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Necessary Sacrifices	By : magentasouth Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 31254 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from any part of the Harry Potter universe

Chapter List
- 1-Ch 1
- 2-Ch 2
- 3-Ch 3
- 4-Ch 4
- 5-Ch 5
- 6-Ch 6
- 7-Ch 7
- 8-Ch 8
- 9-Ch 9
- 10-Ch 10
- 11-Ch 11
- 12-Ch 12
- 13-Ch 13
- 14-Ch 14
- 15-Ch 15
- 16-Ch 16
- 17-Ch 17
- 18-Ch 18
- 19-Ch 19
- 20-Ch 19b
- 21-Ch 20
- 22-Ch 22
- 23-Ch 23
- 24-Ch 24
- 8
- 9
- 10
The boy had performed adequately, he thought as he leaned
back in his chair.�

The situation was as unfortunate as he had suspected.�

He was anticipating Severus would turn up at any minute and
be irritatingly vague and tentative at him.�

He wanted to detain him and take him
apart piece by piece until it became apparent whether he knew anything of what
had happened to the girl.

He knew he would not do so.�

Hermione was lost.� Likely discovered.� Hades
help them if she was dead. �He would be extremely displeased. But it
remained that Severus was once again his only spy with access to the order and
access to the boy. �

He should not have sent the chit back.�

It had been greed.� Greed
and complacency.� He
underestimated his opponents observational capacity.
It was an error he would not make again.�

The Malfoy boy had been selectively obliviated
of his memories of the girl.� Before the
boy had disapparated, he had informed him that he was
to listen for any information pertaining to Potters mudblood and report on
it.� He would summon the others that had
attended that meeting two days ago later and obliviate
them all too.�

Grimly pensive he was staring at the unlit grate when he
felt the faint tingle that registered as Severus particular mark.�

Each of his servants felt slightly different when they called.� With some.. Crabbe
for instance.. he actually
experienced disgust and the wish to clean himself.�

Severus particular call felt crisp and inexplicably angular.� Soft and silky and dark.� Rather like the man himself, he supposed. �

He sent back permission without moving.�
It required but a concentrated thought to activate any of his
marks.�

He steeled himself as the crack sounded and Severus
apparated in, dropping to one knee smoothly, with the ease of years of
practice.�

�My Lord..� he acknowledged.�

The Dark Lord raised his eyebrows curiously.� �More news Severus?� We are having a busy week ,
are we not?��

Severus face displayed no trace of his thoughts.�

He probed tentatively.. blank
as a sheet.�

�Yes, my Lord...� his servant said with a slightly pinched
look.�

It was..faintly detectable to him that the man was
quite upset.� Although he would be hard
pressed to pin down exactly what about him demonstrated it.� He looked to the casual observer� cold and collected as ever.�

�Potters mudblood has gone missing, Master.��

He felt the weight of the Potions Master�s scrutiny.� He did not bother to feign surprise.� �Yes.. I am aware �
young Malfoy has just informed me.� I am
rather put out.��

Severus brow winched itself up a measured centimetre

�Then it was not your order, my Lord?�

He shook his head ruefully. �No Severus.� Although I wish now that I had moved more
quickly with plans to acquire the girl.� Do
you have any information as to what may have befallen her?� Does she live?��

The Potions Master looked dubious at the information that
the Dark Lord had not been involved.

�The headmaster informed me that a piece of her schoolrobe was found bloodspattered
at the entrance to the dungeons.� I have
yet to test it, however if it is hers it would seem to suggest that whatever
occurred, it was not a willing departure.��

Lord Voldemort nodded thoughtfully even as he felt himself
grow cold. �Such a waste� he said obliquely.�

Severus seemed indecisive.�

�Spit it out, Severus� he commanded wearily.�

�My Lord.. � the man petered out
woefully.�

It did not matter � he could see what the problem was.� He sighed.�

�Severus, come to me��

The man rose uncertainly and approached him.�

�Kneel before me, my servant and take out your wand�

The potions master obeyed hesitantly and startled visibly when
the Dark Lord pressed the tips of their wands together.

�I swear to you, Severus, upon my wand - that I am not involved in the disappearance of the Granger girl � I neither
took her, nor ordered her taken and I do not know where she may be or who is
responsible for removing her.��

The eyes of the man kneeling at his feet suddenly flooded
with some indefinable emotion and he looked lost.

�My Lord... I ..I did not doubt your word..I..�� He looked
down.�

The Dark Lord smiled wanly and raised his hand, brushing his
servant�s inky hair aside from his face and cupping his cheek.� �Quite alright Severus.��

He hesitated.. To open up to Severus regarding.. some aspects of the girl�s
connection.. would be beneficial should he truly be
uninvolved in her apprehension.� He would
not be startled by the news of her betrayal and he would gain further trust in his
master..

If he was involved in her abduction,
chances were that he already knew about it.�

Important was only, he reasoned, that the man not have any idea of the carnal
nature of their connection.� That would
certainly be problematic.� If he believed
however.. that he might have
the girl after this war was over..�

He hovered indecisively and then made the decision.�

�I will reveal to you something that I have been keeping
from you, my servant.� I thought it
prudent not to burden you with the knowledge..��

The black eyes he looked down into grew shuttered and
wary.�

He stroked the warm cheek gently and tilted his head.�

�I have been corresponding with Hermione Granger.. it is an extremely recent
development.� The girl contacted me
through Lucius Malfoy barely days ago and sought, if
you would believe it, my tutelage.�� She
wished to learn the dark arts.��

He smirked fondly at the widening of the onyx eyes which probably constituted
shock and horror for the non-demonstrative man.�

�At first I thought it amusing to train Potter�s little friend in the very
thing that this war truly revolves around � for that is what it amounts to - do
not be misled Severus.� It is not a blood war, in any more than a
purely pragmatic sense, for the purebloods are frequently foolish and do not
notice chains being laid about them until they are fully immobilised, however
they will grind into motion when it
comes to their precious inbreeding practices.�
When I have seized power it will be immaterial, after a very short time,
why or how I came to be there.�

Despite appearances - this is a war of freedom, Severus!�

The Ministry of Magic.. the Order
of the Phoenix and that old despot Dumbledore would
seek to regulate magic � to inform the public what they may and may not know,
what magic they may and may not practice.��

�Where there was knowledge.. there
is now black and white, dark and light � an arbitrary distinction made by some
ignoramus in a stuffy room who has never even seen the spell or potion in question, merely read a report about it
written by a snotty nosed underling.. or by a council
of ignorant, corruptible and self serving fools � who would seek a monopoly on
power.�

