Unofficial Portkey Archive

What I Always Wanted

Chapter 21: Answers

Daphne threw her head back and laughed contemptuously. She affected a rather snooty tone as she mimicked Hermione's words.

"Daphne…what in bloody hell are you doing?"

When she next spoke of a sudden Daphne's voice had turned hard and cold and an undercurrent of what could only be described as hatred underlie her words.

"How very like you to feel so put out by my supposed betrayal. As you stand there now seeing the proof of things with your very own eyes you're still trying to work out how it could possibly be so…why would I do this…how could I do this…am I really even your Daphne or someone just using her face and voice?"

Daphne paused in her soliloquy momentarily and stared at Hermione's face. Anger flashed in Hermione's brown eyes as she calmly enunciated each word she spoke to her assistant.

"Let me out of here now…"

Daphne narrowed her eyes and nearly spat her interjected reply.

"Let you go or what! You have no power here…you sanctimonious bitch…you're so like him…but then you'd have to be as insufferably self-righteous as he is to stand him all these years. That's what you're thinking isn't it…that your precious Harry will come and make bad Daphne pay for all her wrongs…"

Hermione cut across Daphne's searing tirade with another question.

"What has Harry got to do with this…with you?"

Daphne answered with a vehement shriek as she gestured around the dank cellar in which they stood.

"What does Harry have to do with this…everything! None of us would be here if it weren't for your bastard of a husband and what he'd done to me and my family!"

"Harry barely knows you Daphne and as neither he nor I have ever met a single member of the Greenfendle family whatever slight you perceive couldn't have happened."

The snide and contemptuous laugh returned.

"Greenfendle…ha ha ha…you're still laboring under the delusion that you know me. Well allow me to enlighten you my dear Hermione. I'll begin by introducing myself…my real name is Lyra Penneford though you are no doubt more familiar with my father Alexander Penneford."

Hermione's eyes widened at the sound of the name Alexander Penneford. Daphne smiled maliciously.

"I see that you recognize my father's name. So you know how Harry Potter demonized him…made him out to be some sort of horrible monster that the world needed to be rid of so he could justify killing him to fuel his fame!"

Hermione replied in a voice edged with steel.

"Yes I recognize your father's name and I remember what he was as well. Despite what you may think, your father was a vile sadistic killer who gloried in the abuse and torture of innocents. I reckon that he fancied himself as the reincarnation of Voldemort! Harry did the only thing he could do he stopped his reign of terror before it escalated into something more than the delusions of a demented murderer!"

Hermione's words are met with a violent shriek from the young woman she'd known as Daphne all these months.

"MY FATHER WAS NOT DEMENTED…HE WAS BRILLIANT…"

Hermione cut across Daphne or Lyra's tirade.

"Your father was a madman and he had to be stopped."

Lyra glared at Hermione wild-eyed and screeched.

"HE WAS NOT A MADMAN…HE WAS A GENIUS THAT YOUR BASTARD OF A HUSBAND MURDERED AND I'LL MAKE HIM PAY FOR IT. I'LL MAKE HIM SUFFER THE SAME WAY HE'S MADE ME SUFFER!"

At the threat to Harry Hermione came undone.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND…IF YOU GO NEAR HIM, IF YOU SO MUCH AS HARM A HAIR ON HARRY'S HEAD SO HELP ME MERLIN I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!!"

Lyra threw her head back and laughed.

"Kill me…really…I'd like to see you try."

Lyra mockery incited Hermione's rage even more. Without a thought to what she was doing Hermione lunged towards the laughing figure before her. She was brought up short by a pair of arms gripping her shoulders tightly. A low voice rasped in her ear.

"Calm down…think of your baby."

Lyra's mocking voice sounded from across the room.

"Oh why such a spoiled sport Isolde! Let Hermione have a try. Go on let her have a go!"

Isolde tightened her hold on Hermione to prevent her going after their captor just as the creak of a door sounded above them and the sound of footfalls could be heard coming down a flight of stairs towards them. A young woman who was the exact double of Lyra came into view. They were identical down to the last detail save for a fading purple bruise on her head and a spot that looked for all the world as if a mass of hair had been ripped from her scalp. When Lyra's double spoke there was a clear note of irritation in her voice.

"What are you doing down here?"

Lyra turned around and eyeing the new comer asked a question of her own.

"Leah you ask me what I'm doing here…what are you doing here, you're supposed to be playing the role of the prim and oh so proper Miss Daphne Greenfendle."

