A/N: Ok…ummm…yeah I really don't have an excuse for why it took me so long, just a lot of junks been happening and schools hard and with Halloween and Thanksgiving, and family and my birthday, and you name it, I just really have not had time to sit down and write in a very long time. Thank you for your patience, and even those who weren't so patient! R & R!
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Harry knew what he had to do, but that didn't make him any happier to do it. He didn't want to kill her! But, unfortunately there was no way to avoid doing it. Harry silently made his was back into the hospital wing and sat next to a sleeping Hermione.
"You don't want to do it, do you?" a voice asked from behind Harry. Harry turned to find Persiam staring down on him.
"You knew this would happen!" Harry said turning back to Hermione.
"I had hoped she was stronger than I was! But, unfortunately I was wrong, and now you and she have to suffer." Persiam said circling the bed Hermione was lying in. Harry turned away from her and left the room for a second, coming back bearing a dagger.
"Dumbledore told me this is the dagger used to kill those with the darkest magic penetrating they body, and there have been cases where the person has survived." Harry said with wishful thinking. He pocketed the dagger and picked up Hermione, "I'm going to the Cave of Deception, and I am going to finish this once and for all."
Persiam nodded, "And I'm coming with you!"
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They rushed to the cave, not stopping to tell anyone what they were doing. Harry climbed through the last chamber and set Hermione down on the platform that once held the book. When Persiam stepped through Harry had the dagger over her heart. He knew what he had to do, and he was determined to do it.
"You know something bothers me!" Harry said suddenly, Persiam's head shot up.
"What?"
"Something bothers me; you know this dagger was originally given to Hermione, why would Dumbledore give her such an crucial part to the story? I know that Dumbledore has made mistakes in the past, but none this huge before." Harry said lowering the dagger.
"There's a first time for everything!" Persiam said
"But in addition I've known Hermione so long, and she couldn't have hid the fact that she had the desire to be evil, she's an open book, and I may be clueless at times but I'm not that clueless." Harry said, walking away from Hermione and towards Persiam, "And then there is how you always seem to be in the right place at the right time. So, I guess the real question is…"
"What do you plan to do now that you cannot use any of your powers down here?" a voice said from behind Persiam. She spun around to come face to face with Ron and Lavender, their wands raised high.
"I don't know what you are talking about!" Persiam said her demeanor unchanged, "Lavender, you have known me your entire life, I would never be evil, tell them!"
Harry walked in front of her, "I never said anything about you being evil!" Harry gave her a look. "I never said you were evil…"
"What are you talking about, Hermione is the one with the book of deception inside her, she has all that knowledge inside her, why are you even worrying about me!" Persiam said.
"Because you're wrong!" she heard from behind her.
"Hermione…?" Lavender asked, lowering her wand a little.
"Hello Lavender!" Hermione said in a voice that wasn't her own.
Everyone looked shocked, save Harry. Ron noticed, "Harry, what is this?"
"That's not Hermione…" Harry began.
"Well no duh…" Hermione said; her hand immediately went up to her mouth, "Sorry, that was her talking!"
Harry continued, "Hermione, hasn't been herself for quite a while, but for a long time, it wasn't necessary for the other part of her to come out." Harry said, "She had been having dreams with this woman for a very long time, since summer when she had her first encounter with the book. Then shortly thereafter she became someone different until school began, and then she became herself again, unfortunately she then began to change when we found the book, I saw it, she knew it, and then her other side came out, and everything suddenly became clearer."
"Who is this other side?" Lavender asked.
"Perhaps I should answer that," Hermione said stepping forward, "Harry is mainly correct, I am another part of her, but we coexist together, not as two separate parts."
"But who are you?" Lavender asked.
Her eyes turned to Persiam and she stepped forward, "I…am…" she said turning away from Persiam and to Lavender, "Persiam Deppart, and I have been trapped in the Book of Deception."
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Dumbledore was worried, and he didn't worry often. Dumbledore had been pacing in his study, something he did often, thinking about the fate of everyone involved. True, Harry had always proven himself to be worthy of anything that came his way, and he had never wavered when it came to doing what he had to do, but this time it was different. This time, Harry was in love. Dumbledore knew that, that was dangerous, yet he didn't say anything, he knew the chances of Hermione being used against him were greater. Yet, when he saw them together at the ball, when he saw how happy they were together, he couldn't ruin that happiness because of something that might turn out to be bad. At the time anyway, he convinced himself that the love he had could be useful, the `power he knows not', yet something lingered in his mind. Harry knew what he had to do, and he was positive that he would carry it out, but what if she reaches him, makes him sympathize with her. He didn't want to train Harry to be a killer, but he didn't want Harry to be defenseless concerning people who may have a past with him either, they had seen the harmful effects of that with Wormtail.
Despite everything, Dumbledore continued to pace, Harry had a temper, and that would present an issue, if he cannot control the anger that he has for Persiam. The book was not gone; Dumbledore knew that, a detail that he had conveniently left out when he explained the situation to Harry. If Harry knew, he would view the situation with no purpose, no outcome, a situation with no result except his death, or hers.