Only the ministry shall be allowed to utilise certain spells and potions.. The ministry may detain witches and wizards at their
pleasure.. torture them.. execute them.�

One may be thrown into Azkaban for an indeterminate number of years for the
illegal brewing of veritaserum.. as
you know.��

The dark eyes turned down and away uneasily.�

He knew he had Severus right where it hurt.�
The potions he had no doubt brewed with Hermione were all regulated and
would land her in Azkaban if discovered. �Severus himself had earned himself hundreds of
years in that hellhole, if the ministry regulations were to be considered. �

The potion masters eyes showed sudden horror �do you think
that..�

He shook his head slightly �I do not know yet, my
servant.� It is possible.� �

He lifted the man�s face with two fingers under his chin.
�Do you believe the girl deserves the
dementor�s kiss for her curiosity?��

Severus swallowed and looked guilt ridden.�

�Let me put it another way.. Were
you tempted to teach the girl so called �dark� potions?��

Severus sighed and nodded.�

�As was I.�

I corresponded with the girl only briefly before I recognised that she was
exceedingly bright...she grasped principles very quickly and retained and
extrapolated her understanding further.�

I enjoyed discussion with her.

Severus � I gave her texts from my own
library. �Nothing dangerous of course.. � or rather, nothing dangerous to the
reader.�� He leaned back in his
chair, irritated once again at the circumstances.�

Severus looked fundamentally shaken.

�My Lord.. I am...confused.� I had thought that...those of inferior blood..�

The Dark Lord frowned at him angrily. �Have you not been
listening, Severus?� I have only just
finished telling you of how little true
importance blood status is in comparison with knowledge..with
ability.� Why did you imagine I promoted you so quickly?� You are, as is common knowledge, a half blood,
Severus.�

Hermione Granger�s blood is of little interest to me, although I would
obviously not announce this to my servants.�
At least not at present. �...However I would have offered her exactly
what I offered you at the conclusion of this war � a place to live and work on
whatever she desired.��

�With those of true ability � it is not necessary to shackle
them with orders � whatever you.. or
she.. worked upon, I have no doubt would be both
fascinating and of worth to the wizarding world.� �

The man looked perturbed, as if he did not know what to
believe.�

�What would you have me do?��

The Dark Lord smiled thinly.�
�You have always known what I
would have you do, Severus.� �However.. if you cannot kill Harry Potter � at least find the
girl.�

If she lives.. bring her to
me.� I will allow her to assist you here
as she has been doing at Hogwarts.� She
will be protected.� �

He saw the temptation and covetousness in the man�s eyes.

�It will be as you say, my Lord� he said with a hard
expression.�

The Dark Lord traced his hand up his face and into his hair
gripping gently. �I am pleased, Severus.�
You have always been my favourite, you know..�

Again he had the satisfaction of seeing the man�s eyes flash in surprise.� Content, he released his hair and waved his
hand to dismiss him.�

The potions master stood and backed away hesitantly, his bow
was rather less clipped than it commonly was.�

Musing on the meeting after the crack of disapparition
had faded, the Dark Lord sighed.� It
seemed that this entire war hinged and always had hinged on that rather surly young man..

Extraordinary.�

Perhaps.. if he had kept him
in his bedroom all those years ago, many things might have occurred
differently.�

Alas.. hindsight
is 20/20.

Severus walked into the headmasters
office deeply concerned.�

If the Dark Lord was not behind Hermione�s
absence...� But it couldn�t be the ministry..she couldn�t be in Azkaban.. Albus would have told
him.�

The only explanation was that it was the headmaster himself.��

He walked in, preparing himself for conflict.�

�Ah Severus.. you
have returned.� Have you learned anything
about Miss Granger?�� The headmaster sat
back in his chair coolly scrutinizing him..�

He knew suddenly that it was true.� Albus had done something with Hermione.�

He schooled his features, reflecting incongruously how similar the headmaster�s
chair was to the Dark Lord�s throne.�

�No... I�m afraid the Dark Lord was rather reserved on the
matter.� He said he had nothing to do
with it but I could not determine whether it was true.��

The headmaster looked at him grimly.�

�Sit down, my boy.�� He gestured to the
seat before the desk.�

Severus felt immediately wary.� Albus
never had him sit there.. it
was always by the fire.� He lowered
himself to the chair cautiously.� It was
only seconds later that he realised he could not move.�

�Oh Severus..�� Albus said sadly.� �I have known you for twenty years.� Do you really think I cannot recognise when
you obscure things from me?� I do not
need to read your mind to know what has been taking place with you.��

Severus felt himself go suddenly cold.�

He was in trouble.�

A lot of trouble.�

He focussed intently, strengthening the fortifications around his mind.� Preparing for the worst.

He had a feeling it was a waste of time.�
Fighting seemed so pointless.� He
was absolutely overpowered.� He grit his teeth.� It
was the chair. �The
feelings of despair and hopelessness.�
Damn the bastard.

�What did you do to her, Albus?� he hissed icily.�

The headmaster gave him a withering look.

�I hardly think you are in a position to accuse me of harming the girl, Severus.

�...I am disappointed..so very disappointed in
you.� You encouraged..
nay assisted..an innocent student to practice the dark arts.. within these protected halls... knowing..how wrong it was, you did it even
so.�

What has happened to you?!� You have
struggled with the darkness for years.. how could you put a child
through that horror?�

Not only a child but one so..gifted.. so promising as the girl...��

�I knew of your
obsession with her, Severus...I curse myself for indulging you but I thought to
remind you for what you fought.� But...
after this morning...��

Severus blanched.� He
had himself been feeling somewhat guilty about what had transpired with the
boy.�

The headmaster frowned at him �No Severus..
not that.. I
am aware of the boy�s part in that.. I am talking about your temptation to kill him!��

He felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop open helplessly.

�Do you really imagine that I do not have eyes in your
quarters, Severus.�
You enter regularly into Voldemort�s presence. I could not allow such a
vulnerability if I were not confident in your loyalty.� Nothing
you do within these walls is hidden from me!��

Severus slumped slightly.�
He was truly sunk.� It was likely
he would not leave this office alive. �He�d
betrayed the order with his ..appetites.

�You will open your mind to me, Severus.� You must show me what else you have hidden
from me.��

Severus shook his head numbly.

