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Masters of Manipulation	By : Nerys Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 28506 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Chapter Nine

'YOU DID WHAT!' Minerva shrieked, causing Hermione to jump up several feet in the air. She swivelled her head back and forth to check out the corridor. A couple of third years were giving them curious looks, but no one else was there.

'Have you completely and totally lost your mind?' Minerva said, now in a more hushed tone of voice. Hermione considered for a moment informing Minerva that completely and totally were basically one and the same, but decided against the pun when she noticed the concern on the Head Girl's face. A concern, that was not without merits. Hermione had made an Unbreakable Vow with Lord Voldemort, and she had just told her friend about it. And that friend was not happy.

'Why would you do such a thing? Don't you know he'll use it against you? You realise there must be some ulterior motive behind this. And when you find out…'

Hermione interrupted Minerva's anxious and angry ranting. 'Listen, Minerva, this is what Tom vowed too: Will you, Tom Marvolo Riddle, tell Hermione Jean Granger the entire contents of Eternity in Time?'

'So? You did the same. You just told me,' Minerva said grunting, not seeing what Hermione saw.

'Ah, yes, but I have nothing hidden in that book!' Hermione stated, triumphant, and she snickered. 'All I have to tell is the text in the pages, while he…'

'Ohhh,' Minerva said, now understanding what Hermione meant. 'He'll have to tell you all about the Blood-Binding Charm.'

'Yes, and he has to tell me everything else that his old self and Salazar might have done to that book too,' Hermione stated, grinning deviously. 'The entire contents; not just the text. You know, I couldn't believe it when I read what he had written down. I thought for sure he would realise, but he didn't.'

'He vowed to that?' Minerva said absolutely marvelled. 'You have got to take pictures, dear, really. Or at least, let me be present when you tell him. I've got to see the look on his face. I've just got to. When are you two going to meet again?'

Hermione laughed at Minerva's excitement. 'Tomorrow night, and sorry, no visitors allowed.'

'Tomorrow, but I thought we would have our first meeting then?' Minerva asked, uncertain. 'I already told Pomona and Augusta.'

'Our meeting is at seven and I agreed with Riddle we would reconvene at nine, so we have plenty of time to finish our meeting,' Hermione said, while she thought that there wouldn't be much to discuss anyway, since she made Minerva swear not to reveal her mission.

'Isn't it a bit risky, since you and Riddle will be meeting in the Room also?' Minerva asked.

'Come on Minerva, do you really think it will take us two hours? I suspect we'll be done in half an hour, one hour tops,' Hermione said, hoping she was right, because she did not feel like having a Zacharias Smith experience again.

But this time there were only four students who needed informing, and it wasn't like she was Harry Potter, after all. They wouldn't have a thousand questions for her. These weren't the same stupid people who felt like quizzing another on what it was like when Voldemort killed someone in front of you. No, she would be fine. It would go smoothly, and after that she would surprise Riddle with her question. She was finally going to find out the truth behind those annoying things she felt. Suddenly, a hard push against her arm broke her out of her reverie.

'I was saying,' Minerva said, emphasising on her words to make sure, this time, Hermione would pay attention, 'that it might take a bit longer than you think, but I guess we can always quit at any time we choose. Personally, I think it would be wise to be out of there at eight o'clock sharp. Just to be on the safe side.'

Hermione nodded. 'That's fine by me.'

She was glad. This way the meeting would not last the entire evening. She was not looking forward to it at all. She said goodbye to Minerva who had a Prefect meeting to attend, being Head Girl and all. So by herself again, Hermione went for a walk outside. Even though it was already November, the weather had been reasonable and it was nice to get some fresh air. She wasn't the only one who felt it was a good idea to be outside. Many students were wandering the grounds: huddled in packs or sitting on their own, in pairs snogging behind bushes or playing games of Exploding Snap.