Leah's replied was curt and clipped.

"I am in no mood to play any of your games Lyra. I expressly asked you to steer clear of our guests and it is obvious from the looks of things that you have been goading Mrs. Potter…"

Lyra interrupted.

"I've done no such thing Lee…you should've heard what she was saying about our father…"

Leah effectively silenced her sister with a single raised finger.

"Mrs. Potter awakes to find herself locked away in a dank cellar by a woman she counted as a friend only to find that said woman is also the daughter of a deceased nemesis of her beloved husband, father of her unborn child; whose live you undoubtedly threatened…were you honestly expecting her to say something complimentary Lyra?"

Lyra rolled her eyes and adopted an exceedingly put out look. Leah continued without seaming to care about her sister's obvious upset.

"I told you that I did not want Mrs. Potter overly upset in light of her delicate condition…"

Leah paused and took in the cell in which Hermione and Isolde were housed. Her gaze landed on the thin mattress tucked into the corner of the cell. Leah's eyes narrowed as they swept over the area and landed back on the face of her sister.

"It would seem that our hospitality towards our guests is somewhat lacking."

In the wake of her sister's pointed glare Lyra dropped her head and muttered something that sounded vaguely like "Damn site better than I'd like to have given them". When Leah next spoke it was clear which of the two sisters was in charge.

"Go upstairs, collect Ben and see about supper for the lot of us, I will attend to our guests."

Lyra moved past Leah quietly and quickly. Leah in turn watched as her sister crossed the room and ascended up the stairs. Only after the soft creak and click of the cellar door opening and closing was heard did she turn and face Hermione and Isolde. Her voice had lost its more brittle edge as she spoke to the pair.

"You'll have to forgive Lyra, she is a bit impetuous and tends to act rather rashly in most situations. Regrettably I can not offer you more traditional accommodations but I'll see to it that you are as comfortable as possible for the duration of your stay."

Hermione replied through gritted teeth.

"What have you done to the real Daphne Greenfendle?"

Leah cocked her head to the side and gently massaged the bruise that was raised on her head. Wincing slightly from the pain she answered.

"The true Miss Greenfendle is unharmed. I assumed her identity after she took a job with the German Ministry in a similar capacity to what she would have been doing for you had she of known she was offered the job."

Hermione nodded her head as she rejoined.

"Clever…by replacing the true Daphne before I ever set eyes on her relieved you of the need to magically alter yourself in any way."

"It seemed the right course at the time. Not to mention that the situation afforded me the opportunity to study my quarry."

"Would that quarry have been my husband or myself?"

"Your husband, though recently you have become of particular interest."

As Hermione posed her next question the slightest tremble could be heard in her voice.

"And what business have you with Harry?"

Leah squared her shoulders and said.

"My business with your husband is more of a formality than anything else. I suppose my true business shall be with the child you carry now. I am certain that in the end he or she will wish to revenge their father. Is that not the way of these things?"

Having uttered those words Leah Penneford raised her wand and pointed it at the ceiling above the bedraggled mattress shoved in the corner. The ceiling opened up and two sturdy wood frame beds dropped the opening. That done the she turned and headed up the stairs without a backward glance. Hermione stared after her absorbing the last thing that Leah had said to her.

Hermione felt a bracing hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

At the sound of Isolde's voice Hermione's thoughts returned to the immediate moment. Eyeing her new roommate she answered the older witch's query sarcastically.

"Am I alright…well I've just been told that I'm to be widowed and that my unborn child is certain to become a murder in the future to revenge his or her father's death…how do you think!"

Isolde stared after Hermione; the look on her face clearly annoyed. Instead of voicing her annoyance she inclined her head in the direction of Hermione's belly and said.

"You've had more than a fair amount of upset and you've been drugged…all that can't be good for the little one."

A stab of regret rifled through Hermione as she realized that she was using her fellow captive as an emotional punching bag.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't be taking this out on you…"

Isolde waved off the apology, with her left hand as she tucked the right underneath Hermione's elbow and guided her towards one of the beds standing in the back corner of their cell.

"If I were in your condition I don't doubt I'd have a go at the first available person myself."

Isolde paused for a beat and Hermione lowered herself onto the bed closest to the wall. Once Hermione was seated Isolde added.

"Besides as it's my fault that you're here to begin with I suppose your anger is justified."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow.

"And exactly how would my being here be your fault?"