�What did you do with Hermione Granger, Albus?!�
She does not deserve this.��

The face of the headmaster darkened. �No, Severus.� I agree.�
She does not.�

I have put her somewhere where she will be protected for the remainder of this
war.� Where she will
not be surrounded by dark influences.�

She will work in the service of the wizarding world..in
the service of the light. �...Whether she wishes to or not.� Now.. lower your defences!��

The horror washed over Severus.�

Hermione had been enslaved.� That was
what it amounted to.� If she was being
held somewhere.. for her
protection.. where she would work in the service of
the light.. it amounted to working in service of Albus..�

He realised, as he never had before, that Albus was the essence of the
light.�

He was perhaps the one largely responsible for the move to outlaw �dark�
practices.. yet he himself..judging by this chair.. judging by
his use of legilimency.. his not infrequent dosing of
the unsuspecting with mild forms of veritaserum..his
ruthless bloody determination to control Potter... He was in practice, a dark
wizard.�

A dark wizard with an image so light it set all others into darkness in
contrast.�

Albus was darker and more merciless than Severus himself had been at his worst..

�No.� I won�t.� You will not tinker with my mind, Albus.� Do what you must.��

Albus narrowed his eyes at him and smiled wryly.� �Severus.. you always did have to be difficult, didn�t you?!��

He summoned an object wandlessly from the side of the room.� It was covered with a black sheet.�� He muttered a spell and the sheet became
clear.�

He could see Hermione sitting at a desk writing.� She looked quite well, if angry and
concerned.�

�She cannot see or hear us at present.� As you can see.. I
have not harmed her.��

Albus summoned another object under a black sheet from the
side of the room.� This time he removed
the sheet.� Severus saw a yellow canary
in a small gold cage.�

�Are they not alike..� the
Headmaster said quietly.�

�The canary has everything it requires within the cage.� It is not free.. but it can sing and even fly a short distance.� It is safe within the cage.��

He drew his wand and cast a spell at the cage silently.� Severus saw a bluish dome appear around it.� It was strangely viscous with slight milky
lines that swam over the surface liquidly.�

�The bird is unaffected, as you see..
and in fact.. it is even
safer than before..�� He cast a green
flash at the cage which dissipated.�

The hairs on the back of Severus neck stood up at Albus
effortless use of the killing curse.��

The headmaster looked at Severus evenly.

�However Severus.. the bird remains safe only at my discretion.� Should it sing the wrong notes..��

He looked at the cage and the bird screeched and flapped, shaking and falling
off its perch.� After a moment or two it
rolled and hopped back to its feet, sitting on the bottom of the cage with its
head ducked in fear.�

Severus eyes slid helplessly to Hermione working at her desk.� He prayed that the headmaster would not
demonstrate the same effect upon her now.�

The frightened peeps of the bird drew his eye back. He saw
the blue milky dome shrinking. The bird fluttered and tried to fly as the space
around it became smaller.�

Severus watched in horrified fascination as it was forced fluttering to the
floor of the cage, and then there was not room to flutter anymore.�

He heard only a sickening little squeak as the bird was crushed to death.�

�Now... I will tell you only once more..my
boy.. open
your mind to me.� �

Feeling himself shaking Severus looked once again at Hermione.� She was brushing her quill over her eyebrow
and looked to be thinking hard about something.��

�You.. you
wouldn�t..� he whispered, terrified that the headmaster in fact would.�

�Try me, Severus..� Albus warned
him.�

Severus felt his resolve crumbling.� He couldn�t do it.� There was no point in resisting.� There was nothing to be gained and..too much.. to lose.�

He let his occlumentic walls drop.�

The force with which Albus pushed into his mind was
dreadful.� He felt his memories being
rifled through and consumed rapidly and then he felt one dragged forth and he
was immersed in the moment, forgetting everything

�Potters mudblood has gone missing, master.�� He scrutinised the pale unnatural face, the
red glittering eyes.�

�Yes.. of
that I am fully aware, Severus � obviously.��
The Dark Lord smirked down at his kneeling form.

�I had her brought to me.� In light of Potters
dream � she does scream rather prettily, doesn�t she?!� I had wondered whether it was merely the
boy�s fantasy.�

She is in the black room at present.�
Would you like to see?� I was
planning on going down there shortly anyway.�
I suppose you may accompany me.��

The Dark Lord rose and straightened his robes, then stalked
over to him gracefully.�

�Perhaps I may allow you a turn with her, Severus. Would you
like that?� I know that your taste has
always run to the muddy.��

Lord Voldemort reached him and placed his hand on Severus
shoulder.� It clamped onto him like
chilly bony death, making him shudder in revulsion.� The disapparition
pulled him away and released him on a different floor, swaying.�

�Rise and enjoy the spectacle, Severus� the Dark Lord
hissed.�

He climbed unsteadily to his feet and looked down the steps
at the ring of the dark auditorium.�

The centre was bathed in light from black iron torches
staked around the edge of the ring.� They
threw their light only inward, leaving the periphery in darkness.��

In the ring.. he felt a
sickening kick to his intestines at the sight.�

In the ring Hermione was..naked..being held by Dolohov, against his
chest, with her arms behind her back while Rodolphus held
her hips and fucked her brutally.� Her
eye was blackened and her cheekbone and mouth massively bruised and split.� She was whimpering helplessly, turning her
face away.

There was blood on her thighs.. blood
on her breasts.. handprints..and
little cuts.�

Rodolphus damn knife was in one hand, as he gripped
her tiny hips with both, slamming into her with visible pleasure.� Behind him, in the periphery his brother
stalked around, obviously impatient for his turn.��

Hermione was no longer struggling at all.�
Her appearance certainly suggested that she had struggled valiantly at
some point.�

Severus wanted to fall to his knees and weep at the destruction
of the girl.

The Dark Lord was watching his reaction and it was almost
more than he could manage to keep his face empty of reaction.�

�Would you like a chance at the girl, Severus?��

He almost flinched.� Merlin.. no.. if
he went near her he�d pull her to him and refuse to let go.� They�d both be killed.� He couldn�t.�

It.. it was too late for Hermione..
nothing he could do right now would help her.�

He could only hope that the Dark Lord would keep her alive.� But he certainly had no wish to be forced to
rape her violently, and that was the only way the Dark Lord would allow him to
be near her now.

�No thank you, my Lord� he answered lowly. �I prefer
unsullied flesh and my appetites lean toward the masculine these days.��

The Dark Lord sneered at him and returned to watching the
action below.�

Severus forced himself to turn and watch also.�

Rodolphus had just finished and Rabastan was positioning himself.� He watched in painful frozen helplessness as Hermione
was anally raped.�

At some point then she was pushed, dazed and barely responsive to the ground
and forced to straddle Dolohov while Mulciber forced his way into her back passage and Rabastan shoved his still erect, filthy cock into her
mouth.