She noticed the small cabin that would become Hagrid's home and out of habit she walked in its direction. It wasn't until she arrived there that she remembered she had no business there in the first place. Hagrid probably didn't even live there yet. But still, she walked around it, just for old time sake, and she was enjoying her walk, until there were loud screams coming from everywhere. Thundering footsteps, and a familiar voice shouting: 'No, no, c'mon, c'mon now, that's a good Hippogriff. No, don't hurt him!'

And Hermione stepped out from behind the small cabin to see what the hoopla was all about. Hoopla didn't begin to describe the situation. It was a terrible mess, a brouhaha, a rumpus, an all around hullabaloo, if you will. And in the centre of it stood a huge boy, waving with his arms at a very familiar, albeit younger, Hippogriff: Buckbeak. Apparently, Buckbeak had broken loose and had been stampeding around the grounds, because several students were injured, a number of diverse items lay scattered around in pieces, and Hermione noticed people were panicking all around Hagrid. Firing hexes, stunners, jinxes: everything they could think of at the Hippogriff, which had no calming effect on the beast; on the contrary. And the mess kept getting bigger and bigger. Hermione knew she had to act, before some harm would come to Buckbeak and he would not be around to help them save Sirius. So remembering how much Buckbeak enjoyed a nice ferret every now and again, she Accio-ed the ferrets hanging on the side of the cottage.

'Buckbeak!' Hermione shouted. 'Come and get the nice little ferret!'

And she threw one into the direction of the sizeable beast. It caught the ferret in midair, and swallowed it whole. Its giant eagle head now turned to face Hermione, and she made sure to maintain eye contact, and not to blink, since Professor Hagrid had told them that was important when you were approaching a Hippogriff. Buckbeak took a few steps towards her. And Hermione made a deep bow. For a moment Buckbeak stared haughtily at her, but then it sank down into a bow. An excited, youthful Hagrid was now shouting cheers at her.

'Righ' then, yeh can touch him now. Pat his beak, go on!' Hagrid said.

And Hermione did as he said. She slowly moved towards Buckbeak and patted his beak. 'Hello, Buckbeak,' she said quietly. 'Nice to see you again.' And she donated another ferret to the Hippogriff.

'Yeh, good Hippogriff, hold 'n,' said Hagrid. He was approaching the Hippogriff as well, and Hermione noticed the rope he held behind his back. 'Could yeh give him another one?' he asked Hermione.

Hermione nodded and held out another ferret for Buckbeak. 'Look, Buckbeak,' she said cheerful, holding out her last ferret, 'this one is called Malfoy.'

She heard Hagrid chuckle at that remark.

And surely, that ferret went down the road of least resistance quickly. 'Yeah,' said Hermione, patting Buckbeak again, 'tasty buggers, aren't they?'

Hagrid threw the rope over the neck of the Hippogriff, but it didn't respond with violence anymore. It was too busy nudging Hermione against the shoulder, trying to get her to sprout another ferret, no doubt.

Hagrid was now patting the Hippogriff as well, while eyeing Hermione with a lot of interest. 'Not many people know how to approach a Hippogriff,' he said beaming to Hermione.

'I had a good teacher,' answered Hermione smiling back at him. 'My name is Hermione, by the way, Hermione Evans.' And she held out her hand towards Hagrid.

'Rubeus, Rubeus Hagrid,' he said in return, and they shook hands. 'You know, I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him,' Rubeus said encouragingly to Hermione, but Hermione merely jumped backwards in fright.

'No, sorry, I'm afraid of heights,' she said, scared she would end up on the back of that beast again. And really, flying it one time was more than enough of an experience for her. She felt no need to repeat it.

'All righ', no need to get frightened, won't push yeh. What did yeh call 'im?' Hagrid asked.

'Buckbeak, that's his name, isn't it?' Hermione replied, wondering.

'Buckbeak,' Rubeus said, while eyeing the Hippogriff's responses. 'I thin' he likes that name; Buckbeak, it is.'

