, and Pathetic Potter couldn't leave well enough alone!" His face then twisted into a malicious frown. "You three are the ones to blame in this whole mess and mark my words. You will pay!" He warned.

She rolled her eyes then scoffed. "Well what's done is done. And idle threats don't scare me, Malfoy!" She snapped, as she adjusted the book in her arm. As she did so, she accidentally uncovered the title.
Draco's eyes went straight to it and he read the faded gold letters written across it's rugged, aged cover. "Discovering Your True Worth And Finding Where You Belong?" he mumbled.

Then his eyes narrowed. "Give me that book, Weaselette." He demanded in a dangerous tone stepping towards her.
"No!" she squeaked. "Expelliramus!" she shouted blasting him against Dumbledore's stacked desk. He gasped as boxes and folders came tumbling down on top of him.
Ginny then turned and started for the door.
Draco; spying a wand that had fallen off of the old wizard's desk, snatched it up and rolled over pointing it at the fleeing girl. "Stupefy!" he snarled blasting her with a red stream of light.


She fell to the floor unconscious.

With a groan, Draco sat up, rubbing his head.
It was then that he noticed the wand in his hand. There was a thin string with a tiny piece of parchment attached to it.
Curiously, he flipped the parchment open, his face softened as he read what was written. 'Granger, H.'
He was holding Hermione's wand.
And then he looked to an over turned box and noticed the tip of another wand sticking out from under it. He pushed the box over to see that in fact three wands were beneath it, all with string and parchments attached to them.
He picked up the darkest colored one and smirked as he read the name on it. 'Malfoy, D'
He then grabbed the last two wands, read the names and his face twisted into an evil grin.

Quickly, he tucked all four of them into his robes.

As he stood up, he nearly tripped over something. He looked down to discover a rug? Kneeling down and getting a closer look, he discovered that it wasn't a rug at all. No, it was a cloak.


Draco's grin grew wider. He suddenly had a plan.


Knowing that Dumbledore could return at anytime, Draco snatched up the cloak. He draped it around himself and stepped over to the unconscious girl. He reached down and ripped the black book from her grasp and tucked it into his robes.
Just then he heard Dumbledore's voice. He quickly pulled out his own wand and waved it at the mess around the old wizard's desk. Everything quickly returned to its original neat state and the room looked just as clean as before. With an approving nod, Draco spun around and looked down at the girl. He pointed his wand at her. "Innervate." He whispered.
Then, as she began to stir, Draco jumped over her body and quickly rushed out the door.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, this is it." announced Veranda, as she and Hermione reached the top of the long flight of stairs. Hermione blinked and frowned as she realized that they were outside and that being so high up it was rather breezy. Off in the distance, Hermione gasped in horror as she saw two familiar frightening figures.
"Miss Viswaters..." She began nervously.


"Please dear, call me Veranda. Miss Viswaters makes me sound like an old hag with waterbags in her knickers." Veranda replied fumbling for the key to unlock the cell.


"Okay, um Veranda...aren't those dementors?" Hermione asked bracing herself against the stone wall beside the cell door.
Veranda turned slightly to see the hovering figures across the way. "Oh yes dear, a small handful of them decided to stick around and continue being faithful, loyal guards." she replied simply.
Hermione swallowed nervously. "Uh...but dementors aren't known for being 'faithful and loyal' creatures." she said as she watched the two in the distance now moving her way slowly. "And they can't be trusted. Dementors are foul creatures who can take your soul and all of your happy feelings as well. A dementor's kiss is their most terrifying attack. And once they steal your soul, you become a hollow, soulless zombie." She added.

"Really Miss Granger, you sound like an encyclopedia." Veranda chuckled as she tried fitting a number of different keys into the rusted keyhole of the door. "And anyway, you needn't bother explaining them to me. I am well aware of their character traits, thank you." She added.

Hermione nodded and cringed as she could now see the tattered cloaks of the frightening creatures coming into better view.
She couldn't help but feel as though they were watching her. Waiting for her to be alone. Waiting to attack her.

Just then there was a loud click and Hermione knew by that sound, Veranda had found the right key.
"Alright now, in you go." said the old woman as she opened the rusty cell door. The creak it made was horrendously loud.

Slowly, Hermione stepped into the cell. There were no windows, so the barred cell door was her only window to the outside world. A small uncomfortable-looking bed sat in the right corner. Beside it a small lamp with a tattered black shade sat on a wooden rickety table. Across from her sleeping area, in the left corner hung a thick white sheet. Behind it she could make out the outline of a toilet and possible shower. She grimaced and turned to Veranda who was now shutting the door.


"This is the most comfortable, safest place in the whole prison?" Hermione asked with a disgusted yet uneasy look on her face.


"Yes." the old woman replied with a slow nod.


"It's absolutely horrid." Hermione complained as she slowly walked over to the bed, grimacing at its tattered sheets and flat pillow.


"Well what do you expect, dear? This is a prison, not a five star hotel." Veranda scoffed.


Then she cleared her throat and softened her voice. "Now, meals are twice a day, one at 9am the other at 6pm. Occasionally, the guards may bring you a snack if you have been on your best behavior. Also, it is advised that you not stand at your cell door after dark. The dementors that remain here may think you're trying to escape and well..."Veranda frowned. "things could get a bit ugly." She finished with an uneasy nod.


Hermione nodded.

Veranda then looked down at her wrist where an hourglass was attached in the same manner as a watch. "Well it's nearly noon and I have to be going to check on my other clients. I shall come back and check up on you from time to time. So just remember what I told you. Keep your nose clean and you should be out of here in no time."
And with that, the old woman briskly walked away.

Hermione's eyes lowered and she let out a heavy sigh as she slowly sat down on the bed. It squeaked loudly and she groaned in frustration. She shook her head and fell face first into the pillow.


*Clang*

She groaned as she fell into it a little too hard; her forehead collided with the metal frame of the bed that lay beneath her extremely thin, flat pillow.
She lifted her hand and rubbed her forehead slowly. "Oww!" She groaned for the third time as she stared at the ceiling. "Almost noon, huh? I wonder what Draco is doing now." She mumbled out loud.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Draco headed down the stairs that led to the damp, cold, dungeons where the Slytherin common room was located. His eyes were dark and full of determination as he turned the corner. "I don't have time for these bloody classes." He mumbled with annoyance in his tone. "I've got better things to do."
And then he stopped and spoke the password, as he stood before the large stone door. "Pure-Blood" he stated.
The door slid open and Draco stomped in.
He wasn't surprised that the common room was empty. After all, his housemates were all in class; where he should have been.
But the sly young man had other plans.
He was on a mission.

He hurried up to the boy's dorm and pushed opened the door. As he entered, he looked to see that his things from the Head's dorm had already been brought down.
All of his belongings were piled up with some partially spilling onto the bed.
He walked over and began digging through the pile, pushing stuff out of the way as his eyes quickly scanned over everything.
He hoped that it was here. He was hoping that they hadn't taken it away. He threw his bags on his bed with such force that several things rattled inside them.
But he didn't care. He was only looking for one thing. And then he found it!
Draco smirked as he reached down and picked up his old Nimbus 2001. Then he turned and hurried out of the dorm. He quickly made his way through the common room.
Then as he made it out to the corridor, he ran.
Up the stairs to the ground floor and bolted towards the two large castle doors.
With one quick shove, the doors opened and he was greeted by the bright, welcoming sun.
He took no time to take in its beauty though.
Instead he quickly mounted his broom, his pale hands gripped tightly around its neck.
And with a strong kick up from the ground, he blasted off into the sky.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 62- Fury in The Skies

Harry and Ron were on the third floor heading towards their next class, when the red head happened to glance towards the large window.

His eyes grew wide.

"Bloody Hell, Harry! Look!" He cried out as Draco zoomed past the window on his broom.

Harry quirked a brow. "Malfoy?" he mumbled rubbing his head.

"Oh wow, look! Someone's flying around on a broom!" came the voice of an excited first year girl.

Soon more first years were oogling out the window.

"Where could Malfoy be going, Harry?" Ron inquired as he noticed his friend now walking quickly.

"I know exactly where he's going." Harry snapped, picking up his pace as he walked even faster.

"You don't mean-" Ron cut himself off as the dark haired young man nodded to him.

"But, he can't do anything. I mean he can't bust her out." Ron mumbled skeptically.

"With the violent actions he showed in Potions towards Snape, I'm not putting anything past Malfoy!" Harry snapped.

Suddenly, Ron realized that they were now walking back they way they'd come.

"Uh Harry, Charms class is that way." the red head mumbled pointing behind them.

"I know, but I'm going after that git!" replied his dark haired friend.

"What?"

"You heard me." Harry snapped as he hurried to the Gryffindor common room.

"But Harry, you know we can't just up and leave. Do you know how much trouble we'll get into?" Ron snapped back trying to keep up with him. "Plus we don't even have our wands!" He pointed out.

"That doesn't matter. Malfoy doesn't have his wand either. And between the two of us, I am certain we can take that git down." Harry replied confidently.

"Well, what about the dementors?" the red head suddenly blurted out. "Those things guard the prison."

"They're not there anymore, remember? They all joined Voldemort so we don't have to worry about them." the dark haired young man replied.

"Yeah but..." Ron began hesitantly.

"Look, you don't have to go, Ron." added his dark haired friend as they went up to their dorm.
"Ofcourse I do. I can't let you go alone." Ron stated.

Harry cracked a slight smile as they hurried over to their beds.

Harry snatched up his Firebolt and Ron grabbed his Shooting Star.

"You know, we may lose our brooms after this?" Ron said uneasily.

"I know." his friend replied.

"Which would be a bloody shame because Quidditch starts in two days." the red head added with a sigh.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I think that Dumbledore will understand." He replied. "Once we explain everything I am sure that he will see that we were once again providing our special services to the school."

Ron scratched his head looking a bit confused.

"Come on!" Harry urged as he ran out the door.
Ron hurried after him.

The two boys made their way down to the ground floor and rushed outside.

"Ready?" Harry asked as he stopped and looked to his red headed friend.

"I hope we don't get caught." Ron whimpered nervously.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Ron, you don't have to come with me. I can go by myself, you know." he replied as he swung a leg over his Firebolt.

"Yeah but you know I wouldn't do that to you, mate." Ron replied mounting his Shooting Star.

Harry nodded, "Ready?" he asked, giving Ron a final chance to back out.

"Let's go." the red head replied, nodding back.

Then they both kicked up from the ground and flew away.


"Which way is Azkaban prison?" Ron called out to Harry who was flying just ahead of him.

Harry slowed down a bit and glanced back. "I think it's this way!" Harry shouted back as he steered to the left.

"And you're sure that's where Malfoy is going?" Ron shouted back as the two flew through some low hanging clouds.

"Well, where else would he be going?" Harry called as he slowed his flying a bit so that his friend could keep up.

"You know, I still can't believe Malfoy. He's seriously gone mental!" Ron stated.

"What?" Harry asked loudly as Ron's words had been cut off by the wind.

"I said, Malfoy has seriously gone mental!" Ron hollared.

"You're right about that!" the dark haired young man shouted. "Hermione has too!" He added.

Ron's face fell as Harry said this, but he simply nodded.

Then suddenly Harry stopped in midair.

Ron stopped beside him.

The two squinted and blinked as they saw thick, dark, storm clouds ahead in the distance.

"We'd best be careful mate. Those thick clouds are drooping quickly. They're going to be hard to manuver through." Ron pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right." Harry replied. "It looks like it's going to be a rough storm. We need to fly through it as fast as we can before it gets really bad."

The red head nodded nervously.

"Think you're up for a bit of speed, Ron?" asked his friend.

Ron swallowed and grabbed his broom tightly. "I'm ready when you are." he replied.

Harry nodded then gripped the neck of his broom. "Let's go." he stated.

Then he zoomed off with Ron following close behind him.

