Requital by Msscribe
Rating: R- (edited version). Full NC17 version on www.portkey.org.
Ships: H/Hr
Type: Angst\ Romance\ Action Adventure
Summary: A story of Hermione Granger coming to terms with her greatest loss, finding her own voice and strength, and coming of age in a world battered by a never-ending war.
Disclaimer: No profits are being made off the fiction on these pages. Harry Potter, associated characters and the associated Harry Potter universe is © J. K. Rowling and respective publishers. Fanfiction is fiction-it's not meant to be taken seriously in the least.
Chapter 11 - Ashes to Ashes
"But some mysteries bite and bark
And come to get you in the dark."
- The Book of Counted Sorrows
When the Hellion didn't return as quickly as he had expected, Lucius Malfoy was only slightly worried. He supposed it was possible his idiot son could have defeated the creature alone, but he suspected Draco had needed help from someone else.
Nontheless, Lucius remained tempered and refined. He was chosen for this Destiny. The decisions he had made these last two days were an example of his own evolution as a leader. No one would stand in his way.
A God in training, if you will.
When his guests arrived, they didn't disappoint him.
The ringmaster was carrying something in his arms. Locust bowed to Lucius, and nodded approvingly at the arrangements Lucius had made. Everything had been done well ahead of their arrival.
"One of your servants is missing," the ringmaster said, looking over the large room and zeroing on the Hellions standing guard.
Lucius looked up at the tall man with a cool expression, "I sent it after a traitor."
"How long ago?"
"It's gone. Destroyed," a voice hissed.
Lucius froze at the sound of her voice. Locust closed the door, and directed Lucius to lead the way.
"No matter," Locust said following Lucius down the spiral staircase towards the undermost layer of Malfoy Manor.
When they rounded the corner into the room Locust has chosen, the ringmaster set his package onto the bed and began to remove it's covering. There was a moment of hesitation, and then her shield was lifted.
When Lucius tried to catch a glimpse of what was being unveiled, his eyes burned. He felt as if he were going blind. Lucius stifled his cry of agony, a trick he had learned to hide any weakness, and reached for his wand.
"Your magic has no real power," she laughed, "Wait, and you will see more clearly then you have ever before."
Her voice...it called out to him. It touched him.
Lucius could hear the hissing communication between the two men and he stood in unbearable pain for a few moments longer, clinging to the wall, until a strange power rippled through his body. He smiled through the pain of it all. He was being gifted.
Directly in front of him, obscured by the two closer figures, stood someone else. Lucius still could see no details, but by sound of the voice it was a female. A girl. Her image was sharper at the edges, but he still couldn't discern what he was looking at.
"It will take some time to get used to your new sense of sight," she said, moving closer to him now.
The two men's hissing began to make sense to Lucius, and the girl slowly began to take focus.
When Lucius finally gazed upon her, her face inspired not just fear, but a chilling reverence.
He would waste no more time, an Empire was about to fall.
#
Most people believed their parents were moral because they had seen their morality in action, and If you had a father like Lucius Malfoy, you made something up and held onto it as long as you could.
But Draco was letting go now.
They all stayed in the family room together, deciding to not to leave the Burrow until the light of day. Mr. Weasley had locked all of the windows and doors, but they knew sleep wouldn't come for any of them that night. Not after what they had just witnessed.
"What was that..thing?" Ginny said, slumping back into the chair as Mrs. Weasley started tending to Draco's wounds.
"Some sort of creature…a servant of the dark army," her father answered.
"No. I mean what did you use to kill it?"
"Not sure just yet," Arthur Weasley said, clutching the tiny triangle in his hand, wondering if any more of the creatures would show up that evening. "Sirius Black sent it yesterday. It's was quite simple to use actually, just like he said it would be."
"Sod …Woman!" Draco cried, as Mrs. Weasley poured a clear, steaming solution onto his leg.
"Oh shut up and keep still! You're lucky this was all you got," she said as Draco ground his teeth together.
"Aaaargh…It hurt less when that thing was gnawing on me," Draco said, as he watched his flesh slowly come back together.