Isolde took a seat on the bed opposite Hermione and said.

"Were it not for me and the blasted Book of Spells you wouldn't have got landed in this mess."

Hermione shook her head.

"I should be apologizing to you…"

Hermione paused and tossed her head in the direction of the stairs then continued.

"If Harry and I hadn't been so focused on flushing you out that lot would have never thought to use you as bait."

Isolde looked askance at Hermione and with a shake of her head inquired.

"You don't know the full story of Alexander Penneford and what he was into, do you?

Hermione's reply was a question.

"What do you mean?"

Isolde took a deep breath and began her tale.

"No doubt you know the basic history of Penneford…it was hardly unique. Alexander was from an old, pureblood family that put far too much significance on its lineage. And like most who were obsessed with the purity of blood Penneford thought that magic should stay amongst all pureblood wizarding families. And while he agreed with Voldemort in theory he wasn't about to bow down and follow a half-blood. You see Alexander was a bit more fanatical than most, he had it in mind that purebloods and purebloods alone should inherit the magical world."

Isolde paused for a moment. Hermione interjected.

"And this is the man that Lyra thinks was so brilliant."

Isolde smiled faintly as she continued.

"Strange though it may seem he was exceedingly brilliant; but he was as twisted and cruel as he was brilliant. Penneford fancied himself a scholar of sorts and during my time at Hogwarts he was one of the school governors. He was known for helping to advance those students of the right birth once they finished their schooling. Priam was a pet of his."

Hermione jerked her head in surprise at Isolde's mention of her brother. The two women stared at each other for several moments before Isolde spoke again.

"Priam was a great student of wizarding history. Alexander Penneford used that to his advantage. Penneford claimed he was a member of the Obsidian Order. He recruited Priam to search for the legendary Book of Spells; he played on Priam's desire to prove that the Order was a force for good. Penneford financed Priam's expedition to look for the book. Like everyone who has ever heard of the Obsidian Order and the Book of Spells Penneford believed the stories about the type of spells the book held. He was sure that a weapon like the Book of Spells combined with all his other dark knowledge would ensure that he'd ultimately gain control of the wizarding world."

Hermione's shock was evident as she cut in.

"Alexander Penneford sent Priam to find the Book of Spells!"

Isolde nodded.

"But during his search Priam became suspicious of Penneford and his motives. Once he found the book he managed to sneak away without Penneford knowing he recovered it. Unfortunately his treachery was expected. Penneford had long since introduced a deadly poison into Priam's system by the time he made it home it was too late to save him. He told me what had happened and gave me the book to keep safe."

Isolde's voice trailed off and silence descended upon the pair for a minute until Hermione spoke.

"All this time you've been trying to keep the Book of Spells out of the hands of those who'd twist it and use it for their own selfish purposes…but why did you never go to your father surely he could have helped you…"

Hermione stopped then and answered her own question.

"Oh Merlin your mother…she didn't die of grief or any sort of sickness did she?"

With a shake of her head Isolde replied.

"No, I don't believe she died of sickness or grief…I believe she was poisoned like Priam was. I had to protect my father…make sure he remained unharmed…so I…I faked my own death, took the book and ran. Priam had sorted out that there were two books before he died. Unfortunately, he'd told Penneford as well. I had to keep him from destroying any other families like he'd destroyed mine. I spent years trying to stay just one step ahead of Penneford and his followers…making sure that the books were safe. Even after he was dead I couldn't be sure that those under him weren't still after me. And then they cornered me in Transylvania and all I could think to do was make myself as visible as possible…"

Hermione cut across Isolde's thread of speech again.

"You purposely brought attention to yourself…the symbols at the crime scenes…the photograph…my finding the second book at Berlinker's…it was all orchestrated by you!"

"Yes it was. I thought that if I could manage to get a message to Harry Potter, auror extraordinaire I could explain things and put an end to this mess once and for all. I never dreamed that things could go so far awry."

Isolde paused then added.

"I sorry for getting you involved in this mess."

Hermione leaned across the scant distance separating her from Isolde Melbourne and grabbed the older woman's hands and said.

"My being here isn't your fault…you didn't assume a false identity in order to gain entrance into my home then kidnap and dump me in some musty old cellar. And truth be told if we were to sit here and assign blame I'm sure that we've find enough to go round to everyone…but that'd be a waste of time. Right now we have more important things to focus on, like how we're going to get out of this alive."