-----------------------------------------------
Draco was so busy planning out ways of rescuing Hermione, that he had failed to notice that the sun was now being covered by a blanket of dark, threatening, storm clouds.

It wasn't until he heard a rumble of thunder sounding overhead; that this realization came to his attention. He slowed down a bit and frowned uneasily as he saw that the clouds were even darker ahead of him. It looks like the weather's going to get rough soon and I can't see through these thick clouds. I'd better drop down a bit. He thought slightly tipping the nose of his broom downward.

Then he descended slowly. As he did so he felt something wet drip down onto his cheek. He looked up above and saw the light of the sun was now completely blocked and felt another drip on his forehead. And then another drop. And another. He knew he had no choice, he'd have to drop down even more below the storm if he wanted to be able to see where he was going. And so he did. As he descended, he saw railroad tracks.

I hope I'm going the right way. He thought as he followed them.
-----------------------------------------------------
Ron's eyes almost bugged out as he saw a figure drop down out of the clouds just in the distance.
"Harry, look!" He called out.

Harry squinted then scowled. "Malfoy!" he growled as he now began to speed up.

"Wait for me!" called Ron as he followed after his friend.
---------------------------------------------------------
More drops began to fall and had begun to do so much faster now, as Draco continued to fly below the clouds.
Thunder rumbled loudly and suddenly a streak of lightning flashed in front of him, stopping him in mid flight for a brief moment.

He squinted as the needle sharp rain fell down on him. A strong gust of wind blew against him turning him slightly in the opposite direction.

In a matter of minutes his robes had become soaking wet; as had his blonde hair. He reached up and tried to push back his bangs that were now so wet that they were sticking to his forehead.

He sniffled and wiped his brow as he steered his broom to the right and started to fly straight again.

The wind howled in his ears as he flew this way and that; dodging bolts of lightning as they flashed dangerously close in front of him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Harry and Ron, who were nearly closing in on the unsuspecting Slytherin; had also found themselves in the fury of the storm. Both were holding onto their brooms for dear life.

They could barely see their target now; who was only a few feet in front of them.

"Harry, we need to turn back!" Ron called out as loud as he could.

But the roaring wind and the rumbling thunder drowned out his words.

Harry squinted through his glasses that were now beginning to fog up. "Argh!" he growled using his sleeve to give them a quick wipe. "I can't see!"

Just then a strong gust of strong wind blew between them, hurling them both in opposite directions.

"Ron!" Harry called out, nearly losing his grip on his broomstick.

"Harry!" Ron shouted as he spun around and around; holding on to his broom so tightly that his knuckles were now white.

Harry looked around quickly for any sign of his red headed friend.

"Ron!" he called out.

Suddenly, he felt something small ting against his glasses.


Ron had finally managed to regain control of his broom and had come to a complete stop in the air.
"Harry! Harry!" he called out searching the stormy sky for any trace of his friend.

Just then he saw a figure just across the way from him. "Harry?" He called out.

Suddenly, lightning lit up the sky around him and he panicked, steering his broom to the right and crashing into something.
---------------------------------------------------------


Draco groaned as something hard collided with him. He flipped over, dangling upside down.

"nuts!" he growled, as he took control once again and returned upright on his broom.

He grabbed on to it tightly, breathing heavily as he quickly looked to see what it was that had almost knocked him off it.

He squinted, unable to see exactly what was hovering just a couple of feet in front of him.
--------------------------------------------------------


Ron let out a groan as he had nearly managed to stay on his broom during the impact.
His first thought was that he'd run into Harry. He gasped.

Quickly he flew over to apologize but stopped short as he recognized the figure on the broom. "Malfoy!" he growled.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise.

"Weasel?" he asked as he flew a bit closer to where he could now make out the face of the red head. "What the bloody hell are you doing out here?" he shouted over the wind.


"I was going to ask you the same thing, Malfoy!" Ron shouted back, partially covering his face as he felt bits of small sharp ice falling from the sky.

Just then thunder rumbled around them.

"Well, I was out for a bit of fresh air. Can't exactly breath in the castle so freely nowdays." Draco drawled.


"Don't even try to lie, Malfoy. Harry and I know you're on your way to Azkaban!" Ron spouted.

"So what if I am?" the blonde shrugged.

"Well we're going to stop you. We're taking you back to Hogwarts!" Ron stated firmly, wincing slightly as some sharp pieces of ice cut his knuckles.

"Ha! We? You mean Wonder Boy is out here too?" Draco sneered, as his knuckles also felt the brunt of the ice pieces.

Just then, as if on cue, Harry came flying down from the clouds towards them.

"Malfoy!" he growled loudly.

"Nice to see you too, Potter." sneered the Slytherin. "Unfortunately, I have someplace to go now, so I can't stay and chat!" he added as he turned to fly off.

"You're not going to Azkaban, Malfoy. We're going to stop you!" shouted Harry as he flew in front of him.

Draco's eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do to stop me?" He sneered coldly.

"You don't have your wand!"

"Yeah? Well you don't have yours either!" Harry spat back.

"I don't?" Draco asked with an amused smirk as he reached into his robe and slid his wand out.

Harry's eyes widened. "How did you get that?" he gasped.

Draco just let out a chuckle and then slid it back into his robe. "I have my ways." he bragged.


Then,without warning; a bolt of lightning struck the back tip of Ron's broom causing him to panic and fall off.

"Ron!" Harry cried out.

Luckily, Ron had managed to grab onto it with one hand as he slipped over the side. But with the handle of the broom being so wet now, he could feel that he was losing his grip.

"Harry!" he cried out as he grabbed onto the broom with his other hand. "I can't get back up!"
"Hold on, Ron!" Harry said as he leaned down, reaching for his friend's hand.

Draco watched through the blinding rain as the dark haired young man began to pull the red head up.

A crash of thunder echoed around them.

Harry jumped slightly at the sound, nearly losing his grip on his own broom. "Ron, argh! Climb on your broom!" he shouted.

Ron tried to swing his leg up but his broom was so slippery. "I...I can't! I can't get my leg up!" he shouted.

Just then a strong gust of wind crashed into all three of them.

"Agh!" Ron yelled as Harry lost his grip on him.

"Ron!" Harry shouted as he was sent spinning across the sky.

Draco; who had quickly managed to regain control of his broom, flew towards the dangling red head.

"Having fun there, Weasel?" he taunted with a smirk.

But Ron was too frightened to speak and then he began to slip.

He closed his eyes and winced as he felt his fingers loosen.


But just as he was about to fall, a firm hand clamped around his wrist tightly.

Harry. He thought with a relieved sigh.


Then his eyes flew open.

He looked up to see that the hand was not Harry's instead it belonged to Draco.



"Malfoy?" he mumbled with wide eyes.

"Come on, Weasel! Get your arse back up on your broom!" Draco growled through clenched teeth.

Ron pulled himself up with all his might, trying to ignore the hail that was now attacking the top of his red head.

Draco winced slightly as a sharp piece of the ice cut him across the right cheek as he held on to the red headed young man.

Finally, Ron was able to swing his leg back up and climb back on his broom.
Draco quickly let go of him and smirked at the shocked expression on the red head's face.

Ron's eyes were wide as he stared in disbelief at the one who'd helped him.
But before he could speak Harry came flying up.

"I don't believe my eyes!" he said, with a confused look. "Malfoy, you actually helped Ron."

"Bloody Hell, and I thought that you were mental before!" Ron stated uneasily.

Draco snorted then rolled his eyes.

The hail was beginning to fall faster and in larger chunks now, causing more icy cuts to the three boys.

"We have to get out of this storm!" Harry shouted to them. "It's getting worse! We have to land and find shelter!"

"You're right mate!" Ron shouted back.

Draco however just scoffed and shouted. "And just where are we going to find shelter, Potter?" he sneered pointing down at the ground. "I don't see any buildings down there!"

But before Harry could answer a horrendous roar suddenly sounded around the three boys.

The sky grew darker and an eerie stillness washed over them.

The wind and rain quickly ceased.

"Harry?" Ron mumbled nervously. "What's going on?"

"I...I don't know Ron." Harry replied as a strange uneasy feeling came over him. "It's like suddenly everything just stopped."

Suddenly, Draco's eyes widened in horror.


"Potter, behind you!" he snapped.

Harry and Ron turned to see what Draco was staring at and froze.

A very large, black twister was moving towards them rapidly.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron whimpered.

"We have to get out of its path!" Harry shouted. "Follow me!" he added as he turned to fly away but suddenly another large black swirling twister dipped down in front of him and he along with Ron and Draco, were sucked up into the dark twirling winds.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 63- Evil Deeds

Back at Hogwarts, Ginny was storming down the corridor. She had been caught by Dumbledore.

**Flashback**
"Miss Weasley, what are you doing here?" he had asked her.
"Sorry Sir, I came to see you but you weren't here so I was trying to leave and I tripped and fell." She had said.
"And what is it that you wanted to see me about?" He had asked her.
"Just wondering if you had seen Harry lately." She had lied.
**End Flashback**


When he had told her no, she had excused herself, claiming that she was late for class; which she was.
But class was not where she was heading.
Instead she was now stomping up to the Owlry.

As she entered it, she saw two large figures standing in the shadows.
"Did you get it?" whispered one with a slightly squeaky male voice.
"No, I didn't." Ginny whispered regretfully.
"This will not please the Dark Lord." said a second male voice, this one a little deeper than the first.
"I know and I almost had it but then the Slytherin Prince showed up. He knocked me out and took it." Ginny hissed coldly.
"Well, that's Draco for you." the squeaky voice said lightly. Then he let out a yelp as the second figure elbowed him.
"This is no joking matter." growled the second voice. "The Dark Lord is ready to strike."
"I'll try to get it." Ginny replied, her voice now cracking.
"There is no try about it! You had better get it unless you want to go home to a slaughtered family!" snapped the second male voice.
"I told you I will do whatever you tell me to just don't hurt my family. And that includes Ron." Ginny broke in cutting him off.
"If you follow through with the deal, then we'll steer clear of your family." the first said quickly.
"Shut up, Crabbe. I wasn't done speaking, you idiot!" the second voice snapped.
"Sorry, Goyle." Crabbe mumbled.

"So, last summer in Diagon Alley, when we had our first meeting, you said that I should keep a low profile, which I have done. And I've stayed out of your way." Ginny stated desperately.
"And for that, you will be spared and possibly rewarded if the Dark Lord feels generous." Goyle stated as he walked towards her.
"Hold out your hand." he said.
"Another one?" She gasped.
The tall young man nodded slowly.
She hesitated at first but then held it out.
He smirked and dropped a small vial of liquid, similar to the one she'd had before; into the palm of her hand.
"Here is the second vial. Unlike the first, Lucius said it won't have the same effects so you can't play it off as Polyjuice potion and change into the form of a dead person again." He stated.
Crabbe snickered. "That was funny though, scaring the nuts out of Draco and Granger. Remember we caught a glimpse of that on our way back?" he said looking to Goyle.
"It was funny yeah, but now is not the time to talk about the past." He smacked the pudgy boy in the back of the head.
"So, will this still let the Dark Lord see everything that goes on through me?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, it will also keep the dementors from attacking you, tonight. Which reminds me, when the dementors arrive, Snape's instructions are to go with him." Goyle snapped.
Just then another figure came rushing into the Owlry.
Ginny, Crabbe, and Goyle turned to see a familiar young man standing in the doorway, panting heavily.

"Guys, I've got some news." Blaise Zabini snapped in a slightly anxious tone.
"What is it, Blaise?" Goyle asked raising a brow.
"First, Draco flew off." Blaise began.
"He what?" Ginny gasped.


"He jumped on his broom and flew off!" He repeated with an annoyed sigh.
"But he's got that book with him! How am I supposed to get it now?" Ginny panicked.
Blaise just shrugged then continued now with a dark smile creeping across his face as he looked to the two Slytherins.
"Here's the best part. Potter is gone too. I think he and Weasley may have gone after Draco." He said looking quite pleased.
"You mean Ron went with him?" Ginny gasped.
Blaise nodded.
"So, Potter's away from the school! Away from Dumbledore?" Crabbe replied raising a brow.
"Yeah, which means that he's also away from Dumbledore's protection." Goyle sneered.


