Chapter 4
Questions Answered
"You know, I never thought we would ever be living one of Filch's detention fantasies." Ron said. They were locked in one of Hogwarts' dungeon cells, "All we need is to be locked up by our thumbs."
"How long you suppose we've been down here?" Harry asked.
"About two hours, I suppose." Ron replied.
"Will ya shut your yap in there!" called their guard. Ron and Harry lowered their voices.
"I don't understand why I can't do wandless magic, I can't even freeze things."
"Your scar is gone, so I recon Voldemort never attacked you when you were a baby." Ron caught Harry's spaced out look, "Are you OK?"
"She looked so evil. I never thought she could ever be like that."
"She's not your sister, not the one we know anyway." Ron tried to tell him. "She probably doesn't know who she is."
"We need to get out of here." Harry said.
"Understatement of the year, mate."
The door to the dungeon opened, but they could not see who it was.
"Bring them." The man's voice said. A guard came and opened their cell, while another came in behind him to put iron shackles on their wrists.
"Where are you taking us?" Harry asked.
"This is your third attempt to escape since you got here, you didn't think you'd remained unpunished." The guard explained, "Lucky for you the Master has requested that Jade take care of everything. She has had some sort of fascination with you Potter." The guard chuckled. "Let's go!"
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Hermione had managed to make a hole in the wall without anyone noticing, transfigured their bed sheets into a strong robe. Under the Disillusionment Charm they were practically invisible as well. They escaped without a fuss. From what Hermione could tell, she and her parents were captives, in a muggle concentration camp of sorts. It reminded Hermione of what happened in World War II. The walked for about an hour before Hermione let off the Disillusionment Charm.
"Hermione, how do you do all that? You've never been near anyone who would teach you these things." Her father asked her sternly.
"Look, I'll explain everything when we get to where we are going. This whole entire world is not supposed to be like this." Hermione said, "We just need to keep walking."
They walked for about two more hours before stopping to rest.
"Do you hear that?" Hermione asked. She could have sworn she heard laughter from a crowd.
"Hear what?" Her parents didn't hear anything. She heard more, chattering and laughter. Hermione quietly crept to the top of the hill they were resting on. Hermione looked onto the valley below, and there was a camp of about fifty tents. Hermione's parents came up behind her.
"What is it?" her mother asked.
"My best guess is that it is a camp." Hermione replied.
"Where?" George asked.
"It's right there, since you can't see it, it must be a Wizarding camp.
"I'm going closer," Hermione said getting up to move.
"Hermione, I forbid it, they are Wizards, and they are dangerous."
"Not all Wizards are bad, I'm just going close enough to see if they are good or not." Hermione slowly descended the hill. Thankfully it was dark out and she could not be seen by anyone. Her parents choose to stick with their daughter. Now that they were closer to the camp, they could see it too.
Although they could not be seen, they certainly could be smelt and heard.
"Fang, get back here!" a gruff voice called out. Hermione sighed with relief. Fang, Hagrid's pet dog came sniffing where they were hiding, "Who's there?"
"Hagrid?" Hermione came out from where she was hiding and went up to the tall, large man who just caught up with his dog.
"Who are you?" Hagrid said pointing his umbrella at Hermione.
"You probably don't know me," Hermione said, more to herself, "My name is Hermione Granger. I was on my way to Godric's Hollow."
"Why are you going to Godric's Hollow?" Hagrid asked still keeping his eye on her as well as her parents.
"I heard that's where Professor Dumbledore is. I need his help, plus I need to find some of my friends." Hermione explained.
"Where did you come from?" Hagrid asked.
"The muggle prison, about three hours walk from here."
"Muggle? How do you know about us?"
"I'm a witch. I'm muggle-born. These are my parents." Hermione said.
"Muggle born? Impossible, there haven't been any muggle-born witches since You-Know-Who took over Hogwarts. Well, I suppose I could take you to see Dumbledore, he's here at the camp, since you can see the camp. The camp only appears to those who don't mean no harm. And maybe get you some proper clothes as well." Hagrid told them. Hermione turned to her parents.
"It's OK; these people are on the good side."
Hermione and her parents followed Hagrid through the camp to one of the tents towards the middle. Along the way Hagrid stopped by a tent and retrieved three robes for them to wear in the meantime. As they neared the tent where Hagrid was taking them Hermione could hear some of the conversation.
"Do you really think Voldemort meant what he said about the temporary cease fire? I mean it's a bit farfetched."
"I believe he means what he says," Hermione heard Dumbledore, "He must want us there for a reason. We will be prepared for anything otherwise. It might also be our best bet to get Harry and Ron back."
Hermione almost stopped dead in her tracks, Harry and Ron where with Voldemort.
"There is still the issue of the actions of my son and Black," said another voice. Hermione immediately knew who's it was, "We need to find out why they attacked me like they did."
"Malfoy." Hermione hissed to herself, she wondered what the hell he was doing here.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir," Hagrid entered the tent with Hermione close behind, "I found these three outside the camp. They came from the muggle prison that three hour walk down the road."
