Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Inc., Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Raincoast, and any other affiliated party.
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"At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked."
John 5:9 Chapter 13: Start of the Battle of Parselrock
In London, surrounding the mighty fortress of Parselrock was the single largest gathering of dark forces in all of Europe. The tension there was quite high; recent successes of the resistance fighters had prevented the dark forces from extending their territory out of Europe, all spurred by the "Return of the Lion" as people had dubbed Harry Potter's return.
In an attempt to crush the heart of the resistance, Voldemort had sent his Killer Elite to destroy Hogwarts a full week and a half previously, but the lack of news had made some Death Eaters nervous. Amongst those was Icicle, who's sister Flame was a member of the Killer Elite and had therefore gone to Hogwarts. She hadn't heard from them in quite some time.
"Where are they?" yelled Icicle, clearly frustrated. She was pacing back and forth in front of her tent, in a clearing not too far from the Thames River. "They left a week and a half ago! We should've had some news by now!"
"Patience, Icicle," said Lucius Malfoy, relaxing in a luxurious seat right next to his tent, "There is no way the Killer Elite could've been defeated. We will be celebrating our victory soon."
"I suppose so," said Icicle, calming down a little. "Slave!" she yelled. Two shackled people came forward, ragged and dirty. They were Susan Thomas and John Seymour. "Get me my tea," ordered Icicle.
Seymour tried to lunge at Icicle, but Susan held him back. "John, don't do anything stupid," she pleaded.
Seymour looked like an erupted Volcano. He completely ignored Susan's pleas and tried to attack Icicle.
"Crucio." Seymour hollered in extreme pain as the Cruciatus Curse ripped through his body. Susan looked terrified as Icicle walked up to him grinning like a madwoman.
"Stop it! You're going to kill him!" shouted Susan. Icicle however, had no intention of taking off the curse as she walked up to the writhing Seymour.
"Let that be a lesson for insubordination, muggle," sneered Icicle.
Suddenly, a huge explosion rattled the camp of the Death Eaters! "What?!" Icicle and Lucius looked up to see a horrifying sight.
The Resistance was attacking the Death Eater stronghold in London! Thousands of fighters of both magical and muggle resistances were storming the Death Eaters and overpowering them.
"The Killer Elite have failed?" hissed Icicle. "That's not possible! There must be some other explanation!"
"Really? Why don't you think about it logically?" said a very familiar voice. Everybody present whirled around in surprise to see who the voice had come from. "That attack on Hogwarts was a gamble wasn't it? It was an attempt to wipe out the resistance once and for all wasn't it? So how can the resistance be attacking you now? Why, logic dictates that your Killer Resistance lost, pure and simple as that."
The voice had come from a very familiar young girl with bushy golden brown hair and cinnamon brown eyes. She had a look of pure determination on her threat and she actually looked quite threatening, despite the fact that she had approached them on a wheelchair. Her thighs were covered by a red and white, checkered quilt.
"Hermione?" asked Susan looking very confused.
"Granger?" spat Seymour, though he too looked quite confused.
"Why, my little mudblood," smirked Icicle. "Young Draco has missed you very much. I am glad to have this opportunity to deliver you to him."
"If I were you, I would preparing myself for a duel," said Hermione, glaring defiantly at Icicle.
Icicle started laugh. "Oh really, mudblood?" she said between laughs. "Now tell me, what can a legless freak do against the likes of me?"
Hermione simply said, "Don't take things at face value." Icicle simply grinned and fired an explosive curse at Hermione, which flung her out of her wheelchair into the air. Hermione however, simply twirled around in the air and landed gently behind Icicle on her feet...her feet?! Everybody present stared at Hermione in shock while Hermione looked smug.
Yes, Hermione was balancing on the tiptoes of a right foot, a left foot slightly raised above the ground! She was wearing white pointed end shoes that went well with her satin white travel robes that simply glowed in the darkness of the night and flames from the nearby battle. She looked like an angel, beautiful and frightening. She was now, in fact a full inch taller than previously at five foot seven.
"H-how is this possible?" spluttered Susan from the corner she was hiding in. "I amputated your legs myself, Hermione." Icicle and Lucius were glaring at her, the exact same question in their eyes.
Hermione smiled sweetly and said, "Harry. He used the regeneration powers that Battle Wizards use to raise the dead to regenerate my legs. The difference is that since it was only part of a body that was regenerated, rather than a full body, these legs are permanent."
Icicle smirked. "Oh, is that so mudblood. Well, be happy then, since you will lose them again if you continue fighting against us!"
"Want to bet?" asked Hermione with a grin.
Icicle glared at Hermione who seemed to be filled to the brink with confidence. Suddenly, she shouted, "Crucio!" twice and fired two curses at her.
At the last moment, Hermione whipped a long staff and deflected the two unforgivables with an advanced shield charm! Icicle was caught off guard. She managed to barely dodge the first curse but the second one grazed her arm and she hollered in pain. "H-how did you do that," she hissed.
Hermione twirled the staff around. It was five feet long, and had a golden disk on the end while the staff itself was navy blue. "Five feet, cherry, and a single tail feather of a phoenix. An Ollivanders speciality staff made specifically for me," said Hermione.
"That deflection had nothing to do with the staff," hissed Icicle. "Magical wands and staff only channel the wizard or witch's magic. That shield you just used came from you yourself!"