"We must inform the Dark Lord at once!" Blaise stated quickly.
Goyle nodded. "Come on, let's go, Crabbe." He said as he and Crabbe left quickly.


"Make sure you don't go blabbing about this to everyone." Blaise warned Ginny with a disgusted sneer.


She swallowed uneasily and nodded slowly.


His eyes narrowed at her suspiciously and then he spun around and walked away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wormtail has been captured!” Voldemort hissed as he paced back and forth angrily in front of a very uneasy Lucius Malfoy.

“I have tried and tried to get Potter. I have used trickery, lies, threats, and anything that I could think of. And yet every time I come close to getting my hands on that boy, someone always gets in the way!”

“Yes, my Lord and I completely feel your pain-“

Voldemort stopped and glared at Lucius. “Pain? You think you feel my pain? Why don’t you feel your own?” He pointed his wand at the silver haired man. “Crucio!”

Lucius hit the ground writhing in agony. “Now, you think you can feel my pain? Do you? I’ll not have anyone comparing themselves to me! Is that understood?”

“Y-Yes, my Lord. Please have mercy.” Lucius begged between bouts of pain.

But the dark wizard blasted him again.

After a few moments, Voldemort ceased his torture and put his wand away. “Now, be careful about your wagging tongue. I won’t hesitate to kill you next time!”

After having endured the painful Cruciatus curse; Lucius Malfoy breathed a small sigh of relief and nodded slowly as he was making his way back to his feet.

Voldemort stood deathly still and quiet for a moment and then looked to Lucius.

“I am very disappointed in your son, Lucius. I sent him and his pet mudblood on a simple quest and now I hear that he messed it all up!” the dark wizard snarled.

“I am disappointed with his actions too, my Lord.” Lucius carefully replied.

Voldemort let out a frustrated groan and then rounded on the man, who now was humbly bowing. “He never used to be this way! He was always willing to be obedient and useful to me!” the dark wizard growled. “And now he’s with a mudblood, and a bit ago I was told that he was seen flying through the sky with none other than Harry Potter and one of those Weasleys. I will not stand for this! I mean it!”

“I know and I am severely disgusted. He was just fine until this year when that mudblood-“

“What happened to your teaching? Your training? You were supposed to be training him over the summer.” Voldemort sneered.

“I was training him during the-” Lucius tried to explain but Voldemort cut him off again.

“Lucius, I am tempted to blast you and your pathetic family right out of the Wizarding World!”

“I am sorry, My Lord. I assure you that once he comes back I will-“

“Once he comes back? He will be extremely lucky if he lives through what I have sent his way!” Voldemort sneered. “He, Potter and Weasley will feel my wrath!”

“My Lord, I completely sympathize with you over this matter.” Lucius replied quickly. “And I am most certain that the reason Draco has become uncooperative is because of Granger. That dirty mudblood has poisoned his mind and thus I am sure that he is just confused, and not deliberately disobeying you.” Lucius silenced himself as Voldemort seemed to take his words into consideration.

After a few moments, Voldemort stepped right up to Lucius, just mere inches from his face.

“I’m losing my patience.” His eyes gleamed maliciously. “And Lucius, if what you say is true; and I am inclined to believe it is at this point, then something must be done!”

“Indeed.”

“I want you to pay very close attention to what I am about to say.”

Lucius nodded and listened as Voldemort spoke.

“I know that your son is going to try to break that mudblood out of prison because she is his weakness. What I want for you to do, is to go to Azkaban.”

“A-Azkaban?” Lucius replied uneasily.

“Yes, Azkaban!” Voldemort emphasized. “You will go to Azkaban and find Granger! You will erase all the memories she has of herself and Draco being together!”

“Wouldn’t you rather that I just kill her?” Lucius asked curiously.

“Lucius! Don’t you dare question me again!” Voldemort pulled out his wand.

The silver-haired man quickly fell silent.

“Now, I will tell you why I do not want you to kill that mudblood.” The dark wizard cleared his throat and then continued on. “If you were to simply kill her then Draco would come after you to avenge her! He would side with our enemies and there would be no chance of him coming back to us. With Granger alive but her memories missing, she will push Draco away and eventually he will see that she’s not worth being with and he will return to us with a strong hatred towards her. Hahaha! This could all work out perfectly as long as you don’t mess it up!”

Lucius blinked rapidly, and then a dark smile crossed his face. “I will be honored to take on this mission, My Lord. I want my son back where he belongs.”

“I thought you would say that. There are a few dementors left there that are awaiting my orders. Use them to keep away the guards.”

The silver-haired man nodded. “I shall go at once, my Lord.”

“Good and Lucius, you’d better not mess this up. If you do, then you will be joining James and Lily Potter!”

Lucius swallowed nervously but nodded firmly. “I will not fail, My Lord!” And with that he turned and disappeared with a loud crackle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione awoke to a loud clap of thunder. Her eyes flew open and she turned her head to the cell door.
She could see flashes of lightning and hear the rain pounding against the top of the roof.


With a loud yawn, she sat up; rather surprised that she had fallen asleep in the first place. I must have been really tired to go to sleep in this place. She thought to herself. Then she stood up and took a couple steps over to the door and peered out.
Heavy sheets of rain were falling and the sky looked dark and dreary. And then as she leaned towards the door, she heard an unnerving sound. Almost like something floating with a sound similar to what one would hear if someone was blowing into their ear.
And then suddenly she gasped as she saw the tattered cloak of a dementor hovering nearby.

Quickly, remembering what Veranda had said, she jumped back from the cell door and quickly went back to her bed.
The frightening figure hovered there a bit longer and then turned and floated away.
The eerie whistling sound was gone.

Letting out a sigh, Hermione slowly sat back down on her bed and leaned her head against the cold stone wall, closing her eyes.


I wonder what Draco's doing now? I wonder if he's going to forget about me. She thought. I hope not. I want to see him so badly.


She took a moment to remember what he looked like, what he sounded like, what he felt like. She thought of the softness of his hair. The sparkle of his grey eyes. The warmth of his embrace. His gaze. His voice. His kiss.

Then she sighed as her thoughts turned to Harry and Ron.


I bet those two are in class right now or getting ready for Quidditch. It starts in a couple of days. I bet they're excited about that. Hopefully Draco can still play Quidditch. He really is good at it.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.


Hermione's eyes flew open with a start and she looked toward the cell door. Standing just on the other side she saw a tall figure, with long silvery blonde hair. And then as the lightning flashed, she gasped in horror as she saw who it was.


"Ah, the mudblood is trapped in a cage." came his cold drawling voice.


"You!" She hissed coldly.


"I must say that when you first came to me, begging for me to free Draco from that contract, I was curious as to what you were up to." Lucius said lightly. "And then when you actually did kill the girl, I was quite impressed. I almost believed that you were turning against Potter. And I was starting to think that Draco actually had you under his control." he chuckled coldly.

"But then, the way you suddenly became hostile towards the Dark Lord, made me see that I was wrong. I realized that you would never become a Death Eater. And it also showed me not to have so much faith in my own son." He sneered, waving his wand slowly.

As he did so, the cell door slowly opened with its ear-splitting creak and the sinister man walked in.


She scowled at him. "What are you doing here?" she snapped.


"I simply came back to bask in the glow of your humiliation and to gather the remaining dementors that are here." He said simply as he continued his stride towards her.


"Well, you're foolish then, because I'm sure the guards will detect you." She replied sharply.


"They will not detect me." he stated confidently grinning maliciously.


Her eyes narrowed. "So that's why you're here? To gather the dementors and harass me?" she snapped.


He chuckled coldly then slowly lifted his wand. "And I also came to make sure that you never come near my son again!" he hissed.

She shuddered as he pointed his wand at her.
"No one crosses me or the Dark Lord without paying the consequences!" He sneered.

Hermione covered her face, as she prepared to taken in her last breath.



"Expelliramus!" came a shrill feminine voice.


Lucius's wand was blasted out of his hand.


He spun around to see an old woman standing there point her wand at him with a shaky hand.


"You step away from that young lady, intruder!" Veranda hissed.


Lucius scoffed as he noticed the woman was only 4ft tall.


"Hmph, well what do we have here? An old feeble woman that thinks she is a threat to me?" he said with an amused smirk.


"You watch it there, young man. I may be 353 years old, but I can wave a wand with the best of them!" She snapped defensively.


"Is that so?" he scoffed as he now began to stalk towards her. "You may be older but I am more powerful."

"Powerful? Ha! You think plastering your lips to the Dark Lord's bottom makes you more powerful?" Veranda snapped.



Hermione couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at the old woman's words.


Lucius looked appalled. "I'll have you know that the Dark Lord has given me a power far greater than yours." He sneered as he stopped and glared down at her.


"And I'll have you know that cowardice is not considered a power!" Veranda replied smartly.
"You dare to mock Lucius Malfoy!" He snarled.


Her green eyes darkened beneath her bifocals. "I thought you looked familiar. You're the one who managed to escape with the assistance of that pug faced girl. I knew it was a mistake to let her visit with you!" She hissed, sounding as though she were scolding herself as she glared at him.


"Miss Parkinson was quite helpful." He said as his upper lip curled slightly. "As was Miss Granger here."


Hermione scowled as he smiled wickedly at her.

"I haven't helped you in any way!" She snapped coldly.


"You haven't?" he asked raising a brow. "Are you trying to deny that you followed through with the Dark Lord's orders?"

"I have never followed Voldemort's orders!" Hermione hissed angrily.


Lucius thought a moment and then he chuckled coldly. "You know, if you hadn't of sent for me, I would have never risked coming here to...rescue you. After all we Death Eaters must stick together." He said dryly.


"What? I didn't...You...I'm not a Death Eater!" Hermione yelled outraged.


Veranda however frowned slightly, as her eyes shifted to Hermione now looking the girl over suspiciously.

"Veranda, he's lying! I swear that I didn't send for him. And anyway he was about to kill me! You saw him! Why would someone who was going to kill me want to turn around and say he was going to rescue me?" Hermione shouted frantically.

Veranda's eyes narrowed and she looked back to Lucius. "Do you take me for a fool?" She snapped at him. "Do you honestly think I'm going to trust the likes of you over this young girl?"

The tall man scowled as he realized that the old woman wasn't buying his lies. "You meddling old hag. You would be wise to back off." he warned as he pointed his wand at her.

"Meddling? I will show you meddling!" Veranda snapped, but she was clearly fearful for she backed away slowly as he moved towards her.


"Now you...you stop right there. I mean it." she snapped, her shaky hand trying to keep her wand steady.


As she backed out of the cell, Lucius stopped in his place.


"I've stopped." he sneered with a shrug.

"Well...well good." Veranda replied, suddenly puzzled by his actions.


But Lucius had a good reason for stopping where he did because at that moment, a couple of dark frightening figures in black tattered cloaks floated up from the side of the tower.
Hermione gasped in horror as she heard that hauntingly creepy whistle again and her eyes widened at the two dementors creeping up behind the old woman.

"Veranda! Veranda, look out!" Hermione cried.


The old woman turned around and let out a loud cry as one of them moved in towards her and began to suck away her happy thoughts and feelings.

"Oh no!" Hermione cried reaching into her pocket hoping to find her wand there. But immediately she knew it wasn't.

She covered her mouth in horror as the old woman crumbled to the ground.

"Oh no." She mumbled into her hands as Lucius turned and smirked at her. "Now then, where were we?" He sneered pointing his wand at her forehead.
She whimpered.
"Ah yes...I remember now!" he added. "This will make sure that you never come near my son again!"

She slapped her hands over her ears and put her face to the wall, as she heard his muffled voice chanting something.