He heard the Dark Lord snigger beside him.� �I wish you to show this memory to Harry Potter,
Severus� he said in a voice that brooked no argument.�

Severus nodded numbly, unable to speak.�

Rabastan was skullfucking Hermione
roughly.� Her eyes were glazed and stared
in front of her unseeing.� The
�spectacle� as the Dark Lord had put it, went on for a long time.� When one of the men was finished, another
Death Eater would replace him.� The one
in her ass seldom finished there, but replaced whoever was in her mouth as soon
as they were finished.�

It was beyond awful.� It hurt his mind to see the girl desecrated and
broken.�

She looked like a puppet covered in blood and cum, unresistingly moving into
whatever position hands shifted her into.��

Finally the Dark Lord dismissed him.�

He did not find out what would happen to Hermione, but he assumed she would
live for the moment, or else he would have been required to witness her death
to take back to Potter.��

He blinked, disorientated.�
He was in the headmaster�s office and Albus was looking horrified and
saddened.

�Great Merlin, Severus.. the
poor girl!� What are we to do?!� I.. I need to
think.� Leave me.� Return later, if you would.� I..I will think on
what may be done about Miss Granger.��

Severus himself felt sickened.� He stood shakily and walked woodenly to the
door, almost forgetting to close it after himself.�

Hermione..� He wanted to go back and try to find her.. try to ger
her out of that place but he knew he could not.�
The Dark Lord would know.� He
would be exposed.. everything..everything would be lost.�

He thought on Harry... he could not allow the boy to die.� To fail.� The Dark Lord would be destroyed.� This kind of horror would come to an end.

Harry sat on the couch and felt cold.� The fire was on.� Snape wasn�t back.�

He hadn�t had the strength to go and be with Ron and Ginny right now.�

This couldn�t be happening.�
Any of it.�
He wanted...he needed Hermione
back.��

Professor Dumbledore had talked at him for ages after Snape
left, telling him that it was probable that she would not survive and that difficult
things were in store

...and then he had told him that he was to begin finding and destroying the
pieces of Voldemorts soul that were scattered
around.�

Only he could do it apparently.�

Harry couldn�t think.�
Didn�t want to think.�

He was to blame for this.�

The headmaster hadn�t said it in so many words but he�d made a comment about
Sirius and Harry thought he might die
from the pain and guilt.�

He�d said he would protect her and then he�d left her alone � the very next
day!�

And now.. now she was gone
and he might never see her again and it was HIS FAULT!!��

The sound of the door closing gently made him stir.� He looked at Severus imploringly and his
heart sank.�

The man looked destroyed..

Harry felt himself slip down on the sofa and curl into a
ball. �He barely heard the low unhappy
voice as it hollowly confirmed his fears �He has her.�

He could not stop the panicked hysterical tears.� This was not supposed to be happening.� She was safe here!� She was.. oh god.. what was he doing to her?!

�Did you see her?� he demanded in a high pitched frantic
voice.� Maybe Voldemort just lied.. maybe..

�yes.�� Snape�s voice was like the grinding shut of
sarcophagi.�

Harry sprang up, ready to demand more information but the
haunted eyes of the man stopped him dead.

When his voice came it was a whisper, breathless, suffocated. �h..how was she?��

Snape turned away and wiped his hands down his face
unhappily. �Finally he responded. �She is
alive.��

Looking troubled he conceded �at least she was
when I was allowed to leave��

Harry looked at him with horror � �You just left when you didnt
have to?!� You should have stayed with
her! Damn it Snape � you should have brought her back!!�

He couldn�t stop the hopelessness of it all and now and dropped his face into
his own hands ..the hate and scorn for Snape
overwhelmed him.. he
would never have left Mione if he�d been there.. even
if he couldn�t do anything, he�d have stayed with her.�

Sudden arms around him caused him to panic and struggle automatically, but they
held him tightly and he heard Snape�s voice closed to his ear. �Shh. Shh..
it�s ok Potter.� It will be alright Harry.
I..I will do everything in my power to bring Hermione
back.� I swear it.��

Harry felt his resistence
crumbling and leaned into the large body.. into the warm security of the arms. �Why did you leave� he
moaned miserably.� �she..she could be..�

The arms tightened around him further and he had the feeling
that Snape too was seeking comfort. �I..could not
watch any more..I am sorry..It was...too much.�

Harry groaned in diffuse pain at the implication. �

He had no words.. he was
nothing but guilt and pain and fear.�
There was nothing left.

�Show me� he choked out tightly.� �I..I need to..�

�No.� Snape cut him off, his voice fierce. �There is no good
that can possibly come out of sharing that memory with you.� And..the Dark Lord
ordered me to show you.� Potter - What..was done.. was done for one
reason alone� and that is in the hope of
breaking you � for that reason alone I cannot.��

Harry half turned and buried his face in the expanse of
black robe and hard chest. �Help me..� he
whimpered.� �I ..don�t
think I can do it..� I..
I don�t want him to hurt her.. make him stop!� If I go to him.. will he let her go?��

Snape gripped him by the shoulders and pushed him back, glaring down into his
face. �No, Potter.� He will not.� He will kill her in front of you and then he
will kill you as you mourn her.� And then, Potter, he will have a revel to
celebrate before he rips the entire wizarding world apart.� Stop talking so foolishly.��

The arms pulled him back against Snape�s chest and he wrapped his own arms
around the man, sobbing pitifully.�

After a long time he felt Snape slip his arm underneath his
knees and lift him, carrying him into the bedroom, still clinging to him, and
placing him on the bed.� Nothing was
said.� He simply lay down with him,
holding him and stroking his hair comfortingly.�
Eventually Harry had no more tears left and slipped into an exhausted
sleep.