Ginny Weasley straightened up, and sighed.
"First thing in the morning we'll all head over to the ministry. I need to contact Harry's team. Sirius Black is with them," Arthur said quietly to the group, "We aren't safe here."
Mrs. Weasley sat, worried about the mysterious look on her husband's face. He knew more than he was letting on.
#
The soft illumination of the darkened room had awakened them early from their intermittent slumber. Shara Fonta's home was quiet, and no one else was yet awake.
The word's that fell now from Harry's lips were incoherent, but Hermione understood their meaning. She moaned her response.
Harry was lodging himself between her thighs, asking her to accept him. His possession of her still took her by surpise.
Her legs were closed tightly around his waist, and her lips brushed against the skin of his shoulder. He drove himself into her again and again, raising his head up so he could witness every expression, every sigh that came from her mouth. She was sheathed so tightly around him that he thought he might drown.
Her parted wet lips, her tightly closed eyes … her soft, quick breath.
It was unbearably fulfilling.
This was their calm before the storm.
#
They were on the train and headed for the portkey home when Ron noticed that Harry was sweating.
"What is it Harry?"
"Just a lot on my mind," Harry replied.
Harry took off his glasses and wiped them onto his pants, and then he pushed them back up on the bridge of his nose. They slid down, and he repeated the effort.
Ron recognized this nervous habit.
If Harry was nervous, they must be in for quite the fight.
Cho was restlessly moving about the car, and Hermione stood near Harry biting her lip, looking like a frightened kid. Hermione's vision from the night before was still haunting her.
Sirius still looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep, and Ron, for once, looked more thoughtful then concerned. Neville was the only one who looked fairly normal; carefully sipping the cup of hot coffee he'd gotten from Madam Fonta's.
"When we return, I think Hermione should do some research. We need to see if she knows anything about a relative named Nora," Sirius said.
"I agree," Hermione chimed, needing to find out what her vision had meant, if anything.
"And I will arrange for us to meet with Arthur Weasley tonight," Harry said.
Ron sat down in a seat next to a window. He couldn't see anything but streaks and blurs.
Why even put windows in these things? It isn't like the scenery is pleasant, he thought.
"Hey," Harry said, sitting down next to him.
"Hey."
"You and Cho seem to be playing nicely," Harry said under his breath.
Ron smiled insidiously.
"You could say that," Ron said, "And I see you aren't doing so bad yourself these days."
"That's true."
Harry thought he detected a flash of something in Ron's eyes.
"It doesn't upset you does it?"
"What do you mean? The fact that you've bedded our mutual best friend?" Ron gave Harry a reassuring look. His schoolboy crush on Hermione had ended years ago, but he was appreciative of Harry's concern nonetheless. "I'm happy for you. Of course… getting laid by the hottest woman in the universe makes me slightly more receptive to your newfound joy," Ron quipped.
"Second hottest… and I'm glad."
"Well," Ron added, "I at least hope you'll let us borrow her sometime for a threesome."
"Funny, very funny. You're a regular comedian," Harry said laughing.
Cho and Hermione were looking at them now. Ron moved his face closer to Harry's, so they wouldn't be heard. The conversation they were having would have probably gotten them both into hot water.
"Seriously, Cho apparently has a thing for redheads…" Ron teased, pushing the envelope even farther.
Harry was armed and ready. "So I guess she's dated Ginny then?"
Ron growled in defeat, "Ugh...Touché Potter…"
Ron was growing increasingly impatient with getting back home. He had this sinking feeling something was wrong.
Hell, something was always wrong.
#
Lois Mills barely slept that night because the normally peaceful ministry building had begun buzzing in the wee hours of the morning, and hadn't yet died down. The guard had checked on her at least three times in the last hour. Something wasn't quite right.
Lois was still grappling with all that had happened to her in the past two days. At first, she had wondered if she wasn't on the receiving end of some elaborate practical joke, but it was highly unlikely with the company she chose to keep, mostly retired schoolteachers and a few widowed housewives.