Oh no, he's going to kill me! She thought, feeling her body trembling as she hugged the wall.
Mere seconds later, she felt the blast from his wand and suddenly everything around her began to spin quickly.
Her surroundings soon became a blur.
And then, memories of her past and present swirled around her and then slowly began to disappear one by one.

The last memory she saw of her life was Draco kissing her goodbye as they were standing beside the carriage that had arrived to take her to Azkaban.


I never told you. I should have. She thought as that memory slowly started to fade. Draco...Draco...I love you.
And then her eyes rolled back in her head as her body crumbled to the cold, prison floor.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 64- Memories Lost and the Deal with Draco

Lucius grinned wickedly at the girl that now lay at his feet. "One task completed." he mumbled. "Now, to kill that old hag." He spun around but frowned as he saw no trace of the old woman.

He stalked over to where she had been laying and then looked around. He discovered that the dementors had left as well. He looked across the way and finally noticed the creatures flying away. They must be going to join the Dark Lord. He thought, rubbing his chin slowly. Then his upper lip curled slowly. The old hag must have somehow escaped and has gone to get help. Well, no matter, my job here is done. And then he turned and looked to Hermione with a cold chuckle.

"Pleasant Dreams, Miss Granger." he sneered wickedly waving his wand causing the cell door to slam loudly.
Then with a loud crackle, he was gone.



For a mere few seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the falling rain as it poured in sheets from the stormy sky.
But then all of a sudden, there came a croaking sound.


And slowly a tiny, dark green head carefully poked out of a hole in the side of the wall; that was near the bottom of the cell door.

It blinked its eyes and then looked into the cell where the girl was lying on the floor.

With a low croak, the small toad hopped out of its shadowy hiding place and into the cell.

Hermione's eyelashes fluttered as she began to stir. The sound of the pouring rain was soothing, but the cold stone floor that she was laying on was quite uncomfortable.


She stirred some more but the discomfort was too much, so she slowly opened her eyes.

Everything was blurry, and she felt lightheaded as she lifted her head. "Oh...what did I do? Fall out of bed?" she mumbled groggily. And then she looked towards the cell door and quirked a brow. "I must still be dreaming." She muttered. Then she lay her head back down and closed her eyes again.

"When this dream is over, I'll go to Diagon Alley and get my school supplies for this year." she mumbled as she slowly began to drift back off to sleep.

"Ribbit."

The corner of Hermione's mouth twitched at this, but she didn't open her eyes.


"Ribbit, Ribbit!" it came again.


"Crookshanks...take your food outside. You know you're not supposed to eat frogs and lizards in my room." mumbled the girl groggily.


"I beg your pardon!" came a tiny yet shrill voice.


Hermione's eyelashes fluttered again and she opened one eye to see a little, fat, green toad just inches from her face. Then her other eye opened as well and she looked at the toad with confusion at first. But then, she grimaced.


"Ribbit."


"Agh!" she shrieked as she scrambled up to a sitting position.


And then that's when she noticed that she was not in her house. Her eyes grew wide and she stood up quickly taking in the cold, dark surroundings.
"I...I must still be having that weird dream." She mumbled hopefully as she walked over towards the cell door. She reached out and grabbed onto one of the bars.
"Oh no!" She gasped, suddenly becoming panicked. "This...this isn't a dream! I...I'm really here!" She then scratched her head and looked around. "But where is here?" she mumbled curiously.


"Azkaban, ofcourse." came a voice.


"Wh-What? Azkaban! But why? I haven't done anything wrong to be here! You can even ask Harry or Ron! And...And just who said that? Where are you?" Hermione babbled nervously, quickly turning her head this way and that, searching for where the voice had come from.


"It's me, dear. Veranda." the shrill voice replied calmly.


"But I...I don't know anyone named Veranda!" Hermione stated firmly, trying to keep from panicking.


"Of course you do. I am your case worker, remember?"
"Look...I...I have no idea what is going on here okay so please just let me out of here!" the frightened girl replied.


"I can't let you out, you are in here because of the crime you committed." the voice replied.


Hermione looked around, once more trying to place a person to the voice. "Are you invisible?" She called out walking over to the wall.


"No, I'm not." Veranda's voice replied.


Hermione looked around very confused.


"I'm down here, dear."


"Where?" Hermione took a step forward.


"Right here! On the floor!"


Hermione slowly looked down to see the fat little toad again.


"You?" she asked kneeling down.


"Yes." the toad replied blinking its large, bright green eyes.


"They assigned a toad as my case worker?" Hermione asked quirking a brow.


"Well, I'm not always a toad, you know?" Veranda replied. "Here, I'll show you."


Hermione took a couple of steps back.


Then suddenly the toad hopped up and spun around quickly, shifting to the form of the short, old woman.

"There now, you see?" Veranda said, as she adjusted the large bifocals on her face.


"Ah so you're an animagus!" Hermione exclaimed with a surprised expression.


"Indeed." Veranda replied proudly.


Hermione pursed her lips, slowly nodding.


"So, you mentioned that earlier I committed a crime?" she stated slowly with an uneasy frown.


"Yes, you did." Veranda replied regretfully.


"Well, just what did I do?" Hermione ventured to ask.


Veranda studied her mysteriously. Slowly, a knowing look came over her face.
"Do you remember anything about what happened earlier?" She asked slowly.


"Earlier?" Hermione blinked.


"Yes." Veranda replied as she crossed her arms, studying the girl more closely.


"Well, I...I remember that mum and dad had just told me to pack up for Hogwarts because this is my last year going there. Which is kind of sad because, well I'm going to miss my friends." Hermione replied with a sigh.


"Go on." Veranda urged.


"Well anyway, I was in my room and decided to take a nap before going to Diagon Alley. So I lay down and went to sleep. And when I woke up, I was here." Hermione exclaimed.


The old woman shook her head, her expression now showed concern and worry.


"My dear child, can you not remember anything after that?" she asked.


Hermione rubbed her head as she tried to think. "I...I'm sorry Veranda, but I truly cannot remember anything that happened after I fell asleep." she said slowly.


Veranda blinked at the girl.


"And...and whatever I've been accused of isn't true because I'm not a criminal!" Hermione cried out.


"Hermione...that evil man has done something to you." Veranda said sadly.


"Huh? What evil man? Who?" Hermione asked.


Veranda pursed her lips and gestured to the bed. "I think you'd better sit down." She replied.


Hermione slowly nodded and sat down on the bed, looking at the old woman with an uneasy frown.
Veranda sighed and then began to speak slowly. "Hermione, I fear that your memories have been erased."


"What? But how? I mean I remember my name and who my friends are.”
Hermione quirked a brow.
Veranda continued on. "And you don’t remember your hearing is on December 4th, where the Ministry will hear your case and determine your sentence?"


Hearing this made Hermione frown. "So, I must remain here until December!" She gasped.
Veranda nodded.


"But...but what could I have possibly done? It's not like I killed anyone!" the girl snapped.


Veranda lowered her head and looked to the floor. "But you did." She replied grimly.


"What?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening slowly.


"You used the Killing Curse on another student." The old woman said almost in a whisper.


"WHAT!" Hermione shouted jumping up, slapping her hands over her mouth in horror.


She then began to pace frantically. "No...no this is a mistake. I would never attack someone with that curse! Ever! I mean even if they were my worst enemy like Draco Malfoy, I still wouldn't kill him using an Unforgivable Curse! That's just evil!" She mumbled then suddenly she stopped and spun around. "Wait...another student?...Who was he?" She suddenly gasped, fearing she had actually killed the ferret.


"It wasn't a ‘he’ it was a she. And if I read the paper correctly it was Pansy...er...now what was the last name again-"


"Parkinson!" Hermione finished with a look of bewilderment.


"Yes!" Veranda replied with a nod. "That was her name."


"But why? I mean...I mean I didn't like her but I never planned on killing her!" Hermione shouted, once again pacing frantically. "Oh Merlin, I can't remember doing anything so evil!"


"That's because Lucius has obliviated your memories." Veranda said slowly.


"Lucius!" Hermione quickly turned. "Lucius Malfoy?"


The old woman nodded and then quickly explained everything that had happened.


"And so I turned into my toad form and hid in the walls so that the dementors could not finish me off." Veranda concluded.


Hermione's eyes were now wide and her face had turned pale.


"But, why didn't he kill me?" She managed to ask once she was able to think clearly again.


"I don't know dear, but thankfully you survived." Veranda said with a sigh of relief.


Hermione looked puzzled. "I know, but why would Lucius obliviate my memories of just the beginning of this year?" she wondered. "And I still don't know why he didn't just kill me."


"Hermione, perhaps it is best not to question fate. What matters is that you are alive." the old woman said sternly.


With a slow nod the girl sighed. "You're right. I am thankful to be alive." she replied.
Then a thought came to her. "Veranda, are we allowed to send and receive owls here?" She asked.
"Only in a severe case." Veranda replied. "In general, owls aren't usually permitted to bring messages to the inmates. Too often they have resulted in messages and spells that would help someone escape."


"Oh." Hermione replied.


"Is there someone you wish to get in contact with? Perhaps I can send a message to them for you?" The old woman offered.


"Yes." Hermione replied. "My friends, Harry and Ron. They are at Hogwarts."


Veranda zapped up a piece of parchment and a quill. "Alright dear, go ahead." She said patiently.


Hermione nodded slowly and then took a deep breath, as she prepared to speak.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Draco slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying face down in a patch of green grass. He let out a low grunt, as he lifted his head slowly. It took a moment for his grey eyes to adjust, but as they, he discovered that he was surrounded by a large number of debris. He frowned slightly as he slowly pushed himself up on one of his elbows. He coughed lightly and then rubbed his brow that now bled slightly from a cut that he'd gotten when he'd been sucked into the whirling, twirling twister.

He slowly sat up, and looked around running his hand through his blonde hair slowly.
Just then he heard a cough. He turned his head slowly to see a familiar red head lying about six feet away, covered with tree branches and dirt. Slowly, Draco rose to his feet and made his was towards the young man.


"Weasel?" He asked curiously.


Ron; laying on his back, squinted up at the blonde. "M-Malfoy?" he asked, coughing once more.


"Who else would it be?" Draco snorted.


Ron slowly sat up, pushing the debris off of himself. He looked around slowly.


"Where's Harry?" he asked slowly.


"Dead?" Draco replied hopefully.


Ron scowled at him as he staggered to his feet.


Draco smirked back at the red head.


But just as Ron was about to say something, the two heard a loud cry.
"Arrrrgh!"


"Harry!" Ron gasped, hurrying off in the direction that he'd heard the cry come from.


"d**n." Draco mumbled, snapping his finger with an arrogant sigh.


Then he followed after Ron, though not as quickly.


"Harry! Harry!" Ron called out, as he walked around a huge wall of broken trees.


And then he suddenly gasped as he saw part of a Gryffindor robe, sticking out from underneath the pile.


"Harry!" Ron cried frantically as he began grabbing tree limbs and throwing them away. "Harry!"


"Ron!" came his friend's raspy voice.


"Hang on Harry, I'll get you out!" Ron shouted as he heard his friend groan loudly.


The red head grabbed more branches and debris and began throwing them over his shoulder frantically.


"Ow!" Draco grumbled as a stick hit him in the head. "Watch it, Weasel!" he snapped, stomping towards the red head.


"Malfoy, Harry's in here!" Ron replied panicky, ignoring the Slytherin's previous comment.


"Is that so?" Draco chuckled as he crossed his arms and just stood there watching.


"Malfoy, don't just stand there!" Ron growled. "We've got to get Harry out of here!"


"Ha! You mean that you have to get Potter out, Weasel." Draco sneered flashing his trademark smirk.


Ron let out an annoyed growl but quickly continued to pull debris off of Harry.


Now he could see his dark haired friend who was lying on his back. His hands were pushed against his chest, holding up a very large tree branch.