'Well done, well done; twenty points to Slytherin, for keeping your head cool under pressure and subduing a very dangerous beast.'

The sudden interruption in Hermione's and Hagrid's conversation came from Professor Kettleburn. The Care of Magical Creatures teacher was walking across the lawn towards them and Hermione, suddenly, noticed how much attention their performance had got. Students were gathered all around them, watching apprehensively in case the Hippogriff would go into another frenzy.

'Rubeus, I think it would be wise to bring it back to the stables. No more letting the Hippogriff out for a walk, all right? We don't want any more accidents, such as two years ago.'

Professor Kettleburn's arrogant, stern voice did not leave any opening for debate, and Hagrid nodded humbly. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Kettleburn in anger. Hagrid hadn't been responsible for that! Kettleburn had no right to treat him in such a degrading manner. Hagrid was certainly not inferior to him.

'Sir, I believe everything would have been all right with the Hippogriff if people would not have started panicking and hexing it upon merely seeing the creature. This is not Pro... Hagrid's fault. Buckbeak is quite sweet if treated correctly,' Hermione said, defiantly.

'Miss Evans, I'm astounded at your behaviour. Surely a student with your skill and knowledge should be aware that Hippogriffs are determined to be a class III threat by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. They are not harmless beings. Therefore, they are not allowed to walk freely,' Kettleburn said haughtily, thinking that bit of information would be the end of Hermione's insubordination, but he did not asses his student correctly.

'The Ministry finds everything that is slightly different from us and has some kind of force of its own a threat. Their classifications are basically only a means to ensure that things they fear stay locked up. It has nothing to do with whether those creatures really are dangerous. It is just plain wizarding arrogance,' Hermione stated boldly, not really believing everything she just said, but she was determined to make sure Kettleburn would stop humiliating Hagrid.

'Well, well, that's an interesting point of view, Miss Evans, and slightly naïve, I would say. Why don't you escort Rubeus over here to the stables, so you can make sure this, as you call it, harmless creature gets back inside,' Kettleburn stated, and he turned around and strode off.

He was, apparently, not in the mood for a real discussion with an insolent student, especially if he might lose that discussion in front of a crowd.

Said insolent student watched him move away. 'Nasty man,' she said to Hagrid, 'he had no right to treat you that way. It really wasn't your fault.'

Hagrid was watching her with his eyes wide open. Hermione did not know it yet, but her little speech to Kettleburn had just made Hagrid her friend for life. So later on, when Minerva asked Rubeus Hagrid if he would be willing to come help her and Slytherin's Hermione Evans, Minerva did not have to explain anything or ask twice. Hagrid would be there.

Hermione Granger was on her way to the Room of Requirement for her very first clandestine meeting in 1944, with the people Minerva had selected to be trustworthy. Today, there had been a Quidditch match. So Hermione had watched the Slytherin-Hufflepuff exchange with clenched fists, and she had felt like setting someone on fire again when she saw the appalling performance of Hufflepuff Seeker, Eve Macmillan. Hermione had spent much of her spare time in trying to protect that girl ever since she overheard the Mulciber-Riddle conversation, and she was certain no one had been able to curse Macmillan, but now, it seemed like, somehow, Riddle had got to the girl. After all, Hermione couldn't keep him from talking to Macmillan, especially since said girl had no problem whatsoever with being around the oh-so charming Head Boy.

Hermione growled. The man was a menace. How on earth had he been able to get a fanatic Quidditch Seeker from an opposite House to not do her best in the match? Because Hermione had seen how Eve Macmillan had noticed the Snitch several times and had flown into another direction on purpose. Naturally, with their best player doing a lousy performance, Hufflepuff had lost the match, and Hermione had seen Eve leave the scene later on, crying with passion.

'Manipulative bastard,' she scolded Riddle. 'Dumb, stupid, overly trusting girl,' she scolded Eve. 'Never, ever am I going to waste my time like that again,' and she scolded herself for doing so.