Hermione grinned and pointed her staff at Icicle. "Lets just say that you're facing the one witch who as the top of her class every single year of her Hogwarts education."
Icicle hollered in anger and fired another curse at Hermione. Hermione simply deflected it with another shield charm. She swung her staff upward at Icicle and Icicle was flung twenty feet away by a magical force. She tried to fire another curse at Hermione but Hermione simply swung her staff again and Icicle was flung away.
Lucius tried help Icicle but he abruptly stopped when he realized that a wand was being pointed at the back of his head. "Don't even think about it, Malfoy," hissed a masculine voice Lucius hadn't heard in nearly twenty years. He fearfully turned around to see James Potter pointing a wand at him, with Lily Potter standing next to him, her hand on her wand as well.
"P-Potter?" stuttered Lucius in disbelief. Lily and James grinned maliciously.
Icicle fired another curse at Hermione but was once again flung away. "How is this possible?" she demanded, painfully dragging herself back onto her feet. "You were not this powerful back at Malfoy Manor."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Don't you read books?" she asked. "Its general knowledge that a wizard or witch can channel his or her full power only when their full body is in tact. Since I didn't have my legs before, I could only access half of my powers. But now that my legs are back, not to mention that I have a staff specifically made..."
"I get the idea!" yelled Icicle, looking annoyed. Hermione realized that she had gotten carried away and turned a little red, clearly embarrassed. "But I am still not letting myself be beat by a mudblood!"
Icicle raised her wand and started to say, "Avada Kedav..." but Hermione was faster when she shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Icicle's wand flew out of her hand into Hermione's who promptly snapped it. Icicle charged at Hermione in a physical assault but Hermione landed a powerful kick, with her newly regenerated right leg, onto Icicle's chin and knocked her out. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd use a physical attack on an opponent," she said to herself.
Lucius tried to attack Hermione but James tackled him and pinned him to the ground. Lily walked up to him and hissed, "Don't Malfoy."
Lucius growled. He suddenly used a burst of magic to blast James and Lily away from him. Before he could escape however, a large black dog bounded forward and pinned him to the ground once again. Lily whipped out her wand and shouted, "Stupefy!" Lucius slumped unconcisous.
"Thanks Padfoot," said James. Lily also smiled at the dog.
Sirius transformed into his human form and said, "My pleasure," with a grin.
Hermione walked up to Susan and Seymour. "All right witch! Do your worst!" yelled Seymour looking threatening.
Hermione stared at him sadly. Wordlessly, she raised her staff at them and their shackles fell off. Susan looked at Hermione in surprise while Seymour looked outright shocked. "What new trick is this, witch?" he demanded.
Hermione sighed sadly and said; "I guess it's going to be 'obliviate' for you later, John. I'm sorry for your prejudices you just can't drop." Seymour spluttered angrily but remained quiet. Hermione turned to Susan and said, "Susan, I'm so sorry for keeping secrets from you. I should've told you that I was a witch from the first time we met. But I was afraid of being prejudged in a similar way many wizards have prejudged me because I'm a muggle-born. Susan, I just wanted to that I'm so sorr..." Hermione had tears glistening in her eyes when Susan abruptly stopped her.
"Hermione, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I considered you a friend, and yet I immediately assumed that you betrayed us when I found out you were a witch. I'm also sorry for what I did to your legs."
Hermione smiled and said, "Don't worry about that. As you can see, that's been completely taken care of." She visibly tapped her left foot on the ground to emphasize her point. Susan smiled and pulled the younger girl into a strong hug.
"This place is too dangerous for you," said Hermione. "Take John and follow that dog," she pointed at Sirius, who had just turned back into his animagus form. "You can trust him with your life. He will take you back to the area controlled by the resistance." She nodded at Sirius who nodded back.
Susan smiled at Hermione before she dragged Seymour away after Sirius. Hermione turned around to see Lily facing her.
"Hermione," she said, "Harry is about to storm Parselrock. I want you to go after him."
Hermione looked surprised. "Shouldn't you been the one who should be going with Harry? I mean, you are his mother..."
Lily shook her head. "James and I will be gone again after this war is over. Harry shouldn't live in the past, he should be heading into a bright future with you."
Hermione stared at Lily for a moment. She and Lily pulled each other into a strong hug before Hermione ran off to catch up with Harry.
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While the battle raged around him, Harry Potter was standing in front of the main entrance of the fortress known as Parselrock, Ron right next to him looking apprehensive yet determined.
Harry pulled his hat lower and said, "OK, let's go." Ron nodded and the two started to walk toward the doors.
"Wait!" Harry and Ron spun around to see Hermione run up to them. "I'm coming with you!"
Harry did not look too pleased. "Hermione, its too dangerous. I don't think..."
"Don't get all chivalrous on me, Harry James Potter!" hissed Hermione. Ron cowered away in fear as Hermione continued, "I am more than capable of defending myself. And nothing you say or do is going to change my mind! I am coming with you!"
Harry looked a little angry, but he could see Hermione's determination and knew it was no use to argue. "Fine, you can come," he said, looking defeated. Hermione nodded.
With that, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned around, and walked toward the doors of Parselrock.
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A/N For a second, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to bring this chapter up in time. But, I typed as fast as I could and here it is. I'm a little behind in schedule but I'll try to catch up. Anyway, please read and review this story.