Ron worked frantically to get the debris off of his friend. He was almost there. Just a few more tree branches and Harry would be free.
But unfortunately, as Ron got to the last tree branch, he found it too heavy to move. And then he discovered that it wasn't a branch. It was a whole tree!


"Ron, get this thing off of me! I can't hold it up much longer and it... it's crushing my chest!" Harry growled through clenched teeth as he felt his arm muscles ready to give way.


"I'm trying, Harry but it won't move!" Ron cried out pulling on the tree with all his might.
Draco stifled a laugh. He found this whole thing rather amusing.


"Malfoy! Help me out here!" Ron shouted back at him.


"Why should I?" Draco scoffed.


"Because he's my friend, you bastard!" Ron snarled as he continued to pull on the tree.


"So? I don't see how that explains why I should help him. He's certainly no friend of mine!" The Slytherin sneered.


"Argh!!" Harry cried out, "I...I can't hold it much longer!"


"Malfoy please!" Ron begged.


"What's in it for me?" Draco asked quirking a brow. "What do I get if I decide to actually help you?"


"Anything...I don't know just help me!" Ron cried out as his arms began to shake.
Harry finally lost his grip as his arms collapsed from the weight of the tree. Now Ron was the only one holding it, and he knew that he couldn't last much longer.


"Anything?" Draco asked, not caring about the severity of the situation.


"Yes! Anything!" Ron shouted back.


"Well, first you two have to promise that you won't try to stop me from going to Azkaban." he said firmly.


"What? But we..." Ron began but feeling his fingers go numb he knew there was no time for and argument.
"Fine!" He replied.


"And...one more thing." Draco added as he reached into his robes and pulled out his wand, arrogantly twirling it around in his hand. "You two help me bust Granger out of Azkaban!"


"What!" Ron gasped.


"What!" echoed Harry.


"Agree to it, or I will just let Potter die!" Draco warned, his eyes narrowing slowly.


"There is no way that we-" Harry began weakly, but Ron cut him off.


"Fine, you have a deal, Malfoy!" The red head quickly replied.


"Good." Draco said with a cocky grin. Then he pointed his wand at the tree.


"Wingardium Leviosa!" He chanted.

The tree started to shake slightly. Rocking back and forth, it slowly began to levitate off of the dark haired young man.


Harry breathed heavily as he felt the weight lift off of his chest and looked up to see the tree hovering just above him.


"Hurry up, Potter! I can't hold it up for long!" Draco snapped impatiently as he felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


Harry quickly began to scoot out from under it.


Ron; who'd let go of the tree as it had begun to float; reached down and grabbed Harry's hand and quickly dragged him across the ground as the tree suddenly stopped floating and came crashing back down.


Harry gasped with wide eyes as he saw it. He swallowed nervously thinking that he could have still been under it.


Thankfully though, Ron had pulled him away just in time.


With quite a bit of his energy spent, Draco dropped down to one knee, breathing rapidly as sweat trickled down the side of his face.


Harry slowly stood up, adjusting his glasses; that now had partially cracked lenses. Oddly, they had stayed on the whole time.


"You alright there, mate?" Ron asked his friend with concern.


"I think so." Harry replied. Then slowly he shifted his gaze towards the blonde who was now kneeling not far away.


"Ron, are we really going to follow through with what we agreed to do for Malfoy?" He whispered.


"Well, as much as I hate to say this, I think we should." Ron replied regretfully.


"Well, I don't think we should. We'd be breaking the Wizarding laws!" Harry stated louder. "And I'm going to let him know it!" He added as he started towards the blonde Slytherin.


Draco glanced up as Harry came stomping towards him. He slowly rose to his feet as the dark haired young man approached him.


"Malfoy, we need to talk about this deal!" Harry growled.
"Oh?" Draco quirked a brow.


"Ron and I are not going to help you break Hermione out of Azkaban!" the dark haired young man stated firmly.


"Really?" Draco asked with his usual smirk. "That's disappointing. I thought with you two being in Gryffindor, you would actually keep your word."


Harry fumed at this. "You leave Gryffindor out of this, Malfoy!" he snapped. "At least we're not sneaky underhanded snakes like Slytherin!"


Draco scowled. "Look Potter, I was merely making a statement. I did not start insulting your bloody house, so don't go insulting mine!" he growled getting right in Harry's face.


"You started this whole mess!" Harry growled shoving him back.


"Harry, calm down!" Ron shouted, holding his friend back.


Draco's eyes narrowed at the two. "So, this is what I get for saving both of your bloody lives!" He snapped. "Weasel, you would have fallen to your death if I hadn't grabbed your filthy hand and pulled you back up."


Ron lowered his eyes and he nodded silently.
"And you, Potter!" the blonde spat as he glared hatefully at Harry who in turned glared right back at him. "I could have let you die! That tree could have crushed you and I could have watched you breathe your last breath right before my eyes! And it wouldn't have bothered me the least little bit!"


He then chewed his tongue a moment as his eyes traveled back and forth between the two.

"Both of you owe me, and you know it!" He added angrily.


"He's right, Harry. We do owe him." Ron said slowly.


Harry glared at his red headed friend. "I am not about to break the law, Ron; especially for this git!" he snapped.


"Harry, we've broken rules before and you know that Dumbledore will get us out of it. You said so yourself." Ron replied.


"The things we've done are minor." Harry stated with an annoyed frown.
"Minor?" Ron scoffed. "You call nearly getting killed every bloody year, minor! And you have broken Wizarding laws before! For Merlin's sake, you've done a lot of things that could have gotten you in a lot of trouble. I mean you broke Sirius out of Azkaban before! How is breaking Hermione out any different?" Ron snapped.


Harry's green eyes narrowed. "Because she belongs there. She is a murderer!" he said bitterly.


"Look!" Draco suddenly shouted, now getting back up in Harry's face. His grey eyes flashing dangerously. "Hermione is in there because of me! She killed Pansy to free me! Neither one of you will ever understand just how important that was! And I don't want you to. All I want is your help in breaking her out of Azkaban! Once she's free, you two don't have to have anything else to do with it!" His voice cracked slightly.


Ron quirked a brow as Harry continued to glare.


"You two should be grateful that this is all I'm asking of you. I could've requested something worse, you know?" the Slytherin added coldly.


"True." Ron agreed.


Harry thought a moment and then crossed his arms. "Even if we were to agree to help you; just what could we do? Neither Ron nor I have our wands." He said sharply.


Draco smirked at this. "Is that so?" He asked, now with a cocky grin.


"Yeah, so we won't be of much use to you." Harry added, feeling proud that he may have found a loophole in the deal.


"Well, if you did have them, would you still agree to the deal, Potter?" the Slytherin asked raising a brow.


"Yes, but as you see, we don't have them." Harry replied sharply.


"I think I can help with that." Draco sneered as he reached into his pocket and pulled out two very familiar wands. "I believe these belong to you and Weasel." He announced arrogantly holding them up.


"What?" Harry gasped.


Ron's eyes grew wide. "Where'd you get those?" he asked.


"They were in Dumbledore's office. I'm guessing that Filch or someone put them in there. Anyway, after I stunned Weaselette, I saw them and knew that you two would be missing them." Draco replied.


"What do you mean you stunned Ginny?" Ron gasped.


"She was nosing around in Dumbledore's office. When I went to confront her, I saw she had a certain book and I knew she had no business with it. She and I got into a bit of an argument and I ended up stunning her. Being the nice guy that I am, though I revived her just before I left. You know, so that Dumbledore could catch her red handed." the Slytherin exclaimed.


Harry quirked a brow at him. "Malfoy, just what book did Ginny have?" he asked curiously.


"This one." Draco pulled out the black book.


"The Death Eater's book!" Harry and Ron gasped with wide eyes.


"Yeah." Draco replied with a nod, and then he tucked it back in his robes.


"Why would my sister want that?" Ron asked puzzled.


"I have no idea, Weasel." Draco scoffed. "But that's not important right now. What we should be focusing on is a way to bust Hermione out." he said quickly changing the subject.


"You're right." Ron agreed with a slowly nod, though he couldn't stop wondering why Ginny would want the Death Eater's book.


"So, do we have a deal, Weasel?" Draco asked.


"Deal." Ron stated firmly.


Draco nodded and then gave the red head his wand.


Then he slowly looked to Harry, with a bitter frown. "Well, Potter?" he asked dryly.


Harry frowned coldly at him but then he nodded slowly. "Deal." he replied through clenched teeth.


Draco held Harry's wand out to him.


Harry grabbed it slowly, wondering if he had just done the right thing.

"So, how are we going to get to Azkaban? I'm sure our brooms blew to pieces in the tornado." Ron stated with an uneasy frown.
"Only one way to find out." Harry replied. "Accio Firebolt broom!" He called out.


Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound and then Harry's Firebolt came flying towards him.


Harry reached out and grabbed it, examining it for any real damage.


Draco stuck his hand out and called for his broom too. Sure enough, it came at his command.


Then Ron held his hand up. "Accio Shooting Star broom!" he called out.


His broom came flying up from behind him and smacked him hard across the bottom.


"Ow!" Ron mumbled, rubbing his backside as he turned and grabbed his Shooting Star.


"Alright, once we get there, I'll go over the plan." Draco announced as he mounted his Nimbus 2001.


Harry and Ron just nodded as they mounted their brooms as well.


"To Azkaban!" Draco shouted out as he, Harry, and Ron flew up into the sky.

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 65- Devistated


Hermione sighed as she rubbed her temples with her fingertips; allowing her elbows to rest heavily on her knees. Her face still held the look of shock and disarray at the thought of being locked in the prison. Of course what troubled her even more so, was the fact that she had actually committed a serious crime to justify her imprisonment for being there in the first place.

Sadness lingered in her soft, brown eyes as she lifted her head and looked to the bars of the rusted, cell door. What could have made me angry enough to kill Pansy? She thought trying to recall any memory that would explain her malicious actions. But none came. Her eyes narrowed at the thought of Lucius. How dare that monster tamper with my memories! What did he want? Why didn't he kill me instead? He knows that I helped put him in Azkaban. He had his chance from what Veranda said. I don't understand!

Quickly, she shook her head, trying to get rid of those annoying thoughts.
Then she stood up, swinging her arms and clapping her hands together once and a while, trying to pass the time until Veranda would return. At least Veranda was nice enough to go send a letter to Harry and Ron. I really hope that they are doing okay. I miss them so much. She thought with a heavy sigh as both of their faces appeared in her mind. She smiled slightly thinking about how Harry's green eyes lit up and sparkled each time he smiled. And then she giggled picturing Ron's goofy grin after winning a game of Wizard's Chess. She sighed longingly as she reminisced about all the times that the three of them had had together. From year one up to now. I love those two so much. She thought, as she looked to the stone floor. They're the only ones that I can count on. And then she exhaled loudly as she sat back down, tapping her foot impatiently. After a few more moments she lay down. Maybe I'll just take a quick nap. She thought. Then she closed her eyes and went to sleep.
------------------------------------------------------------------