'Did you see the match?' Minerva's annoyed voice came from across the corridor.

'Oh yeah, I saw it,' Hermione said, still irritated. 'I told you it wasn't about the You-Know-What's that he was suddenly charming Macmillan. Do you have any idea how much time I've spent protecting her from harm? Only to have that… that…'

'Piece of shit,' Minerva added helpfully.

'That lying snake simply talk her out of doing her best. I could have done my Potions homework yesterday. But noooo…,' Hermione said, scornfully. 'I had to go out and hex Avery, Mulciber, and Lestrange, because they were busy setting Macmillan up for a trip to the infirmary. And I did it all for nothing, because, apparently, it is far more important to please Riddle than to hold on to your own self-respect.'

'I noticed she was crying when she left the pitch,' Minerva said quietly.

'I saw that, too,' Hermione said, calming down a bit at that thought.

It wasn't entirely fair for her to blame it all on Eve Macmillan. After all, the girl was only fourteen and had probably been a relatively easy mark for Lord Voldemort. Well, she was going to avenge Eve tonight. Voldemort would be in for a surprise once he realised what he had carelessly vowed to.

When the two girls arrived in front of the blank wall on the seventh floor, where the Room of Requirement was located, they saw all the others had already arrived and were standing, rather conspicuously, in the corridor. Hermione took one worried look at Minerva to see she was thinking the same thing Hermione was. If anyone had seen these four individuals, standing around like that, they would have got very curious as to why, what, and how.

'We better get in quickly,' Minerva whispered to Hermione.

Hermione nodded, looking up and down the corridor for stray wanderers. There weren't any.

'So why are…'

But Minerva stopped Augusta Longbottom's question by holding up her hand. 'Wait 'til we're inside,' said Minerva quietly.

'Inside what?' Ernest Lovegood asked, interested.

But he got his answer after a door emerged in the blank wall. Minerva had passed the Room three times. 'Quickly,' she said, and motioned them all in.

Hermione was still eyeing the corridor up and down. Riddle hadn't been at the match, and she surely was hoping he wasn't anywhere around to have noticed this unlikely little gathering. Hagrid gave her a smile when he bent over to step through the door, but he was the only one. Pomona Sprout eyed the Slytherin girl with great distaste, having just seen the match. And Augusta and Ernest were far busier with other things to even take notice of Hermione. When they all had got inside, Hermione sat down on the couch next to Minerva. Rubeus occupied one entirely on his own, and the other three had each taken an armchair to sit in. Ernest was eyeing the Room dreamily, while the others took turns in glaring curiously from Minerva to Hermione.

'So why did you invite this Slytherin to come too, if we are here to discuss what we're going to do about Riddle?' Pomona asked Minerva, giving Hermione an angry glare. And she did not wait for Minerva's answer, but continued vengeful: 'Surely she will tell everything we discuss here to that boyfriend of hers, the real Head of Slytherin.'

'What!' Hermione snapped.

And if it wasn't for Minerva touching her arm, warning her to stay calm and seated, she would have jumped up and told her future Herbology Professor an earful of where she could stick her assumptions…

'I think you should all know that Hermione Evans is a true friend of mine, and I will not stand by and watch her be discarded by any of you,' Minerva said strictly. 'She has, over the last week, protected your House Seeker from harm, Pomona.'

'Fat lot of good that did,' Pomona muttered.

'If it hadn't been for Hermione here, Eve Macmillan would be in the infirmary right now, and you can hardly blame her for the foolishness of your House's Seeker,' Minerva stated, now a bit louder than necessary. 'Besides, Hermione isn't a real Slytherin. She was originally sorted into Gryffindor, and she is still a true Gryffindor at heart.'

Hermione's eyes widened and she swept her head towards Minerva, tightening her lips, while she whispered through gritted teeth: 'We agreed we wouldn't tell them.'

'Not tell us what?' Ernest asked, cheerful, like there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

'That Hermione is from the future,' Minerva stated bluntly.

