Face to face at last
As the six students landed silently outside of the ministry Hermione felt a strange sense of anticipation twisting her stomach. She did not understand it in the slightest but she drew a breath and forced herself to focus on the task at hand, forcing all other thoughts from her mind and swallowed her discomfort.
"Okay so here's the plan" she whispered as she gestured for everyone to huddle in closer.
"We go in, as silently as possible. Harry you go straight for the fake prophecy. It'll draw his little minions out. The rest of us stick close be ready. If it is a trap we distract and run. Stick in pairs. Neville Luna stay together no matter what. Ginny, Cedric stay together. Harry you stick by my side. If at any point you feel like we are over run, call out the word polo, I can signal Fleur and Dora through my charms. The order should be on their way anyway. Our job is to hold the death eaters of long enough for the order to get there. If they get close to the prophecy break it. We aim to demobilise not to kill. So stick to milder hexes but you will need full strength shields. Stay alert and stay together are we clear?" She whispered gazing at each of them in turn as they nodded in response.
"Together?" She asked quietly and smiled when their answer was instant.
"Always"
----
As they entered the lower levels of the ministry it was earily quiet. Their wasn't a single person walking around and it only confirmed Hermione's suspicions that it was all a trap.
"It's a trap, you all know what to do" Harry whispered, confirming Hermione's thoughts.
They moved quietly Harry and Hermione taking point while Neville and Luna flanked Harry's right and Cedric and Ginny flanked Hermione's left. Keeping close to one another as they moved. Every one of them elert.
"In here" Hermione whispered as she directed them into the hall of Prophecy.
"Lumos" they whispered as they moved forward.
"What number Harry?" Hermione questioned.
"97" he replied instantly as they moved in the correct direction.
"Follow my lead" Hermione whispered before raising her voice.
"Harry are you certain its number 97, could you maybe have seen it wrong. Moldyshorts might be having an off day and showed you the wrong thing. Because SIRIUSly I cant hear any screaming" she said, voice loud enough to carry. She smirked as everyone laughed, continuing to move forward. They turned down the row when they reached number 97. Moving in between the rows of brightly glowing orbs.
"I'm positive Mione, it was 97" Harry replied sounding confident.
"I swear I'm going to kick Sirius in the balls if this was a wasted journey, I was busy in the library you know" Hermione said, deliberately making her voice sound sooty.
"Of course you were, you're the resident book worm Mione" Cedric said effectionately as he lent over to pat her on the head.
"Hey! Do not touch the hair, it took me 16 years to grow this beauty ill have you know" she snarked and smiled triumphantly when she heard a muffled snort from the darkness infront of them.
She reached over and squeezed Harry's arm. Signalling that they had company infront. Something they had come up with in training.
"Sorry mione I forgot, wild and free is the new it look these days among you Grffindors" Cedric snarked back as he stuck his tongue out at the little brunette playfully as she turned to face him. Walking backwards.
"Yes and horny and desperate is the Hufflepuff new look, we've been over this. Now do shut up so we can find sirius and depart. After all we wouldn't want to run into any big bad scary death eaters" Hermione mocked playfully as she inclined her head backwards, letting the others know that she had confirmed the death eaters presence ahead of them"
"Oh what ever shall we do if we run into Lucius Malfoy here in the dark" Ginny retorted, rolling her eyes.
"Please Gin, Lucius Malfoy is nothing but an ignorant pig who needs to either learn to bathe or change his hair products because Merlin knows you could fill a whole frying pan with the grease he carries around" Hermione gagged as she turned back around and picked up the pace.
This time Hermione wasn't the only one that heard the death eaters muffled reactions. They assumed the muffled growl was none other than Lucius but they had no idea who the various muffled laughs came from.
"Look Harry, that has your name on it!" Exclaimed Neville pointing at a glowing orb at eye level on the shelves infront of them.
They stopped and examined it carefully as if they had never seen it before.
"Harry are you certain this is a good idea, what if the whole Sirius thing is a trap. The whole thing just seems a little too suspicious to me" Hermione asked as she moved in closer to her bestfriend.
"I don't know Hermione but we can't chance it" Harry said sounding annoyed.
"Of course you're right" she said back as he reached out and picked up the fake prophecy that they had put on the shelf over a year ago.