Lord Voldemort was weary.�
It was almost five am and he had been up all night, first obliviating those who had attended the meeting with Hermione
Granger.� He had hesitated somewhat over Lucius and the man had not made it easy, resisting him
wilfully.� Still..
the truth of his indulgence in the girl was better
protected.�

After that he had spent the rest of the night searching for
methods through which he might locate her.�
Dowsing and scrying in all its forms proved
fruitless � even with the use of the girl�s virgin blood.�

It suggested that wherever she was..if she lived.. she was heavily shielded.��

He had summoned several dementors
and quizzed them..with difficulty.. on
the presence of the girl at Azkaban.� The
dementors possessed a hive mind.� What one experienced, all experienced.� It made them extremely effective when they
swarmed.� But as they were incapable of
communication in any external sense it meant that one had to perform a form of
legilimency..upon them.�

It was perhaps the most distasteful sensation he knew of.� It felt as if one were dipping their awareness
in black sticky ichor which seeped into one coldly,
clinging, delving, invading.�

He withstood his distaste until he was certain that no new prisoners had
arrived at the prison in several days.�

His next avenue of inquiry, he had determined, would be to
have several high level ministry employees and aurors
captured.�

He expected Severus to go to the order and report on his
findings there.� If he were in luck.. the girl would be in the hands
of the ministry.�

That would be the best option � the ministry containment procedures were
rigorous but could be defeated with adequate strategy.�

The worst case scenario was that the girl was dead or being
held by Dumbledore himself somewhere � which would possibly amount to the same
thing if he were to attempt to reclaim her.�

The old bastard was every bit as ruthless as he himself.� He knew that he would not hesitate to
sacrifice the girl if he had her, should he think that doing so would
materially harm his foe. ��

He lowered himself to his sofa exhaustedly.

What did it matter..really..if
he found the girl or not.� What was she
to him?!� He had known her for days.� She was a child.� Was this effort worth it?�

If she had been killed last week, he would not have blinked.�

She was nothing to him.�

..She used my wand.. a dark little voice piped up
in the back of his mind.�

..I offered her my
wand, without a second thought.. My magic recognised
hers.� She is mine..
�

And that was the point.�
She was his.� He would not allow her to be stolen away so
easily.� She belonged to him.�

His eye wandered idly along his bookcase..
it stopped on a brownish tatty looking book on the
second shelf from the top.�

It was a thick tome.. he�d
only used it rarely.� It radiated
malevolence.� It was one of the books in
his library that posed a real and deadly threat to the untutored reader.� This book would eagerly consume the soul of
the hapless knowledge seeker if given the chance.�

It was tatty because it was bound in human skin and required regular oiling to
prevent from cracking.� He tended to
forget to oil it.� It didn�t really earn
its keep in many ways.��

This book was beyond black.�
It was very nearly intrinsically evil.�

But right now it occurred to him that it did potentially offer a source of
information that might be able to assist him.�

The book was a tome centered around the invocation of other-dimensional creatures.� Things commonly referred to as demons or evil
spirits � however their nature was more complex.� They were simply another form of life, quite
different from the lifeforms in this dimension, which
they tended to view as some kind of perpetual buffet behind glass.�

From their vantage point, unfettered by time and space, they had an overview of
events shielded even to wizards.�

If Hermione were contained somewhere, they would be able to
find her.�

The problem was, however, that they were notoriously
difficult to deal with � far more so than the dementors,
werewolves, inferi, vampires, giants, centaurs � they
were a whole other order of
difficult.

They did not possess loyalty, they could not be appealed to
or seduced or reasoned with.�

They could be bound, for a time, but the cost would be high and the term of the
binding far too short and they would be furious
when they were finally loosed.�

It was not possible to bargain with them � asking them for
anything meant that one�s soul was irrevocably forfeit the moment the boon was
provided and they were cunning tricksters � practiced over millennia at coaxing
the human mind into unwise phrasing that could be construed as a request. �

It was likely that
they could find Hermione.. it
was possible even that they could
retrieve her.. but the price would be high, as would
the risk.�

They could harm her.. ...they could somehow trick him
into error.� They could seek
revenge.��

He turned his eyes away from the book firmly.�
No.. it was an unwise
plan.� He would pursue every other avenue
first.��

He let his arm fall over his face.� He didn�t feel like dragging himself to
bed.� It would be morning soon and he
would have to summon his servants to send them out hunting.�

Before he drifted off he thought about lying with the girl in his bed mere days
ago and feeling tempted to forget her value as a spy and keep her with
him.�

If he had given in to that desire he could be lying with the girl now, sleeping
comfortably, sending Potter pensieves of her joy, her
pleasure.�

Yes.. he
should have kept the girl and allowed Severus to work with her here.�

He should have sought to reclaim Severus through her.. not replace the man with her.

The sun streamed in the window as Hermione stretched and
woke.� She went over everything in her
head, snuggled into the duvet.�

She had burned all of her calculations yesterday and had every intention of
doing so every time she committed something of importance to paper.�

Grudgingly she sat up and looked around the �barbies-dream-prison� room.�

There were ruffled net curtains over the window like puffy clouds.�� A painting on the wall depicted a boy
sitting in a tree.� She glared at it
suspiciously.�

The little dark haired scruff winked at her and waved.� He looked a bit like a very young Harry.�

God.. that
too.. she cursed.�
Bloody spies in her bedroom.�

That utter bastard.�

Aside from the obvious fact that she was under constant
surveillance, she�d never even be able to masturbate
here.�

It would be perverse to do so with a freaking six year old boy watching.��

She got up.� Thank
goodness she had dressed in her pajamas in the
bathroom yesterday.� She went to the bathroom� and got a
towel, returning and draping it over the painting.�

The boy, before she covered him, looked hurt and surprised. �

She suppressed her guilt.� Guilt was
counterproductive.� Guilt was Dumbledore�s
weapon.� That and
people�s innate wish to be of use.�

She showered and dressed quickly.� It was her intention to head out and try to
find the edge of the shield she was under.�

This desire fizzled when she went downstairs however and
found Dumbledore sitting in the kitchen drinking tea as if they were on bloody
holiday or something.�

�Good morning Hermione.. I didn�t
like to wake you. �How did you
sleep?� Well, I trust.� The air here is most refreshing, don�t you
find?��

He smiled at her like someone�s grandpa.�

She fixed him with a neutral expression and responded �Very
well, thank you sir.� Yes.� The air here is fine.��

Her plans to make tea or have breakfast went out the window.� She realised suddenly that she didn�t trust
anything in her kitchen now.�

It was a daunting thought.� What would
she eat?!� She had to consume something
sometime!�

�Wont you sit down, my dear.� I have a number of things to discuss with
you.��

She acquiesced.� It
was not as if she could go anywhere here anyway.�

�Excellent.� I�m so
glad you are choosing to be reasonable, my dear.� That will help immeasurably.� I would like you to give me that necklace you
are wearing, if you please.��

She startled, her hand going to it.� No way.�
Not in the slightest.� If he was
asking.. it meant that he
probably couldn�t take it.� If he wanted
it.. it meant that it was
probably still of use to her in some way.