There was no stopping Hermione now. She jumped out of the couch, and started yelling at Minerva. 'We agreed on this! I only allowed them to get involved if we weren't going to tell them! Riddle will figure it out, and they will be in danger if he finds out they know! You can't just make a decision like that without consulting me, Minerva! This is my problem! And mine alone! I don't want others getting hurt over me!'

'I know you don't want that,' Minerva said calmly to the furious Slytherin standing before her. 'But it isn't all up to you, Hermione. Tom Riddle is everybody's problem, if what you told me about him is true, and from what I know of him, it is. So you need others to help you. And I selected this group of people, because I know they all have their own personal reasons to mistrust Tom.' For a brief moment Minerva gave Augusta an amused glance.

And surely Augusta stood up immediately. 'I really don't have time for this, Minerva,' she said coolly. 'This is obviously one of your silly pranks, and frankly, just how stupid do you think we all are? From the future, sure … and I'm from Mars.'

'Oh, that explains why you have the exact same kind of hair as the Martian Emperor,' Lovegood stated, eyeing Augusta with his dreamy eyes.

'There are no Martians, Ernest,' Minerva said, barely holding in a sigh. 'The planet is uninhabited.'

'Sure, it is now… After we, humans, have exterminated them. But the Royal family has fled to earth and is known to be hiding around us,' Ernest Lovegood said, certain.

'So, are you a descendant from them?' he asked Augusta, who was looking back at him, clearly baffled.

However, it didn't take Augusta long to regain her composure and she stated ironically: 'Oh yes, I am, Ernest. And I'm going to get my revenge on all you silly earthlings soon enough. Goodbye, Minerva, I hope you have fun with these morons.'

'Wait!' Hermione said sharply.

She knew she could not let Augusta Longbottom leave, since she appeared so annoyed that she would probably tell the story about Minerva's alleged prank around. And since Riddle already knew Hermione came from the future… This story had to be stopped before Augusta would spread it around, and so Hermione told her everything she could recall Neville had once told her about his family.

'You were born in London in a small Muggle hospital, because your mother had lost her wand and could not Apparate to St. Mungo's. Your parents expect you to marry Ignatius Prewett, but you are in love with your second cousin twice removed, Seuss Longbottom, and you will elope with him. You plan to name your firstborn son Frank, which is what you will do. You consider Charms an easy, fun subject for the weak-minded, because you did not receive an O.W.L. in it,' Hermione said all this so quickly that she was somewhat out of breath at the end of it.

'How do you know that my mother lost her wand? My mother did not want anyone to know, so she and dad hit that embarrassing fact very carefully, and I know I've never told anyone.' Augusta was staring at Hermione with clear shock in her face.

'Your grandson Neville told me,' Hermione said.

'My grandson,' Augusta repeated slowly.

Hermione could see the wheels in her mind turning, as if desperate to find another explanation as to how Hermione could know this big family secret. Losing a wand was considered a real act of stupidity in the Wizarding World. It was like losing one's head. It was not done.

'This is no joke, Augusta,' Minerva said. 'Hermione needs our help. She really is from the future, and she is here, because she needs to obtain two objects in order to stop Lord Voldemort.'

Hermione gasped when she heard Minerva make the blunder.

'Who?' Pomona asked.

'I mean Tom Riddle,' Minerva quickly corrected herself, but the damage had already been done.

'Then why did you say Lord Volthethinges?' Augusta said curious.

'An anagram,' Ernest said absentmindedly.

Hermione's jaw dropped several inches at the speed in which Luna's granddad had solved Riddle's carefully created other identity. The others, who did not have this information, stared at Ernest with amusement on their faces, until Hermione explained it to them.

'Tom Marvolo Riddle has the same letters as "I am Lord Voldemort". It's the name he'll be using when he starts his reign of terror.'

'So he will be joining Grindelwald's forces after this year?' Hagrid asked.