"Look! Azkaban is just ahead!" Ron called out loudly as he pointed to the large building in the distance.
Draco squinted as he saw it and then gave the red head a sharp nod.
"Alright Malfoy, you said you'd explain your plan when we got there. Well we're almost there." Harry called out to the blonde Slytherin.
Draco stopped in mid air, hovering there a moment as his grey eyes narrowed, studying the prison intently.
Annoyed by the feeling of being ignored, Harry flew up and stopped beside Draco.
"Malfoy, what's your plan?" He snapped more impatiently this time.
Draco's grey eyes shifted to the dark haired young man a moment, then quickly looked back towards the prison.
"I'm thinking." he replied dryly.
Ron flew to the other side of the Slytherin, looking somewhat hesitant. "Uh so, how are we going to do this, Malfoy?" he asked uneasily.
"I said, I'm thinking, Weasel! Now shut it!" Draco growled.
Harry scowled. "You know, you can't talk to us like that. We're not your two goons!" He stated coldly.
However, Draco simply ignored his remark.
"Alright, here's what we do." He said looking to Harry first then Ron. "Since there are no dementors around here anymore, this will be fairly simple. To stay out of sight from the guards at the entrance, we'll hook a left around the Southwest Tower. We'll stick close to the wall and fly low, just below the lookout towers." Draco pointed out their route with his finger. The two Gryffindors gasped.
"That's madness, Malfoy!" Ron snapped. "Do you realize the kind of maneuvers that we'll have to make? Not to mention, if we cut the corners too close!"
"Yeah and you're forgetting one thing, Malfoy!" Harry broke in. "We don't exactly know where they put Hermione!"
Draco scowled at Harry. He hated being shown up by the Boy-Who-Lived. So, quickly flashing his trademark smirk, he scoffed. "For your information, I know where they put her."
Harry and Ron both frowned, feeling that once again the Slytherin had showed them up.
"Well, fine then. We'll go with your plan." Harry replied bitterly, not the least bit happy to admit defeat to the Slytherin.
"Well, good." Draco replied with a light chuckle. He was happy to have one-upped the dark haired young man, but in all reality he had no idea where the bushy-haired girl was being kept.
And the last he needed was to make a wrong move and get caught. So, after a moment he said. "Actually, I have another idea."
Ron raised a brow as Harry rolled his eyes.
"Let's all split up." He added.
"Why? if you know where she is, then why should we split up?" Harry snapped, now looking at him with a suspicious frown.
"Well, I need you and Weasel to distract the guards while I go break-" Draco began.
"Ohhh no you don't." Harry cut him off. "You are not using me and Ron as your decoys!"
"Yeah!" Ron echoed.
Draco rolled his eyes. "What, are you two scared?" He sneered arrogantly.
"No!" the two answered quickly at the same time.
"Good, then you two are the decoys." the Slytherin stated.
And before the two could object, Draco sped off towards the prison.
Harry and Ron looked to each other and then hurried after the blonde Slytherin.
Draco zoomed around the Southwest Tower, turning sharply as he dove down and flew quickly underneath the watch towers.
He knew he needed to keep out of sight and stay close to the wall.
As he did so, he scanned the outer cells, hoping that Hermione was in one of them so that he wouldn't have to sneak inside the building. Seeing no sign of her, he steered his broom around and went to the right, carefully flying around the jagged corners of the building.
Harry and Ron, had taken the opposite side of the prison, and were doing their best to keep out of sight as well. Though Draco had wanted them to be his 'decoys', the two Gryffindors weren't about to go along with that. Instead, the two had formulated a plan of their own. And so they too began to search the outer cells for the girl.

"Harry, any sign of her?" Ron asked when they had come to a quick stop, looking around quickly.
"No Ron." Harry replied, pushing his scratched glasses back up on his nose.
"Which way should we try?" Ron asked with a sigh.
"This way." Harry pointed as he flew off. Ron followed him.

"d**n it...where did they put her?" Draco mumbled, as the wind beat against his pale face, blowing his blonde hair back as he sped through the air.

And then he spotted the Northeast Tower. I haven't checked there. He thought as he turned and headed towards it.
As he neared the tower, he noticed that there was only one cell in the Northeast Tower. He flew swiftly towards it, and slowed down just as he squinted in through the barred, cell door.
A look of awe crossed his face and a softness appeared in his grey eyes. His search was over.
He flew down and landed outside of the cell. Leaping off his broom, he walked towards the barred door and looked in. Hermione was lying on the bed asleep.

Draco stepped back and whipped out his wand without hesitation. He pointed it at the door and said, "Alohomora."

The door rattled slightly as it slowly opened with a rusty, creaking sound. Quickly, the blonde Slytherin entered the cell.
"Hermione..." he breathed in a whisper as he slowly walked towards her. Never had he felt such a rush of emotions as he looked down at her.
Her ringlets of hair were scattered across her pillow, her face; although slightly dirty, was tinged with a bit of pink coloring, giving her an almost angelic glow.

He was about to reach out and touch her hand, when suddenly she let out a light groan and her head began to rock back and forth slowly, as she began to stir.
He watched her with anticipation, ready to embrace her the very moment she was ready to get up and leap into his arms.

And then her eyelashes fluttered.

His heart began to beat quickly.

And then she opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her.
"Hi." he said warmly.
She gasped and quickly sat up, staring at him with wide eyes.
"M-M-Malfoy?" she managed to choke out.
He quirked a brow at her calling him by his last name but quickly, he blew it off. He didn't care what she called him. He was just glad to see her.
"Yeah, it's me. Who else would it be?" he replied, with a slight hint of arrogance to his tone.
She stood up slowly, swallowing nervously as she looked at him with a confused frown. And it didn't help when he began to move towards her. She bit her lip and took a few steps back from him.
He smirked slightly as he noticed her actions. "Oh, shocked to find me here, I see." he said as he continued to walk towards her.
"Y-Yes..." she said as she continued to back away slowly. "What are y-you doing here?"
"Well, I had a mission." he stated in a more serious tone.
"M-Mission?" she stammered, taking one more step backwards, only to discover the hard, stoned wall against her back. "A mission to what?" she asked hesitantly.
He smirked then chuckled as he reached out and touched the side of her face lightly with his hand, causing her to shudder. "A mission to find you." he said just above a whisper.
Hermione bit her lip nervously and braced herself against the wall as he moved another step towards her. "I have something for you." he said as he reached into his robes.
Slowly, he pulled out a wand.
She gasped and her eyes grew wide. She trembled fearfully. He's come to kill me. He's here to either avenge Pansy's death or he was sent by Voldemort. She thought as her heart began pounding in her chest.
"Look...you don't need to do this, Malfoy. I'm already in prison." She said trying to steady her shaky voice.
He quirked a brow, confused by her statement. And then he saw the fear in her eyes. "You're really scared." he said as a look of concern washed over his face as he tossed the wand onto the bed.
"Oh really? Is it that obvious?" She snapped.
"Ha, yeah. But luckily, I know just what will make you feel better." he said with a mischievous smirk as he moved in towards her quickly.
She let out a whimper as his lips came crashing against hers firmly. Panic set in as she felt his body pinning hers against the wall.
No! No! He's going to...Oh No! No! She thought frantically. I have to get him off of me!

Quickly, she moved her trembling hands up to his chest. "Get away from me you evil ferret!" She cried out as she shoved him away with all of her might.

Draco stumbled back, completely caught off guard by her actions.
"Hermione...?" he mumbled, as his face scrunched up in confusion. "What's wrong?" he asked.
She glared at him, with watery eyes as her chin quivered.

"Hermione." came a familiar voice.
She slowly looked to see a red headed young man standing in the doorway.
"Ron!" She cried out as she ran over to him. He staggered back slightly as she flung herself into his arms.
Ron looked a little confused about the girl clinging to him, and he quirked a brow as his cheeks flushed lightly.
"Uh...Um...Hermione..." He began.
"Oh Ron...thank goodness you're here." She sobbed into his chest.
"Uh..." Ron was at a loss for words as he glanced from a confused Draco down to a sobbing Hermione.

Just then Harry came walking in, but he stopped as he glanced to Hermione and then to the blonde Slytherin with a confused frown.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Hearing Harry's voice, Hermione quickly looked to see him.
"Harry!" She squealed as she let go of Ron and threw her arms around the confused, dark haired young man.
Draco's confused expression slowly turned into a bitter glare as he watched Harry embrace her slowly.
"Harry..." She cried into his chest.
"Hermione...what's wrong?" He replied as he felt her body shaking against him.
"He...he was going to take advantage of me and...and then kill me!" She sobbed.
"He... what?" Harry replied, now in more of a growl.
"He tried to do what!" Ron echoed, his face slowly twisting into an angry scowl.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Hermione?" Draco snapped at her in disbelief.
Hermione lifted her face from Harry's chest and spun around glaring at the blonde Slytherin.
"Stop calling me Hermione!" She hissed, anger boiling in her every word. "And you know very well what I am talking about. Don't you even try to lie your way out of it!" She added.
"Look..." Draco began, trying to keep his voice calm. "I don't know what I've done to upset you but whatever it is I'm sor-"
"You know very well what you've done!" she snapped cutting him off. "How dare you kiss me!" She continued on in a rant as Harry and Ron stood back.
"Wait, you're all upset because I kissed you?" Draco asked with a confused expression.
"Yes but...but not just that!" She replied, angrily.
"Oh?" the blonde Slytherin asked quirking a brow.
"Forget it. I'm not telling you my feelings." She grumbled, as she looked to the floor huffing loudly.
"But...I want you to tell me your feelings, Hermione. I want you to tell me how you feel about...me." He said, snapping back though not really meaning to.
"Ohh you want to hear my feelings about you?" She hissed. "Fine, it's about time I got this all off my chest anyway!" She added.

Harry and Ron looked to each other with uneasy frowns.
"She's really going to let him have it now." Ron whispered to his friend.
"Yeah." Harry whispered back.

"I'll tell you how I feel about you, Malfoy! First you...you've made my life completely horrible! Detestable! I hate the thought of even breathing the same air as someone as vile as you!" she screamed.
Draco winced as he felt a pain in his chest. "Are you saying that you're unhappy with me? Even now after all that's happened?" he asked, fighting to keep his own voice steady.
"Oh especially now! And unhappy isn't the word! Awful! Terrible! Now those describe it much better!"

Now it was his turn to back away as she glared him down hatefully.
"I...I thought that we...we could be together...now" He replied slowly.
"Together? Ha! I know what that means! And thankfully Harry and Ron showed up before you could go that far!"


"What!" Draco growled suddenly realizing what she meant. "I would never do anything like that to you!" he shouted, now anger beginning to boil inside of him as well.
"Then what do you call slamming me against the wall and putting your dirty lips on mine?" She hissed.


"I call it kissing my girlfriend!" He snapped.
"Girlfriend?" Hermione's eyes narrowed as she continued to glare daggers at the Slytherin. "You dare to call me that? I am not a cheap very *friendly* person! And I know how you play with girls' hearts! You are wasting your time trying to make a conquest out of me, Malfoy! I am not easily swayed, especially by my enemy!"


"Enemy?" Draco mumbled quirking a brow.


"And furthermore, I have no interest in you what-so-ever! I can't even stand being near you! And I hate you with every fiber of my being! You are nothing but an evil, disgusting, perverted, malicious ferret!" She screamed at him, angrily raising her hand and slapping him hard across the face.



Harry and Ron looked quite impressed but dared not to say a word.
Draco slowly put his hand to his now stinging cheek, as he stared at Hermione in disbelief.

Then as if to prove something, Hermione turned and marched right over to Harry.
She then half turned and smirked at Draco. "Oh and by the way, if I kiss anyone it will be Harry!" She snapped at him.
Then she quickly turned back to Harry and moved in kissing him on the lips.
Ron gasped and slapped a hand over his mouth in disbelief as he looked to the floor, trying not to show the hurt look on his face.
Harry's eyes widened in shock as he found himself being kissed. Then before he could react, Hermione quickly pulled away.
She turned back smiling proudly as she looked to the blonde Slytherin.

A hurt expression had crossed his face and his grey eyes now glistened with unshed tears, as he stared at the bushy-haired girl. As he did so, he felt his body go numb, and he was sure that his heart was going to shatter at any moment. He wanted to leave. He wanted to flee from this pain that was now radiating through him. He could feel more tears forming in his already watery eyes. Never had he experienced this kind of feeling before. Such intensity, such intense pain coming from his heart. Clearly, he was devastated.

"Hermione..." he managed to choke out. Then his eyes shifted to Harry and he scowled.
Harry scowled back at him.
Draco then looked back to Hermione coldly.
"Now, I know the answer of who you would rather side with." He began, in a bitter tone. "Potter has won."
Then without another word, Draco stomped out of the cell.
He quickly mounted his broom and in a burst of speed, he was gone.