And she had seen things now.
She was rummaging round through the box Mr. Weasley had brought to her again, when a piece of paper fell from the pages of one of her books.
Wise Investment Advice for Women, by Martha Stewart.
But it wasn't a stock tip; it was a page from the book…her missing book. It had been ripped out and taped back in years ago, and the tape had finally given way. The rhyme made no sense, but so far everything she was dealing with now was outside of her experience. She would send it with that bird to give to Arthur Weasley.
For she who's close enough to dare,
A shiny lock of a maiden's hair,
If prayed upon by one schooled well,
Will send the devil back to hell.
She wrote Arthur Weasley's name on an envelope, and tucked the page inside with a quick note. Then she reluctantly placed the letter at the feet of the waiting owl.
An awfully inefficient way of mailing things, Lois thought.
The tiny, fidgety bird picked it up in its mouth and flew from her window.
Then there was a rapid succession of footsteps. Running.
People were running?
A Pause. Then more footsteps.
Clank! Clank! Shriek!
"They're breaking through! The magic isn't holding up the barrier!" a man screamed. Lois recognized this as her guard, but his voice was suddenly muffled by something that had moved over top of him.
She looked then and saw it. It's mirrored eyes reflecting her fear back at her…
#
Hermione Granger couldn't believe it. The ministry building had looked like it always did from the outside…
Harry felt a surge of rage, and slammed his fist against the wall. The normally busy ministry reception area responded with a powerful silence, lying in disarray before them.
"Where is…what…it can't be…" Harry stammered, his anger giving way to confusion.
They could see no signs of life anywhere. Shocked, Harry moved forward, trying not to lose his balance as he navigated his way through the broken glass and the bodies of friends, strewn about like tinsel. Even though the sun shone brightly outside, the building was well shaded from prying eyes. They could barely see a foot ahead of them, and it was probably to their benefit.
Hermione found at one point that the floor she was walking on was torn apart, and she could feel the soft ground beneath her.
They could have come through the barrier underground...it was the weakest protected area.
Sirius cocked his pistol, leaving his wand untouched.
"Spells won't affect them, but this slows them down," he said, deliberately deepening his voice.
Cho lost her balance and fell on one knee, but scrambled up quickly, preparing to defend herself.
"Sorry," Neville said. It was he who had blundered up against her. His breathing was shallow and quick.
Gone. Torn to bits.
They stopped …then turned slowly when they heard some movement in the side stairwell.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound moved down from floor to floor, and Sirius pointed his pistol at the doorway, ready to fire at will. Harry stepped in front of Hermione and Ron moved up beside Cho, who had grabbed a plank of wood from the damaged floor.
Sirius broke away from them, moving closer towards the descending noise. The door began to open and they braced themselves for the worst.
Ron could see four figures standing in the dark. He felt one of the beings eyes lock onto his own for one horrifying second. The face was sneering at him.
"Who's there?" Sirius called out, aiming the gun carefully at the tallest of the shadowed silhouettes.
Ron recognized the sharp sinuous movements of the person he was now glaring at.
"Sirius? It's me, Arthur. We just got here as the beasts were leaving..," Arthur Weasley said, his voice a mix of relief and horror, "Molly, Ginny and…Draco Malfoy are with me."
They had no time to speak again, before something impacted the building, knocking them all off of their feet. They tumbled, rolling on the floor while the walls began to creak and groan.
Hermione pulled herself to her feet. She watched as a metal beam collapsed on top of Neville.
Neville!" Ron called out, crawling towards him. Harry was right behind him, and they managed to lift it off. They helped Neville to his feet, but Hermione could see blood coming from his forehead.
By now, the building had begun to shake like they were standing in the middle of a violent earthquake.
"Oh God…Dear God in Heaven…" Mrs. Weasley whispered.
Hermione could smell smoke.
"We need to leave!" Sirius screamed.
They began to make their way towards the front door, crawling…standing when they could. They clung to broken panels, desks,... and bodies trying to keep moving forward towards the faint light that was leaking in around the doorway.