'No,' Hermione answered. 'He is not the following type.'

And she noticed the questions that answer created and she saw how it began to bubble into the minds of the others as well.

'Look, I'm not supposed to tell you what is going to happen. Bad things happen to wizards who meddle with Time. I need help if you're willing to give it, but I can't tell you all about the future. It's too risky.' And she looked at each and every single one of the four people in the room. 'This is worse than the first DA-meeting,' she thought. 'A hell of a lot worse.'

'Of course you can't,' Augusta said firmly, having, apparently, decided this wasn't an elaborate McGonagall prank. 'The fact that we now know about this could land you in Azkaban. Let alone if you start sharing vital information.'

'Too bad,' Ernest said sadly, 'I would have liked to know whether the Crumple-Horned Snorkack has been domesticated in your day and age.' And he eyed Hermione with curiosity, hoping she would give him a hint.

'There are no Crumple-Horned Snorkacks,' Minerva said irritated. 'They are make-believe, fictional animals. They only exist in your mind, Ernest.'

Hermione had a clear sense of déjà vu here.

'Just because you do not believe, Minerva, doesn't mean they are not real. I happen to know for certain that they originated in Sweden,' Ernest stated, sure of himself.

'Gosh, why haven't the Swedish announced their existence then?' Augusta said, amused.

'Because the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks are shy, solitary creatures,' Ernest answered happily. 'They don't like moving around humans.'

'How convenient,' Augusta muttered.

'How big are they?' Hagrid asked Ernest, interested.

And Hermione was certain that Hagrid would only be interested in Lovegood's Crumple-Horned Snorkack if it could kill you in a blink of an eye.

Ernest wanted to start replying, but Minerva interrupted the frustrating debate. 'No, no, no, we are not here to discuss this nons… this creature. Do you want to help us stop Voldemort?'

'You can't call him that, Minerva. Tom thinks no one else knows that name. I thought we already had this discussion,' Hermione said warningly.

'Yes, yes, alright. So … do you all want to help Hermione stop You-Know-Who?' Minerva said instead.

Hermione blinked when she heard Minerva use one of the other names Voldemort would be known by in the future, but she did not correct her this time.

'I'll help yeh,' Rubeus said.

'Sure,' said Ernest.

'Me too,' answered Augusta.

'So, how can we help?' asked Pomona, who had merely nodded in concurrence.

'We need to find two more books.'

After Minerva had explained what kind of books they were looking for, everybody left.

Hermione, however, stopped Rubeus Hagrid on his way out. She needed to ask him a favour, a huge favour. After Minerva gave them a curious eye, Hermione told her she would inform her later on, but could not do this right now, because of Minerva's Head Girl status. Minerva left on that note, and Hermione and Rubeus were alone in the Room of Requirement.

'What yeh need?' Hagrid asked.

Hermione felt a bit guilty for asking this from someone who was now two years younger than her, but she knew she could not go alone. It was too dangerous with all the creatures out there, and she knew Aragog would not hurt Hagrid.

'I need to go into the Forbidden Forest. I was hoping you would be willing to accompany me?' Hermione asked, watching Hagrid apprehensively.

Sure, the Hagrid she knew would have no problem with travelling through the forest, but this was a teenage Hagrid, who had already almost been kicked off the premises. One more toe that crossed the line and Hermione was certain not even Albus Dumbledore could stop Headmaster Dippet from sending Hagrid away.

'Of course, I'll go wit' yeh. I know m' way 'round the forest. What yeh need in there?' Hagrid said, delighted he could help.

'Unicorn blood, freely given by an adult male,' Hermione said, slightly apprehensive about Hagrid's reaction to that.

After all, there were not too many known uses for Unicorn blood, and all of them were illegal not to mention very much a reference to the Dark Arts. Though the potion Hermione was brewing was not a Dark Arts Potion at all. She was certain of that, or so she told herself.

'Unicorn blood, that migh' be difficul' in getting o'r hands on. What yeh need it for anyway?' Hagrid asked curious.