[Liz-Miia Parker]

Omg, mul tuli kerge pisar silma.....täitsa lõpp naq....:/

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Sorry, et nii kaua on möödunud update´st. Mul pole lihtsalt aega olnud.

---

Chapter 66- Harry's Adoring Fan

If only Draco would have waited just a few moments more. For just as he had sped off, the little old lady was making her way back up the long flight of stairs that led towards Hermione's cell.

The bushy-haired girl was glaring at the ground with tears dripping down her cheeks. She was filled with so much emotion that she was unable to speak.
Sniffling, she walked over and plopped onto her bed, slapping her hands over her face.
Harry and Ron looked at her with the most confused expressions on their faces. Neither one knew exactly what to say.


"Ron, what's going on here?" Harry whispered, trying to keep his voice low.
"I have no idea, Harry. I'm just as stumped as you are." Ron whispered back. "I mean, one minute we are helping Malfoy get here and then the next thing I know; we're protecting her from him! I am so bloody confused!" he added as he leaned against the stone wall, tilting his head back.
"Yeah, me too. I mean, at least she didn't pounce on you and kiss you." Harry mumbled.
"I know, that's a bummer." Ron replied with a longing sigh. "She's obviously attracted to you again." he added almost in a jealous tone.


"But I don't want her to be attracted to me again! I don't need her and Ginny putting me on the spot like that again." Harry grumbled.
"Look mate, I think it's time you sit down and set her straight once and for all. Just talk to her." Ron urged.
"You're right." Harry agreed. Then he slowly walked over to where Hermione sat with her face still covered.
"Hermione..." He began.

Slowly, she slid her hands apart to reveal her red, tear stained face.
"We need to talk." He said slowly as he sat down on the bed beside her.
She nodded and sniffled, though the tears kept flowing as she looked to him. "Alright Harry, what do you want to talk about?" she asked in a choked up tone.
"Well, about us." he replied slowly.
She wiped her eyes and nodded as he went on.
"Look, I know that you and Malfoy had a fight but...but falling for me and kissing me again isn't the way to handle it." He began, causing the girl to stare at him wide eyed.




"What do you mean again? Harry, that's the first time I've ever kissed you." Hermione retorted.


"No it isn't and you know it." He snapped with an annoyed grunt. "Now, I...I told you that I chose Ginny! So...you have to stop this."


"You're with Ginny?" She shot him a hurt look. "But why?"


"Look, let's not go through this again." He snapped. "Our friendship has suffered enough over it."


"I...I don't understand." She replied, her brows furrowing.


"He's talking about the games you played trying to win his heart!" Ron cut in, with an annoyed frown as he walked over to them.


"Games?" She asked.


"Yeah, games. Jealousy Games." Harry added darkly. "The ones you played with Malfoy!"
"What? I hate Malfoy, you know that." She snapped sharply.


"Well that's good to hear. It's about time you came back to your senses." Harry snapped.
"What are you talking about? You..." She then paused as something dawned on her. Wait a second, they don't know about what happened to me. They don't know about what Lucius did. She thought.

Harry was about to go off on a rant, as was Ron. But suddenly, Hermione cut them off. "Harry, Ron, I need to tell you guys something." she began slowly.
Harry nodded slowly as Ron raised a curious brow.
"Let me guess, this has to do with your emotional outbursts at school and your obnoxious, rude attitude-" Harry began.
"Guys, I...I can't remember starting school this year." she said quickly cutting him off.


Harry looked at her oddly. "Did you just say that you don't remember starting school this year?" he asked wondering if he'd heard her right.
She nodded slowly.
"But how-" Harry was suddenly caught off by a loud, shrill voice.





"What in Merlin's name is going on?" Veranda shrieked pulling out her wand.

Harry and Ron quickly spun around to see the old woman.

"Veranda, wait! I can explain!" Hermione shouted, jumping in front of the two boys. "These are my friends."


"Friends? So, trying to escape, are you?" the old woman hissed angrily.
"No please, let me explain. This is Harry and Ron. They are the friends I asked you to write to earlier." Hermione shouted.
"Ohhh so this was all a little game of sending me away so that your two friends could bust you out, Miss Granger." Veranda snapped coldly.

"No, we didn't come to bust her out." Harry spoke up quickly. "We...we came to visit her. That's all." he stated firmly.
Veranda scowled as she walked towards the two boys.
"If this is such a simple visit, how come neither of you bothered to come in through the front doors like everyone else? Why are your brooms parked over there, ready for departure?" Veranda asked skeptically.

"We didn't mean any harm, you see Mal-" suddenly Ron's mouth was muffled by Harry's hand.

"Sorry, ma'am, Ron here can never get to the point." Harry said, pulling his hand back, and adjusting his scratched glasses as he went on. "Ron and I didn't want to go inside the prison, mostly because we'd get lost. And we didn't want to trouble the guards, asking for directions as we know they are very busy. Plus, we wanted to do some sightseeing; you know fly around Azkaban as we are both fascinated with it. And while we were flying, we happened to see Hermione and well, we just had to visit her." He concluded with a weak smile.


Veranda's face twisted into a serious expression and she pursed her lips as she studied Ron.

"I take it that you are Arthur Weasley's son?" She asked.
"Yes, ma'am." Ron replied slowly.


"The red hair is a giveaway." Veranda said with a sharp nod.


Then she slowly walked towards Harry. But as she got closer she squinted seeing his dark bangs were partially covering something on his forehead. "Young man, what is that?"She asked curiously pointing her wand at it.

"Oh, you mean this?" Harry asked, pushing his bangs back, revealing his lightning bolt scar.

Veranda's green eyes grew bigger; not that they weren't already big behind her large, round bifocals, and she gasped loudly. "Oh my goodness...you...you are the Boy-Who-Lived!!! Harry Potter!" She shouted in awe.

Harry chuckled nervously as the old woman grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. "Oh it is so nice to meet you, Mr. Potter. I am Veranda Viswaters. Oh this is an honor!" She cooed. Then she glanced to Hermione. "Hermione dear, you didn't tell me that your friend Harry was the Harry Potter!!" She shouted.


"Sorry..." Hermione squeaked.


"Oh, Mr. Potter! I am so honored to be able to shake your hand and stand in your presence!" Veranda emphasized loudly turning her attention back to him.


"Uh hehe...thanks...um you can just call me Harry and-" he began.


"I can?" She cut him off as she continued to coo over him, still shaking his hand. "Oh, I am so honored to be able to see you face to face, Harry! I've got all the papers you've ever been in!"
"Uh that's...nice. I think." Harry replied awkwardly, feeling that he was going to lose his hand if she kept shaking it much longer.

Ron and Hermione chuckled as they had been forgotten by the star-struck old woman.

"Poor Harry." Ron mumbled with a goofy grin.

"Yeah, it looks like he's met his number one fan." Hermione laughed lightly.

"Oh I am one of your greatest admirers, Harry!" Veranda said excitedly. This was quite disturbing as the old woman was as giddy as a teenage girl. "I am absolutely smitten by your presence here at Azkaban! Oh what an honor it is!" And she began kissing his hand over and over again.

Harry chuckled nervously, his fake smile began fading as he mouthed the words 'Help me' to Ron.

Ron scratched his head and shrugged not knowing what to say.


"Oh...will you sign my parchments!" Veranda said, finally letting go of his hand as a large pile of parchments rained down onto them. "Oops, silly me. I didn't summon them in a neat stack. Probably because I was so distracted by your presence." She cooed, as she began gathering the scattered parchments into her hands.

Harry rubbed his drool-covered hand on the back of his pants, his face scrunching up in slight annoyance as he looked down at the scattered pieces of parchment.

"Here, let me give you a hand." He finally offered politely, as he knelt down and gathered a bunch in his hands.


Hermione and Ron helped too, though Veranda didn't notice as her eyes were locked on the dark haired young man the entire time.


After gathering and handing all of the parchments to the old woman, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked to each other briefly.


Veranda giggled loudly with glee. "Okay Harry, can you sign this one?" She asked as a quill with a blue feather appeared and dropped into his hand.


Harry quirked a brow. "Uh...sure." He said, as he slowly began to write.


"Oooo I love the way that you hold a quill!" Veranda cooed, causing Harry's hand to shake unsteadily as he tried to finish writing his last name.

Harry's face twisted into panic behind his cheesy fake smile.


"Um...Ron...don't you have something to say to the nice lady?" Harry asked through clenched teeth as he signed several more parchments.


Ron scratched his head. "Um...no." he replied.


"Yes you do. You want to tell her about your dad's job." Harry stressed.

Suddenly Ron caught on. Harry was trying to escape all of the creepy, awkward attention that he was receiving from the old woman.


The red head then cleared his throat. "Well, Miss Viswaters my dad-"


"Oh please call me Veranda. Miss Viswaters makes me feel look a rundown old hag with holes in her knickers." Veranda interrupted.



"Okay then, Veranda." Ron took a deep breath and tried again. "Um, my dad works at the Ministry of Magic. He used to be in charge of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts..."

"That's nice dear. I know all about him." the old woman blew him off and so Ron stopped talking.

"Harry, have you got a girlfriend?" Veranda asked eagerly.

Harry's face went pale. "Uh..erm yes, I do." he said, almost breathing a sigh of relief.

"Oh." Veranda's face fell. "I'm sorry to hear that." she added, now vanishing the pile of parchments.

Hermione smiled weakly at Harry as a disgusted grimace crept across his face.

"Well, maybe you'll be single again when you graduate." Veranda stated hopefully, trying to cheer herself up.

Harry said nothing as he stood there awkwardly. But Ron let out a snicker. Harry frowned and hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"Anyway, ahem..." Veranda said, now making an attempt to regain her composure. Her green eyes returning back to their normal size as her face turned serious once more.
She took in a few deep breaths and then pursing her lips, she calmly looked to Harry and then to Ron.


"Well, I believe that the two of you are honorable, decent young men. And so fabricated or not, I will believe the some-what farfetched story that you told me." She said slowly.
Harry and Ron smiled slightly.


"Now Hermione," the old woman looked to the girl. "Have you told Harry and Ron what happened when Lucius attacked you?" she asked curiously.


"Lucius attacked you!" The two boys shouted out at the same time, staring at Hermione with concern.


"Yeah, I was trying to explain to you two earlier, that I had no memory of starting school this year." Hermione replied, her smile had faded and now worry played upon her face.

"It seems that Lucius has obliviated all of her memories from the beginning of this school year and on. He's centered the spell around her 7th year for some odd reason." Veranda cut in. "She must have found out something that would interfere with You-Know-Who's evil plans. And so Lucius came to silence her."

"But...if Lucius was going to silence her, wouldn't he simply kill her?" Harry asked, scratching his head.

"That's what I wondered too." Hermione replied. "I mean, it's very hard to understand why that evil man would simply show up here, obliviate a selective part of my memory, and disappear again. It makes absolutely no sense!"

"I can't figure it out either." Veranda said shaking her head slowly. "What sort of thing did he want you to forget?"


Suddenly, Harry's eyes shifted to Ron with a knowing look. The red head looked back to him with the same expression.
They both nodded to each other in agreement.


"What if it wasn't a thing..." Harry began as his voice became cold, and his green eyes narrowed slowly. "But a person?"

[Lissandra Sylvania]

Chapter 67- Embracing The Darkness

"What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked, quirking a confused brow.


"I-I need to talk to Ron outside a moment." Harry stated quickly.
Ron immediately spoke up. "Yeah, Harry and I need to discuss something." he added.
Veranda nodded. "Very well dears, feel free to step outside then." She replied, with an uneasy nod.
Hermione's brows furrowed as she watch the two boys walk out of the cell.
"What do you suppose they're talking about?" Hermione asked the old woman.
"Who knows, they are males after all." Veranda shrugged.
Then she squinted as she saw something brown lying on the bed behind the girl. "Is...is that a wand?" She asked.
Hermione turned slightly and then blinked rapidly. "Yeah?" she looked confused as she reached down and picked it up.
"This is mine...but how-" She then suddenly remembered that it was the wand that Draco had been holding. He was going to kill me with my own wand! But first he was going to... She closed her eyes shaking the horrible thoughts out of her head.