Muggle Firemen, Sirius thought as the door swung wide open. They all shut their eyes, not wanting to see what was beneath their hands and feet.
The uniformed Muggles struggled to get to them, helping them out quickly.
They watched...motionless...as fire spit from the windows, the walls finally gave way, and then a cloud of dust blackened the sky.
#
When he saw her cowering in the corner of the room, Lois Mills had given him her name and he had told her that he knew Hermione Granger. She had mistaken him for a hero, begging him to help her. She had even asked, when she noticed his eyes, now a vibrant shade of green, if he was related to Hermione's friend Harry.
Lucius had laughed then, and silenced her immediately with his wand. Then testing the strength of his new power, he had uttered a destruction charm that rocked the foundation so hard the building collapsed
It was a pleasant surprise, quite dramatic.
Lois Mills lay beneath the rubble now, gone like the rest of them.
He was disappointed in one thing however, that Sirius Black still possessed one of the gateway keys. Their mission had failed in that respect, but at least they had eliminated a good amount of their opposition. Lucius' had hoped Harry Potter's team would be there at the time. That would have saved him loads of trouble, but he'd deal with them when they came after him. And they would most certainly come after him.
He was the Dark Lord after all.
#
After managing to separate themselves from the gathering crowd, they walked in silence towards the nearest Muggle subway station.
"Were you all near that building that went down?" a man had asked the motley crew as they stepped onto the train.
They didn't realize the spectacle they were, their bloody clothing…dust all over them.
"Yeah," Neville said stoically, blocking the too recent memory.
Arthur Weasley found his voice again.
"Lets get off at the third stop. I know where we can go," Arthur said.
"Hogwarts?" Neville asked.
"No. I imagine they'll be sending students home from Hogwarts after what's just happened," Arthur said, "There's an old Muggle estate that's been up for sale for years. It's not too far from Hogsmeade. We will all be safer there then anyplace known to Wizards right now."
"Even Malfoy?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing in on the blonde boy standing too close to his sister.
Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"Not now Ron," Harry said, as Ron angrily pulled from his grip, "He's been helping us."
Malfoy? Malfoy was Harry's informant?
Sirius and Arthur ignored Ron's outburst.
"Did they get it?" Sirius asked
"No. I still have it," Arthur whispered back, "It saved Draco's life."
More people began to come into their compartment, and their conversation was stopped short.
"We'll talk more when we get there."
They all held on and waited, silent now, their critical faces holding back the emotions that flooded them. Cho broke first, tears streaming down her face, washing away her hardened exterior.
#
The ringmaster was pleased when all of the Hellions assigned to the Ministry Attack had returned to him, virtually unharmed. When Lucius walked into the room, the ringmaster sniffed at him, as if detecting a foul odor.
"I hope you have completed your work," he said.
"I need to speak with her," Lucius muttered, looking over at the room in which she stayed.
The ringmaster nodded, "Be quick, she needs to rest. She's still tired from your transformation."
"Of course," Lucius replied, opening the door.
She was standing there, up against the wall with her arms flung to either side like she was being crucified. Her hands were guiding some sort of light into her body and when she noticed him, the flow of light stopped.
"I despise them, yet I must exist off of their essence," she said, lowering her hands and gliding towards him.
She seemed so delicate, but he could sense her power.
"We did not retrieve the third key."
Maedon snarled, her wide stretched jaws flashing her sharp yellow teeth, and her head tipping contemptuously to the back.
"Where is it then?" she hissed.
"With a man named Sirius Black," Lucius hissed, in his newly acquired language, "And I believe he will come to us."
"I'm tired of waiting. You will seek them out," she said reaching out to touch his hair.
He was so different then her Tom.
"It will be done then," Lucius said, shuddering from the feel of her fingers running through his locks.
#
(A/N: I worked as a consultant on the 106th floor of Tower 1, World Trade Center for two years. I was on maternity leave during 9-11. We moved shortly after. I didn't realize what I was writing until I had already written it. I guess it's a reminder that some monsters are very real.)