The thought struck her.� Well yes �
obviously it was.� It was occluding
her.� He couldn�t get into her head when
she wore it.�

He couldn�t see her thoughts or memories and that meant that he couldn�t obliviate her, couldn�t imperius
her, certainly couldn�t convince her to believe anything she did not wish
to.�

�I�m afraid I will not do that Headmaster.� It was a gift and I�m not giving it up��

The twinkle vanished from his eye like a cloud passing over
the sun.�

�I really must insist, Hermione.� It is for your own good, you know.� You have made some..unfortunate choices of late;� things that I would not have thought you
foolish enough to consider.�

Betraying your closest friend in the world.. betraying all �your friends.. and all
for knowledge that you know will poison
your mind..will ruin
you.�

Do not make it any worse than it is.� I
have been extremely lenient with you, in light of your past sacrifices for Harry
and the order.

I am trying to help you, my
dear.� You must give up that cursed
stone. It is affecting your mind � preventing you from thinking clearly. ��

Hermione raised an eyebrow.�
�No.. I
think taking it off would prevent me from thinking clearly, Headmaster.��

His expression darkened. �You were being so reasonable, Hermione.��

Pain suddenly ripped through her, casting her mind into chaos.� She screamed in shock, slipping helplessly
off her chair to curl into a ball on the floor.�
It felt like her nerves were being stripped raw.�

The wailing sound was her own voice.�

This was worse than Bellatrix� cruciatus.� She couldn�t move, she couldn�t think.. she just wanted to do anything
to make it stop.. anything anything..

And then it did stop and she sobbed,
her hand around the dark red stone at her neck.�

Her mind flowed back.�
She couldn�t.. she
couldn�t give him the stone � he�d have her believing she was in love with Harry
and would do anything to kill Tom.

She couldn�t do that.� Anything
but that.�

She didn�t want to kill Harry but she refused point-blank to
kill Tom.�

It had felt...he had felt..so right, when she touched him.�

She shook her head blindly. �NO!� ��

The pain gripped her again and she curled tight and sobbed
and pleaded incoherently.� It went on and
on.� And when he released it and she didn�t
comply he applied it over and over and over again.�

She thought she�d go mad.� But it was
still preferable to killing Tom.��

After what seemed like hours Dumbledore huffed irritatedly.�

�This is all unnecessary, Hermione.� What
you are protecting is indefensible...perverse...evil, my dear!� And what you
are giving up is your own happiness and the happiness of the wizarding
world.� You must realise that!� Do you not wish to be happy?��

She managed to choke out, with difficulty.� �I was
happy.��

The aged wizard snorted at this.�

�Very well, Hermione.�� You may have a
day to think over the error of your ways.�
All of this could be so much more pleasant if you would just make the
smallest concessions.�

Take off the necklace, Hermione and you may work on potions...spells... I will
transport half of Hogwarts library here if you will only do this small
thing.��

She sniggered under her breath.� �If I do.. I�m sure
you won�t need to � I�ll want to do whatever you want me to do, won�t I?!��

Dumbledore shook his head sadly.� �I hope..that we
will speak again..Hermione� he spoke quietly. �

His words chilled Hermione.�
That didn�t sound good.�

�I will return in twenty four hours..
I only hope that you will be more reasonable by then.� Goodbye my dear.��

He disapparated with a pop.�

She lay on the floor thinking frantically.� That wasn�t
good.�

She slowly pulled herself up off the floor and recovered.� Whatever he�d done, it wasn�t the
cruciatus.� There wasn�t the muscle ache
that the cruciatus caused.� She hadn�t
felt that clenching over expansion either.�

She got to her feet experimentally and pulled her wand out.� Detection charms didn�t find anything
different.� After a while she sat and
thought.�

There was nothing she could do if he was going to come back and kill her except
try to get the fuck out of here.�

There was no way to create any potions, letalone the
geas and if she took the necklace off to get a potion lab she highly doubted
that she�d even remember the dark potions she�d learned, letalone
want to use them on the headmaster.�

No.. she suspected she�d be
ever so grateful to him for bringing her here so that she could concentrate
on..whatever he wanted really. �Probably something to do with Tom�s demise�

She would try to dismantle the wards first and if that didn�t
work she�d come back here and spend all night trying to reverse the cornucopia
charms in the kitchen.�

There was no time to waste.�
She set off.� Reasoning that she
had no idea which direction was the closest to the edge of the wards or whether
she was in the centre of the circle or off to the side, she set off down the hill.� Going up would lead her to mountains and the
edge could be miles away.� Going down
meant that coming back would suck but there was probably less danger of injury.

It took her the better part of the day to find it.� She had seen the bluish shimmer from far off
but the air was so clear that it had been much, much, further than she�d
anticipated.�

She sat in front of the ward now finally and rested.�

It made a sound, she had noticed.� A kind of.. unsettling.. sizzling noise.� Like frying bacon in
another room.� And there was a
vague milky opalescence to it.�

She had not touched it.. She had a feeling it wouldn�t
be a good idea.�

The stick she had tossed at it had become stuck and now hovered in mid
air.� Summoning it had had no
effect.�

She tried every spell she could think of to examine the
ward.�

It was strange.�

Most wards felt..woven.. you
could unravel them if you could find the edge, so to speak.. but
this.. had an almost liquid feeling.� Like a bubble.��

It reminded her in a way of the bubblehead charm.�

She threw spell after spell after spell at it, blasting
spells, even unlocking spells.� She used everything she had and nothing
seemed to make any impression upon it.��

Frustrated she huffed and threw herself down on a flat rock.��

The valley she was in was quite beautiful, objectively
seen.� She could see down the hill and
way off in the distance there was what looked like a small settlement.� Barely a town.� There were cars.� Only a few.��

She put her head in her hands.� Maybe she could dig under it?�

She looked up and startled.�
The wall was moving!�

On the far side of it was a flattened, yellowing line in the grass.� It was moving inward!!� Quite quickly!�

She leapt up and off the rock, dashing backward.�

The blue wall moved at a brisk walking pace inward, leaving dead plant matter
behind it, a fat line of brown on the ground.�

She ran back up the meadow a few hundred metres and watched it approach
inevitably.� When it got to about ten
metres away she turned and ran some more, putting distance between it and
herself.�

In this manner it chased her back to the foot of the hill
upon which sat the chalet perhaps five miles away.�

She was extremely unsettled.�
What would have happened if she hadn�t noticed it moving and it had
touched her?!�

In the distance she could still see the stick that she had thrown into it
hanging in midair.� She had a very.. very.. bad
feeling about this.�

Casting tempus she found it was three pm.�
Dumbledore had left her around ten thirty or so and she�d set out soon
afterward.� That meant it had been five
hours.�

How often was the thing moving?� How far
had it moved?�

She peered into the distance and figured the blackened earth had to stretch for
at least a half a km now.� It was
awful!� It looked like the ground had
been scorched or poisoned.��

If the ward had moved faster than she
could run...�

Feeling sick she turned immediately and started hiking back
up the hill.� The path was not straight
and god knew when that horrid thing would move again.�

If she�d known this she would have started with the cornucopia and waited for
the ward to get closer � she�d wasted five hours hiking and she was probably
going to waste almost as much getting back.�

This was bad!� ��

She picked up her feet and forced herself to speed up. She
was thirsty and her feet hurt.. but
she didn�t want to find out what it felt like to be caught in that ward.�

By the time she got back up to the chalet it was seven pm
and getting dark.� The ward had chased
her an hour ago.�

Her path moved diagonally up the hill while the sizzling wall took the direct
route.� She was panting through the pain
in her chest as she dragged herself at a jog up the path.�

At the moment it had stopped again.� It seemed to move every couple of hours.��

She struggled up the grassy slope of the final stretch and
flung herself through the door into the kitchen.�

Fuck.. fuck.. what was she going to do?!�
It would be here in a few hours.��

She threw open the cupboard door and set herself down
on the floor, trying to calm down.� She
needed to still herself so that she could focus on perceiving the shape of the
spell linking the cupboard with wherever it was refreshed from.�

It was so hard to make herself calm.� She might be dead in a few hours.�

The Dark Lord fumed.�
Getting his hands on the ministry employees and the aurors
had not been without its sacrifices.� One
of his mid level death eaters had been killed by one of the aurors
before the group could disarm the man.�

The boy had been quite young and promising.�
He had participated regularly in raids.�
A waste.�

The auror responsible had died slowly and painfully after
his interrogation.�

And it had all been for nothing.� .. or practically
nothing.�

Lord Voldemort was now almost certain that the ministry had nothing to do with Hermione�s
disappearance.�

He hoped Severus had been more successful with the order.� He reasoned with himself that it was only
nine pm.� It was unlikely that Severus
could freely escape the busywork of teaching in order to pursue order members
and probe them for details that they had clearly not chosen to share with him.. he should leave him be and hope
that the man returned tomorrow with news.�

But he had a nagging feeling of dread in his gut.� A sense of urgency that he
hadn�t felt yesterday.�

He wanted results now!�

Against his better judgement he activated Severus� dark
mark.� The man would come and report on
whatever he had found!�

The sudden hiss and flinch around him woke Harry
suddenly.�

He reoriented himself quickly feeling the warmth next to him move away.� He wanted to cling and pull it back.�

�What is it?� Is it
him?!� he demanded, worried.

The figure now seated on the edge of the bed turned away
from him nodded. �He is summoning me. I must go.� He feels..agitated..��

Harry swallowed and sat up, turning over and crawling to Snape�s
back, rising up on his knees and wrapping his arms around him.

�I...I don�t want you to go... but I want to save Hermione...I just.. don�t want him to hurt you
too.��

The back his chest was pressed against moved as the man
beneath him snorted.

�It is somewhat late for that, Potter.�
He has been..harming me.. one
way or another..since long before you were born.��

Harry held him more tightly. �Be..careful..��

Again the man scoffed but, as he stood and summoned his robe,
he said quietly. �Stay awake in my absence.��

Moments later he was gone, sweeping out the door in a billow of black.�

Harry knelt, alone again, feeling the despair rush in like
icy water.�

It was worse now.. now it
felt desperate and urgent and raw and.. he felt like
he wanted to jump up and blast something.. the buzzing
in his head was horrible.�

Was this because of Voldemort?�

Snape had said..he was agitated.��

The fucker should be pleased as pie right now � he�d done something truly
horrible to someone Harry loved.� What
the hell had happened? �

He moved back up the bed and crawled under the covers,
stripping off his clothes as he went.�

Actually.. yesterday
all day he hadn�t felt any sense of
happiness from that place in his head that was the whine of Voldemort.� He�d felt anger and worry.�

Maybe his own emotions overwhelmed it.� Maybe that�s what they were doing now.��

He folded his arms and thought about all the things he�d like to do to that
snake faced bastard if he had him at his mercy.

It was the safest thing to think about right now.�

The Dark Lord waited.. what was taking the blasted man so long?!� Finally there was the crack and Severus
spilled into his study, falling to his knee and looking down.�

Voldemort felt irritated at wasting another half hour in which his concern seemed to only grow.�

�Well?!� he demanded, glaring.�

Severus looked up with a blank trained expression and responded ��I showed
the boy as you required, my Lord. He was extremely distraught.� He is sedated in the infirmary at
present.��

The Dark Lord blinked.�
�Showed him what?�

What the hell was the man on about?� Had
he showed him their last conversation?�
What in the world for?�

Severus� eyebrow twitched in confusion. �My
Lord?��

The Dark Lord bared his teeth at him in irritation. �Speak
plainly � what have you done since you left my presence last��

The potion masters face turned blank.

�I reported to the headmaster.� I spoke
with Potter and showed him the memory as you wished, after he was admitted to
the infirmary I returned to my quarters and prepared material for my classes
this morning, then I brewed some minor potions for the
infirmary, my Lord.� Today I have taught
classes and checked on Potter in the infirmary.��

The Dark Lord leapt to his feet �WHAT?!� What are you talking about, Snape?!� What
blasted memory?!� Why have you done nothing?!��

Severus looked appalled.�
His stare broadcast the fact that he suspected that Lord Voldemort was
losing his mind.

The fact that he showed this, only served to express how shocked he was at the Dark
Lord�s reaction.�

Impatient and extremely concerned now Lord
Voldemort flicked his wand, sealing off the room.� Severus would not leave.�

Another flick and the man was suspended in the air by
his wrists, his wand floating toward the Dark Lord.�

�We will begin with - What.�
Memory. Are. You. Talking. About?!� he demanded
through his teeth.�

Severus hung, wide eyed and responded �The memory of last
night, my Lord.� The
girl. The black room.�

Lord Voldemort leaned heavily against his desk, his mind
racing.�

Severus memory had been tampered with.� Dumbledore
had the girl.�

He wiped a hand down his face, disgusted at this..this..waste of time!��

When he spoke he felt weary.. as if this..all of this.. was time that Hermione did not have.� He was going to fail.�

�Severus.. You are unlikely to believe
me when I tell you this.. but
whatever you remember.. did not happen.� I do not have Hermione.� I certainly did not have her tortured in any
way yesterday.�

I sent you to find out whether the
order had her.�

I can only assume that they do.. judging
by what you now hold to be reality.��

He looked into the fire.�

Sighing he flicked his wand, releasing the man, who crashed down to his knees
on the floor.�

Severus looked up at him warily. He looked back at him wearily, attempting to
find the strength to unravel this mess once again.