"Hermione dear, prisoners are not supposed to have wands or any other magical items." Veranda said sternly.

"Oh please, let me hold onto it. Incase Lucius comes back to kill me. Please, I give you my solid word that I will not use it to try to escape." Hermione said firmly.
Veranda thought a moment and then nodded. "In normal circumstances, I would not allow it. But with the potential threat of Lucius returning, I will give you permission to keep it in your possession. However, do not let the guards catch you with it! And do not use magic unless you absolutely need to!" the old woman warned.

Hermione nodded and stood up, slowly sliding the wand into her pocket.



Harry and Ron walked over and leaned against the wall, looking up at the pale full moon that had now lit up the night sky.
"I bet Lupin's not happy to see that." Ron stated glumly, staring up at it; breaking the silence between him and his dark haired friend.

"Ron," Harry began not even acknowledging his friend's comment. "I know why Lucius obliviated Hermione's memories of this year." he spoke slowly.
Ron nodded as his friend continued. "He saw that she was with his son and he was not happy about that. Lucius wanted Hermione to forget about the good times with Malfoy. And I think that's why he let her live. He planned it out so that when Malfoy arrived here, Hermione would be confused and react just the way she did."

"Yeah." Ron replied slowly. "That does make sense." he added with a slight nod as he scratched his head.
"Yeah, so now that we know what's going on; there is only one thing left to do." Harry announced as he turned to his red headed friend.
"Tell Hermione the truth about her and Malfoy?" Ron groaned.
Harry nodded. "I hate that Slytherin git, but I care a lot about Hermione and she deserves to know the painful truth." he said, with a bitter frown.
"Come on, let's go." he added.
Ron nodded slowly and then the two walked back into the cell slowly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco had landed on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, and now stood atop the hill just above the wizarding village. His grey eyes stared sadly off into the distance, towards the magnificent castle that was Hogwarts. Though the soft moon was the only light, it was bright enough to reveal the blonde's face. The puffiness of his eyes and the slight redness around his nose, suggested that he'd had quite an emotional bout with himself. A battle he could neither win nor lose.

A gentle breeze blew through his blonde hair, attempting to calm, to sooth him. But he refused to allow it to do either. He had no reason to enjoy such comfort. None at all.

"I was stupid. I was a fool." he mumbled as he shook his head slowly. "A fool to allow myself to get close to her. A fool for trusting her, for believing in what we had. And now...I see it. I see the truth." He scowled and shook his head as his eyes began to water. "We had nothing! It was all a game! A jealousy game!" he snarled, angrily kicking a small stick away.

"Such a pity." came a cold drawling voice.

Draco spun around to see that Lucius had appeared a few feet from him.
"Father!" he snarled whipping out his wand and pointing it at him.
Lucius smirked as he walked towards the young man.
"Are you actually going to attack me, Draco?" He scoffed.
"Only if you attack me first. Which I'm sure that's why you've come. You've come to punish me, haven't you?" Draco hissed.


"From the looks of it, you've already endured enough punishment." the man sneered.
"Let me guess...your mudblood girlfriend was using you until she was able to run back to her friends?" he inquired with a most unpleasant grin.

Draco scowled. "Something like that." he snapped darkly.

"Ah, I see." his father replied. Then he cleared his throat. "Have you learned anything? Anything at all from this...unfortunate experience?"
"Yes father, I have!" the young man sneered as his eyes narrowed.
"And? What might that be?" Lucius inquired.
Draco glared off into the distance, scowling at the dimly lit horizon. "I've learned that I can never trust others!" He sneered, anger seething from his every word. "I've learned to never help those who are weaker than me!" Draco's voice began to rise. "I've learned to never get involved with a Mudblood! And..." he clenched his teeth as a hateful gleam appeared in his eyes. "I've learned that love causes the most excruciating pain! And...I never, ever want to experience it again!"

Slowly, a wicked grin crossed the pale man's face as he looked at his son proudly.
"So then, I take it you have decided where your loyalties lie at last?" he asked raising a brow.
"Yes, father. I have." Draco stated firmly as he turned to him.
"And?" Lucius inquired.
"And I have decided to take the Dark Mark. I will serve the Dark Lord and become a Death Eater." Draco replied without a bit of hesitation in his voice.
"I believe the Dark Lord will be most pleased with your return." Lucius replied with a slight, approving nod.
Draco stood there, his upper lip curled in the same fashion as his father.
"Let us go then, Draco."
The young man nodded and grabbed his broom from off the ground. "I'm ready when you are, father." he said anxiously.

Then Lucius nodded and with a wave of his gloved hand, he and Draco disappeared.
-------------------------------------------------------


"Glad you two are back, we were just talking about you, Harry." Hermione said cheerfully as she watched Harry and Ron walk back into the cell slowly.
"Oh? About what?" Harry asked, his voice a bit unsteady.
"Hermione was just telling me about how you slayed that dreaded basilisk in your second year and saved a young girl." Veranda cooed dreamily at him.
Harry swallowed uneasily as he tried not to acknowledge the look of awe on the old woman's face. "Really?" he asked, as his eyes shifted to Hermione who was now smiling brightly.

Ron looked down at the stone floor, with a contemplative frown on his face.
"My goodness, look at the time!" Veranda suddenly gasped. "It's nearly 7:30pm. Oh time does fly; especially in the presence of Harry."
Harry chuckled slightly.

"Well, as much as I hate to do this, I must ask you two gentlemen to leave now. Visiting hours are normally over at 7pm sharp and as it is, I will have to explain my reasoning for allowing the two of you here in the first place."
Hermione nodded slowly.
Harry and Ron looked alarmed. "Now? But...but we have to tell Hermione something." Ron spoke up quickly.
"Yeah, we do!" Harry echoed.

Veranda shook her head. "I'm sorry dears but I can't let you two stay here any longer. Now shoo, go on, off with you!" She said sternly.

Harry and Ron looked to each other and turned and walked towards the door.

"Bye Harry, bye Ron!" Hermione called after them.
The two waved to Hermione as Veranda walked them out of the prison cell.

As soon as they were out, Veranda took out her wand and waved it, closing the cell door.

"Well now, it was a pleasure to meet you two gentlemen. I'm sorry to be so rough but I must be wary. And I can only hope that the Ministry of Magic does not question my motives." Veranda stated lightly as she gave them a sorrowful expression.
"We didn't mean any harm." Ron reassured her.
"Yes dear, I know. If you're anything like Arthur, you've got a good, decent heart." She replied warmly patting his arm.
Ron smiled slightly as he swung his leg over his Shooting Star and jumped on it.
"And Harry," She looked to him in awe. "I am once again so pleased that I was able to meet you in person." She added shaking his hand again, though this time he pulled it back quickly with a light chuckle as he mounted his Firebolt.

Hermione walked over and pressed her forehead against the cold, metal bars, looking longingly at the two young men as they were about to leave.

Oh how she wanted to go with them. How she longed to rejoin them back at Hogwarts. She missed her classes, the castle, and most of all, being with her two best friends.

A tear fell down her cheek as she watched them wave to her one last time, before blasting off into the night's sky.
---------------------------------------------------------------


In the darkness of the Forbidden Forest, Voldemort stood with his band of Death Eaters. Above them; dressed in tattered cloaks; hovered the hauntingly, frightful soul-sucking figures of the dementors.

"My Lord!" came a chorus of young voices.
Voldemort turned his hooded head and looked to see that three young men in Slytherin robes had arrived. Quickly, one by one they knelt before him; their heads bowed slightly.

"You may rise." he said with a gesture of his hand.

"My Lord, we bring you good news!" said the first young man who stood up.

"Have you, Mr. Zabini?" Voldemort tilted his head slightly.
"Yes," Blaise replied as his two comrades slowly returned to their feet and stood beside him.

"Crabbe and I gave the Weasley girl the final vial." the taller young man cut in.
"Good." the Dark Wizard sneered. "I knew that Ginny Weasley would be useful again someday."
"Yes, but the even better news," Blaise stated quickly, trying to continue without being interrupted again. "Is that Harry Potter has left Hogwarts!"

A most evil smile crossed the face of Voldemort as he heard this. "Is that so?" He said with a wicked laugh. "So, Harry Potter has left the protection of that school? Hahaha!"
"Yes." Blaise answered.

"My Lord, I bring a bit of bad news though." came Crabbe's weak voice.
Blaise and Goyle gasped as Voldemort slowly frowned at their shorter more chubby companion.
"What kind of bad news?" the Dark Wizard demanded.

"Well you see, Draco left Hogwarts too." Crabbe replied nervously.
Voldemort scowled at this.
"My Lord, we shouldn't waste valuable time. We should go after Potter immediately!" came a murmur from the crowd of Death Eaters.
"Yes," came another voice from the group. "While Potter is away from Hogwarts, we should go after him."
"No!" Voldemort's voice snarled, silencing those who were speaking out of turn. "We are not going after Potter!"
The Death Eaters all looked to the Dark Wizard confused.

"Potter may be away from that school, but the moment that we go after him, he will once again receive help! He always does in some way or another." He then began to pace slowly. "No, we must be smart about this. We must first destroy the source of his protection. And then, we will be able to destroy Potter!"

Blaise nodded, with an understanding expression. "I understand." he said with a slight smirk.

Crabbe and Goyle seemed to still be confused but nodded anyway.

"So, I want to form two groups. One to attack Hogwarts and a second to keep Potter busy and away from the school until I am ready to confront him." Voldemort sneered. "Now, as all of you know, Albus Dumbledore is our main problem. So, he will be our primary target. Tonight, Dumbledore must die!" He shouted loudly.

"Yes my Lord," The Death Eaters eagerly chorused together.

"Now, as for you three," The Dark Wizard sneered as he quickly looked to Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle. "You will keep Potter busy and away from Hogwarts until the Dark Mark appears in the sky. Once it does, you will lead him back to the school; where I will be waiting to finish him off!"
The three nodded.


"So, who is going to lead us?" Crabbe asked looking to Blaise then to Goyle.
"Uh..." Goyle began.
"I suppose that I can be-" Blaise began.

"I will lead you!" came a cold, drawling voice.

The three gasped seeing a familiar blonde young man step out of the shadowy forest, and cockily approach them.

"My Lord," Draco stated as he walked up to Voldemort and knelt before him.
Voldemort quirked a brow and then smirked.
"So, you've returned, have you?" He sneered at the blonde.
"Yes." Draco replied as he stood back up.
"My Lord; my son has seen the error of his ways and I now assure you that his loyalty is to you." Lucius stated proudly, bowing slightly as he walked over to the group.


"But what of the girl?" Voldemort asked with a bitter frown.
"She no longer poses a threat to us." Lucius said with a sinister sneer. "I can assure you of that."
Draco shot his father a strange look, as he heard this comment, but then chuckled coldly.

"I am proud to see that you've returned to us, Draco." Voldemort said with a wicked grin. "Your orders tonight are quite simple. You and your group are to attack Potter, but do not kill him. I trust that you will know what to do?"

"Yes, my Lord." Draco answered with a slight nod.

"And you will not allow anyone to stand in your way?" The Dark Wizard pressed on.


"No, I will not!" answered the blonde young man.

"What if the girl crosses your path again? Will you allow yourself to weaken in her presence?" the Dark Wizard asked, with a cold expression.


Draco's eyes narrowed slowly and his face darkened. "That Mudblood means nothing to me. If she tries to stand in my way, I will kill her!" He sneered coldly.


"Good, now go." The Dark Wizard replied.

Draco nodded then turned to the three young men. "Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, go get your brooms! We've got a job to do!" He sneered with an evil smirk.