Dumbledore stopped and looked towards the door. He approached it and locked it with a wave of his hand. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do this, but he didn't see any other way to come about it. With a wave of his hand his office faded away into a room he seldom used. Few knew of this room, only those that needed to be able to find him in an emergency. As Dumbledore began to scan the books on the shelves his eyes fell on a particular book that he had forgotten about. He reached up to take the book, but before he could take it the book floated out.
"I suppose you want this?" a voice said from behind him
Dumbledore slowly turned around and smiled, "I would love that!"
The ghost dropped the book and floated to Dumbledore, "What has she done this time?"
"It's not Persiam this time; it's whatever took hold of her that night!" Dumbledore said.
"Pish, posh! She knows perfectly well what she is doing and you know it!" the ghost said. "Who did she hurt this time?"
Dumbledore sighed, ghosts could be so stubborn, "We are trying to destroy the book!" he said walking over to the discarded book and picked it up.
"You're what?" the ghost asked, but before Dumbledore could respond the ghost continued, "Because I thought you said that you were going to destroy the Book of Deception, the same book that turned her evil in the first place."
"I see the years haven't taken away your hearing?" Dumbledore said smiling.
"Albus, this is no joke; that book does things to people, most cannot resist the urge to join it, use it, and in return the book corrupts them." The ghost floated over towards Dumbledore, "What has she done?"
"Persiam, the real Persiam, took over a student at my school, a student who happens to be very important to the future of witchcraft and wizardry." Dumbledore said, "This book needs to be gone, that is the only way to set Persiam free, and rid the world of this evil."
The ghost looked at Dumbledore and closed its eyes; suddenly the ghost wasn't floating anymore. "You want me to go after her!"
"No, not necessarily, I just want you to make whatever is inside of her to come out." Dumbledore said handing him the book.
"But this student holds Persiam's spirit, why would any remain in her body?" the ghost asked.
"Only the good left her, not the bad, and despite the differences between the two both of them love you, and that is what will unite them." Dumbledore said, picking something out of his pockets, "Take this, it will take you right to her, it's ancient magic that precedes those that protect the cave, when you are in trouble, use it!" he said handing him something resembling a wand. Immediately he disappeared from view, and Dumbledore's surroundings faded back into his office. "Good luck, Christian!"
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Nobody moved as Lavender and Hermione stared at each other. "How can you be Persiam?" Ron asked standing behind Lavender.
Hermione turned away from Lavender and towards Persiam, "I'm not exactly sure how it happened, or why, but that night I put that book back, the good in me was put into that book, and stayed there until the next person used it, then I transferred into this body, and here I am." Hermione said turning around. "But as soon as I chose this body, I immediately regretted it, I mean I've seen some emotionally distressed people, but I mean seriously."
"Why were you transferred into the book?" Lavender asked. Hermione opened her mouth to answered, but suddenly stopped.
She looked around, "Did you hear that?" she asked, then suddenly with a swish, there was a man standing in front of them. Hermione and Persiam gasped, "Christian!" they said together.
The man looked around, "Persiam?" he asked, and then surprisingly he walked to Hermione and kissed her. "Darling, it's been so long, too long, when will you let go of this life, and come with me for eternity." He said after releasing her.
"No!" he heard behind him. Harry and Persiam were standing there.
"Get your hands off her!" Harry said walking towards Christian.
"Persiam…is that you?" Christian asked, not fazed by Harry's jealous antics. "Your essence is almost non-existent!"
"The book…it took hold of me!" Persiam said.
"Wait a minute…who are you?" Ron said stepping in front of Lavender.
"Me, well…" Christian began.
"It's Christian!" Lavender said from behind him. Ron turned to look at her, "It's Persiam's lover, Christian, the one that was killed and forced all the good out of her!" Lavender said to Ron, "What are you doing here?"
Christian looked at her, "So much like Persiam," he said smiling, "well, if you must know, I don't know, I was summoned!"
"You were summoned?" Lavender said disbelievingly
"How else could I get down, magic can't be used down here!" Christian said. "Now, I am here to find Persiam, but seeing as how, she has no essence, and judging by the look on your face I'd say you have no idea who I am, so I'll just be going now!" he said taking the wand out of his pocket, and with a swish he was gone.
"You see what you did!" Persiam said, walking towards Hermione, Hermione began backing up.
Harry stepped in front of her, "Don't do this!" but he could tell that there was no ounce of humanity left in this person. She swung at him and he blocked, but she forced him successfully out of the way with another punch.
"This ends now, I want Persiam Deppart gone!" a new voice said from behind Persiam, everyone turned to look to see Lucius Malfoy standing there.
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FYI this isn't where I wanted to end the chapter, but It seemed appropriate for now at least, I didn't 100% like the way this chapter turned out, but I don't really think I can change it much, so please understand! R & R!
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