�I have been looking for the girl since Draco informed me
she had disappeared, Severus.� The dementors have not seen her at Azkaban, I have spent most
of the day interrogating ministry stooges and aurors,
none of whom had any idea what I was talking about..

I spoke with you yesterday.. Severus..
I made a wand oath to you.�

He lifted his wand and summoned a portable pensieve.� A moments
concentration and he drew out a silvery filament of memory, flicking it into
the liquid.�

�See for yourself.� Your memory is
inaccurate.� It has been altered.� When you return, I will make another oath to
you, if you wish.�� He offered the pensieve.�

The man on his knees accepted the small bowl hesitantly,
looking up at him with flickers of hope in his eyes.�

He could well imagine why.� If Severus
remembered Hermione in the black room, whatever he saw would likely not have
been pleasant in conjunction with the girl.�

The potion master�s eyes took on a whitish glaze.� He was inside the memory.�

The Dark Lord paced away and seated himself in one of the
chairs, crossing his legs and tapping his fingers on the armrest.� The feeling of urgency was visceral.. he needed to do something
now!�

It took half an age for Severus to return and the look on his face was flashing
back and forth between suspicion and hope.

Lord Voldemort snorted and huffed

�Fine.� Come here.��

Severus complied immediately, rising and seating himself on the coffee table in
front of him.� The Dark Lord suppressed a
momentary flicker of annoyance at that.�

He returned Severus� wand tohim and made the wand
oath quickly and unhesitatingly.�

When it took and his wand was no worse for wear, Severus sighed in relief.� �Thank Merlin.�� His eyes turned up to meet the Dark Lord�s �I..do not know.. what happened since
the time of our meeting, my Lord.� I know.. that I have spent the entire day
with Potter in my quarters.� He was...we
were...distraught over the fact that you had miss Granger..��

The Dark Lord�s eyebrows flew up.�

Severus looked down and swallowed.�

�The boy is...he has some kind of..reaction.. to me..when we are close.� I cannot explain it.� He seeks out my proximity.��

As interesting as this was, it was nothing to do with the
matter at hand.� Lord Voldemort brushed
it aside with a gesture.�

�I must view your memories Severus.� You
know that it will be useless if you put them into a pensieve.
I need to feel them. �I am not asking.
You will show me the events following our meeting.� If they remain in your memory at all, I will
dig them out of you.�

I have been having..a peculiarly ominous foreboding
all day.� Time is of the essence.�

Severus, astoundingly
enough, nodded and gave him his eyes.�
His gaze was strangely calm and relieved.�

A second later the Dark Lord plunged into his mind.� He tore through to find the memory he
needed.� He found Severus in his study
yesterday.� Only faintly discernable,
because he recognised where true events had deviated, there was the edge of the
false memory.�

He watched the false memory through, feeling furious and galled.� He recognised
the memory.� It was a different witch.. a different time.�

Dumbledore had obviously selected one of Severus own memories and altered only
the identity of the witch being used.�

The woman in question had been a redhead.� A slender beauty.� Her family had reported her father�s brother
as a death eater and he had been arrested and sent to Azkaban.�

This event was a punishment to them for their actions.� The witch, a pureblood, had not been killed,
but had been left curled on their doorstep naked:� beaten, torn, nearly catatonic, covered in
piss and come and blood.�

Afterward, her family had sent money and offered their support.� The girl had three younger siblings.�

When the recognisable part of the memory ended and Severus disapparated, arriving at Hogwarts and going to the Headmasters
office it was more difficult to detect the graft.� He had no memory of his own to compare to
it.� He flicked back and forth, not
finding any irregularity anywhere..�

Finally, at his wits end he found it.� Dumbledore
had grafted a false memory onto his walk back.�
An arbitrary point in the forbidden forest. But
there was nothing to probe beneath.� He
had obliviated the true memory.�

He roared with rage, pulling out.� �It is gone.. he destroyed it.� Confounded son of a syphillytic whore!!�

Severus looked concerned too.

�You know what will happen when I return, my Lord...��

The Dark Lord�s eyes flicked up to the brown tome in his
bookshelf and then back down at Severus.�
His eyes narrowed.�

�No.� you cannot
return, my servant.� We must employ..other means..to recover her, I suspect.��

Hermione was frantic.�
Her attempts to reverse the cornucopia spell were not working out.�

She�d felt out the shape of it and she�d calculated the
changes she needed to evoke to shift the polarity but she couldn�t find a way
to actually bring about the shift.�

It was after midnight and the light thrown from the kitchen
door shimmered off the blue dome� thirty metres from the door.�

It was like a goldfish bowl.�

The night covered the black remains of the forest, meadows, the hillside that remained in the wake of the sizzling
ward.��

An hour ago she had broken off her attempts to go outside and try to dig a
tunnel beneath the ward but when her secured tunnel had reached the wall she
had found that the blue ward actually penetrated through the surface of the
ground.� It was apparently a true bubble.�

She wondered how many animals and insects were dead in the miles around the
chalet.� Dumbledore had unhesitatingly
scorched the earth utterly.�

Irrespective what he had said about the wonderful air and the beautiful
countryside he had left a blackened wasteland.�
She expected muggles would discover it in the
morning and call it an ecological catastrophe.�

Unless he somehow fixed or hid it...

Either way.. she
was running out of time.��

She raced upstairs and looked into the enchanted
mirror.� It was black.� She picked it up and dragged it down with her
to the kitchen, setting it on the sideboard facing out the window.�

Let him see it coming.�

She wouldn�t give up..�
she...she wouldn�t!�

Her hand went to her throat to the teardrop stone
there.�

If she took it off..� she�d probably live..

Dumbledore would stop the ward.�

Maybe he�d stop the ward anyway if she refused to take it
off.� She wasn�t sure..

How could it have come to this?!� She wasn�t sure whether Professor Dumbledore
might kill her.�

She had to get out of here!!�
She turned back to the cupboard and focused once more.

Author note.

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Necessary Sacrifices