"Escaped?" Dumbledore asked. It was then that Hermione noticed everyone else in the room. Lupin, Malfoy and to Hermione's shock, James and Lily Potter. She stared at them with awe.
"You're alive?" Hermione barely said in a whisper.
"Excuse me?" James asked.
"I mean, you're not dead."
"Should I be?"
Hermione finally came to her senses, "Yes, we did escape."
"How?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione removed the stolen wand from her robes and showed it to Dumbledore. "Please sit down Miss-"
"Granger, Hermione Granger. I came for your help. You see, I'm not from this world. I am from a world where muggle-borns are welcome within Hogwarts walls. In fact, I have attended Hogwarts for the past six years."
"You are from the future; I mean what once was the future." Lucius Malfoy said from behind her.
"Can I ask why you are here instead of begging at you Master's feet?" Hermione snapped at him.
"Because, Miss Granger, if you say you are from another world, then this world is possible because of me, or rather the other me. I joined this side when I saw the other me the one that came from the future. I saw what he was like, what I would become. I didn't like what I saw." Malfoy explained.
"I see, well you'll have to excuse me if I hate you still the same." Hermione reverted her attention back to Dumbledore, "Harry and Ron are Voldemort's captives?"
"Yes, we are headed to Hogwarts now. Voldemort has granted a temporary cease fire. He wants us to see something, but I do not know what."
"Where are Sirius and Draco?" Hermione asked.
"There are both in the Hospital tent. They both attacked me earlier and had to be subdued. Tell me why what did I do in your world that would cause them to want personal vengeance?" Malfoy asked.
"You murdered Draco's girlfriend. She was his best friend."
"What about Black?"
"Aeryn would have been his Goddaughter." That earned a gasp from Lily.
"Aeryn?" James asked.
"Yes Aeryn, Harry's twin." That caused Lily to faint.
"Lily?" James caught her before she fell, "Aeryn is alive in you world?"
"Yes, she was until a couple of months ago, why?"
"In this world Harry's twin was still-born, no one and I mean no one has know what we named her. Harry doesn't even know about her."
"She can't have been still-born; it must have been a trick. Who knew Harry had a twin here?" Hermione asked.
"Just Sirius and Peter." James sat Lily down in a chair.
"Peter? Wormtail? You do know he's a traitor, right?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said, "But why would Voldemort want to make you think she was dead? And where is she now?"
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The guards led them out to the green houses. There Aeryn, or rather Jade was waiting for them. She was tending to a couple or plants.
"You should consider yourselves lucky," she said, "Guards leave us."
"But my lady…"
"Do not question me!" she snapped. The guard said nothing and exited the green house. "You two have been here a grand total of three weeks and have made three escape attempts. Any other who would have done the same thing would have been dead after their first attempt. Tell me Potter, why is it that my father fears you so much, that he won't kill you?"
"Who's your father?" Harry asked sarcastically. Jade snatched her wand from the table, "Crucio!" Harry felt nothing but pain as he twitched with it. "Once again I remind you that although I may be under strict orders not to kill you, I can still hurt you." She let up the curse. "You have no need to escape again, my father has invited Dumbledore and your family and friend for a temporary cease fire get together. Maybe, I'll convince my father to feed your friend to the snake in the basement, or perhaps send him off into the woods to visit the spiders."
"Why invite them here? You're just going to kill them." Ron said.
"Perhaps, I know one reason is to eliminate that last giant or half-giant so to speak. That oaf comes anywhere near Hogwarts and he will be killed on sight."
A girl came in the greenhouse, her eyes never left the floor and she bowed, "My lady, the Master requests your presents."
"Very well," she looked to Harry and Ron, "Would you like to see more of Hogwarts, or would you rather see your cell? Don't answer, it was a rhetorical question." And they all exited the greenhouse. They walked down the halls and by the direction they were going, they were headed to the Great Hall. On the way they passed what once was the entrance to Dumbledore's office. The statue that guarded it was all but a pile of ruble.
The Great Hall was dark; it had a more gothic look then usual. It reeked of evil. It gave Ron and Harry shivers down their spines. The four house tables were non existent; they were replaced but just one in the center of the Hall. Voldemort sat where Dumbledore would sit if he were here. He looked more human then the last time Harry saw him, it must have been because he didn't spend thirteen years almost non-existent here.
"You wished to see me father?" Jade said slightly bowing.
"I just wanted to make sure you were ready for tomorrow, that you know the plan."
"Of course, it will go done without a hitch."
"Good, good," Voldemort got up from where he sat and came up to them, he stared coldly at Harry, "Tomorrow, you die."
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A/N: I'll try to have chapter 5 done soon. And I know you will kill me for having a GOOD Lucius in this story, but what's done is done.
BTW THANK YOU for the reviews, they make me so happy. And a thank you to the one that gave `Twist of Fate' a nomination. It is much appreciated.