'I'm brewing a potion that might protect me from some of Riddle's … uh… thingies.'

Hermione realised she could not say Horcrux, because Hagrid had no knowledge of their existence. Minerva was the only one whom she had shared that information with and they had agreed upon keeping that detail a secret from the others. Because Hermione felt it was risky enough that Minerva knew. She had, after all, never known about the existence of them, and Hermione had severely fooled around with the time-line by telling Minerva all these things.

'Alrigh' then, I'll help yeh, when do yeh wanna go?'

'As soon as possible; if you can, I'd like to go tomorrow morning,' Hermione said.

'Fine, we best go early, more of them 'round. How 'bout five?' Hagrid suggested.

Hermione agreed to the early timetable, and so they parted ways for now. Hermione watched Hagrid leave before she left this version of the Room herself, walked three times past the hidden doorway again and re-entered the Room of Requirement to wait for Tom Riddle.

And while she waited, Hermione thought about the potion she had been brewing. The potion she was asking Hagrid to break the rules for. A potion that could get him kicked from the grounds for certain if they were caught trying to obtain Unicorn blood, because Hermione was certain no Professor would let them walk away with something like that without hearing all the details.

She had found out about the potion when she was in Godric's room doing research on the Horcruxes. After the incident in the Slytherin Common Room, Hermione had felt it might be prudent to find out if there was a way to stop Riddle's soul from entering another human being. She had not found the experience of having a piece of the Dark Lord inside of her a pleasurable one, and so she had gone looking for ways to protect herself, should Riddle find it necessary to get himself killed again in front of her.

She had not previously picked up Secrets of the Darkest Art, because she also had a copy of it inside her beaded bag, but that day she had an interest in the book on the shelf beside it, and the Horcrux book had fallen to the ground. When she had tried to place it back, she had noticed there were some strange pieces of parchment sticking out of it. Hermione had pulled them out of the book and had found that the parchment contained a recipe for a potion. The potion was created by Helga Hufflepuff. Hermione immediately recognised the handwriting, even before she saw the name at the end of the page. According to the Founder, this potion would make someone impenetrable for a dark soul to enter. There was a warning at the end that the use of this potion was extremely dangerous, and that if one's own soul was not, in essence, a representation of the light, that the user was at risk of casting out their very own soul as well.

But Hermione had felt confident that she was in the clear on that account, so she had started to obtain the ingredients required, and had begun brewing the potion inside Godric's Room. Minerva had asked her a couple of times what it was, but Hermione had told her she would explain someday. She did not know why she did not tell Minerva all about it. She had told her everything else, but for some reason, she had felt this was something she should not share with another. It was like the knowledge of this potion alone was forbidden. It felt exactly like when she was holding onto Godric's book, or Salazar's. Something, that was not supposed to be around anymore. Something, that was not supposed to be shared.

And if she would have seen that the two pages of parchment were glowing every time Hermione was on the verge of sharing its contents with anyone, she would have known for sure this was similar to the two books; that there, perhaps, was a bit more to those two pages of parchment than it would seem on first glance. But Hermione had not seen the glowing. And the potion was extremely difficult and had taken all her attention upon brewing. So any thoughts she might have had about Love of Mankind were put aside due to other issues.

Right now, the potion was nearly finished, and the one ingredient she had not been able to obtain yet was Unicorn blood. She only needed to add one drop, but it might as well have been an entire bottle, for it would be extremely difficult to get a Unicorn to give it up freely. So that's why she needed Hagrid to come along. Hermione knew Hagrid was highly respected in the Forbidden Forest by the creatures that lived there, and he most likely had a better understanding where to find the Unicorns in the first place. So she hoped that tomorrow morning she would obtain the blood and finish the potion.

She lifted herself out of the chair she was in and began pacing the Room. What was keeping Riddle? Surely, he should have been here by now.

xxx
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Masters of Manipulation