Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Inc., Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Raincoast, and any other affiliated party.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 12: Return of the Dark Lord
Hermione stared at the Dark Lord in horror. 'This isn't possible!' she thought. 'He's dead! You saw him die with your very own eyes!'
Voldemort grinned down at her. "I assume you're wondering how I am standing in front of you very much alive," he said.
"Y-you're d-d-dead. I s-saw y-you c-c-crumble to d-dust with m-my own eyes!"
The high-pitched laughter of Voldemort rang through the bathroom. "And I would've been if that griffin patronus had hit me properly," he said. "But I was lucky. The basilisk of my killing curse had cut the power of your griffin patronus in half! While my body was destroyed, my spirit fled across the sea."
"That's not possible!" yelled Hermione, sounding braver than she actually felt. "You can't be alive! You just can't. You can't…" She started shaking her head as her mind tried to process the information that the Dark Lord whom she had believed to have been dead for the past two years was standing in front of her, alive.
"I admit it is rather shocking," said Voldemort. He crouched down and brought his face close to Hermione's. Hermione recoiled in horror as Voldemort whispered, "But you're going to have to accept it."
"No."
"Oh surely you must realize mudblood that seeing is believing. You see, Hermione, I've just spent the last two years here in Durmstrang plotting ways of revenge toward you and your husband. Congratulations on your marriage by the way, and of the birth of your twins."
Hermione simply stared into Voldemort's red eyes with disgust. Voldemort made his familiar malicious grin. "You see, Hermione," he said. "I may have all of Durmstrang under control but my heart has always gone out to Magiterran." Hermione snorted. She couldn't believe that Voldemort had any heart.
Voldemort glanced at the Ring of the Phoenix on Hermione's finger. "I see that you still have that ring."
"And I can still use it," hissed Hermione. Voldemort laughed.
"Come now, Hermione. You know full well that with the two rings separated, they are nothing more than worthless pieces of junk."
"Harry will come here soon," hissed Hermione. "He has the other ring. You can't win! The two of us will defeat you, just the way we defeated you two years ago!"
Voldemort suddenly looked infuriated. He grabbed Hermione's chin, stood up and raised her out of the bath. Hermione thanked God that he was glaring at her face rather than gazing at her body, though she wasn't sure about the Neo Death Eaters.
"Don't speak to me that way, mudblood!" hissed Voldemort. Hermione winced as the Dark Lord had her chin in a death grip. "You are lucky that I cannot kill you right now for it would spoil our plans to lure Potter here!" He tossed Hermione back into the bath with a splash. Hermione spluttered as some bubbles went into her mouth.
"You know, I know precisely the way how Potter thinks," said Voldemort with a nostalgic look. "I was once a Mage Knight myself."
Hermione looked up at the Dark Lord surprised. "What?"
"Sir Tom Marvolo Riddle of Slytherin. It seems like ages ago. During those years I learned that those who seek power are those that live and so I started my quest for power. And now look where it has led me: soon to be master of Magiterran."
Lingilam snorted. "We all know whom you need to thank for that," he said.
Voldemort whipped around to face Lingilam. "Why not remember your position Edward, or shall I say Gridelwald." Hermione gasped at the revelation was the dark wizard Gridelwald, the predecessor of Voldemort.
"Just what do you mean by that, Riddle?" hissed Lingilam.
"What I mean, Grindelwald is that you're a has been, long defeated by Mage Knight Sir Albus Dumbledore when I was but a squire at Hogwarts. You were a washed up nobody when I found you. So I appreciate more proper manners."
Grindelwald spluttered but was unable to make a come back. He turned around and stormed out of the room, followed by the other Neo Death Eaters. Voldemort turned to Hermione. He said, "I will see you later. Oh and if I were you, I'd get ready to defend myself for what's coming next." With a laugh, he left the room.
A few minutes later, Hermione learnt what the Dark Lord had meant. Viktor Krum barged into the room looking and acting as if he had completely lost his mind! He ran over to Hermione, grabbed her wrist and proceeded to pull her out of the bath! Hermione screamed as she saw the glint of mad lust in Krum's eyes. He dragged her to the wall, pinned her to it and tried to kiss her.
Hermione wasn't about to let herself be taken advantage of, however. She reached behind her ear, enlarged her staff to its normal length and blasted Krum away! A second later, Hermione was dried up and dressed in her familiar blue and white travel robes, her golden brown hair falling to her shoulders.
Krum wasn't out for the count as he lunged at Hermione again, seeming to have lost all reason. Hermione shouted, "Stupefy!" and Krum fell unconscious.
Hermione examined the form of the unconscious king. Apparently, Voldemort had placed a spell on him that had forced him to release all of the pent up lust he had for her. She also saw that Voldemort had been controlling him with the Imperius curse for the past two years. Hermione shuddered at the thought of what he might have done if she hadn't been able to defend herself. Her thoughts immediately drew to Harry. The Ring of the Phoenix was telling her that Harry was now only miles away from where she was and was drawing closer. 'Running right into a trap," she remembered. That thought sealed her determination. She was going to escape from the palace right then and now. If she could only get out of the grounds, she could meet with Harry outside in the wilderness and that way, Harry wouldn't be led into the trap.
Moving as quietly as she could, Hermione crept out of the bathroom and made her way down the hall. During the days that she had been there, Hermione had memorized every, path, nook, passage, and corridor in Durmstrang Palace, so she already had a good idea of where she was heading. Her plan was to head toward the last place anybody expected an escape from, the main entrance.
Hermione made her way to the main courtyard that led to the main entrance. She saw two guards there standing watch. 'This is going to make things a little hard,' she thought.
She darted between the pillars that held the ceiling up slowly making her way to the guards. She edged closer and closer and closer and closer…
Hermione suddenly leapt forward and said "Stupefy!" rendering one of the guards unconscious. Before the other one could raise the alarm, Hermione swung her staff into his face. She then swung her staff upward and hit the guard in that place where the sun don't shine. The guard keeled over, groaning in pain. Hermione said, "Stupefy," once more to make sure he was out for the count.
Satisfied with her handy work, Hermione brushed off her hands and slowly opened the door. She quickly made her way across the courtyard and to the front entrance. She was just making her way past the stables when a voice called from behind her, "And just where do you think you're going, mudblood?"
Hermione whipped around to see Flame looking very menacing. Yet she reminded Hermione of Icicle so much that Hermione couldn't help but snort with laughter. This made Flame angrier.
"What's so funny, mudblood?" she hissed.
Hermione actually couldn't help grinning. "Oh nothing, its just that I bested your sister in a duel in case you didn't know that. I guess I just supposed that I could beat you as well."
Flame looked furious. "I am nothing like Icicle! She was nothing more than an incompetent fool whom was humiliated by a mudblood! I am nothing like her!"
"Oh, want to bet?"
"If it's a duel you're challenging me at then it will be a duel you'll get!"
"Oh, well if that's what you think then I might as well oblige." Hermione had no idea why she was making wisecracks at such a crucial time but they made her feel braver. She figured that was one of the reasons why Ron always made them.
"First we bow," said Flame. She and Hermione merely lowered their heads never taking eyes off the other. "And now we duel!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A/N I considered upping the rating for this chapter but I decided to leave it as it is since nothing actually happens. Tell me what you think. Also, I'm a little surprised that no one figured out that "Edward Lingilam" is an anagram of "I am Grindelwald". So R/R. Next: Hermione is going to go through a sudden transformation.