"Hand over the prophecy Potter" Lucius Malfoy said sternly as he stepped out of the shadows. Flanked by three masked Death eaters.
"Where's Sirius?" Harry demanded as he clutched the prophecy to his chest.
"Just hand over the prophecy like a good boy and you and your little friends can leave unharmed Harry" lucius replied, stepping forward. The group of six stepped back once in unison to correct the distance between the two opposing sides.
"You harm any of my friends and ill smash the prophecy" Harry retorted defiantly.
"Oohhh he knows how to play" called a sickly sweet voice from the shadows and Hermione's heart stopped when none other than her mother stepped out of the shadows.
"He knows how to play, itty. Bitty. Baby. Potter." Bella cooed as she strode infront of Lucius and smirked at the adorable group of students infront of her. She deliberately avoided her daughters gaze, knowing that if she looked into her eyes she would have no chance at remaining in control of her emotions and she couldn't risk her cover for Hermione's sake.
"Bellatrix Lestrange" Growled Neville.
Hermione watched as her motgers gaze zeroed in on Neville, she didnt fail to see the look of recognition and guilt that flashed through her mothers eyes.
'It's alright, he knows the truth mama' she thought to her mother, utilising her mindlink ability and felt triumphant when her mothers eyes lost some of the pain they had held.
"Neville Longbenton is it?" Bella asked fiegning curiosity. "How's mum and dad?" She asked deliberately making her voice sound sadistic as she smiled at the young boy.
"Better now they're about to be avenged" Neville growled back as he prettending to get ready to attack. He raised his wand and only stopped when Luna and Harry placed restraining hands on him.
"Now let's all calm down, there's no need for violence" lucius said, re-entering the conversation.
"Just hand over the prophecy and no one gets hurt" he said, trying to sound convincing.
"Where's serius!!" Harry demanded again. A growl in his voice.
"Surly you've figured it out Potter, you only saw what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. You should have listened to your little friend" he spat as he looked at Hermione in disgust.
"I think you meant his little mudblood" Hermione retorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes at the greasy git.
She saw her mother and an unknown man behind her both try to hide a smile at her retort and she narrowed her eyes at him. Could it be? She thought as she gently reached out her magic to the unknown man, gasping quietly when his eyes snapped to hers and she felt his magic reach out to meet hers. Making her feel as if she was wrapped up in his arms.
'Papa?' she thought watching as the man nodded his head and discreetly smiled at her. She nodded her head subtly to acknowledge his confirmation. Forcing the longing from her eyes and swallowing down the emotion bubbling up her throat. She reached out to Harry and grasped his arm to ground herself.
She was relieved when cedric seemed to sense her growing upset and reached out to take her free hand. Squeezing it tightly. She clung on to him, knowing that right now he was the only thing between her maintaining her cover and her breaking down and running to her parents then and there.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked fiegning confusion as he expertly kept all the attention on himself, sensing that Hernione needed a minute to compose herself.
"You only thought we had Sirius, the Dark Lord needed someway to get you here." Lucius explained as if he was talking to a young child.
"Why does he need me, why couldnt he have come himself" Harry demanded. The rest of Blackbird raised their wands in warning as Lucius began to move forward, stopping the man short.
"A prophecy can only be removed by those it is about Potter, you knew that surely?" Lucius exclaimed but didn't recieve an answer as Hermione chose that moment to exclaim loudly "NOW!". All at once the youngsters all shot a 'reducto' at the shelves surrounding them causing them to begin falling, knocking the prophecies contained in the shelves off, smashing them as the six members of Blackbird spun on their heal and took off down the Isle much faster than the adults could have anticipated.
Glancing over her shoulder Hernione saw an unknown male and Lucius unnervingly close to them and shot a 'bombarda' right at their feet, causing them to go flying backwards right into the falling shelves.
"Find a door" Harry called as he hung onto Hermione's hand. All six teens ran quickly spotting a door at the end of the Isle, they launched themselves through it. She quickly slammed the door and cast several locking charms on it to slow the death eaters down.
She grabbed her charm bracelet and thought of Fleur and Dora.
'Mia whats wrong' came the voice of Dora through her charm.
"We are at the ministry. The hall of prophecies. Six death eaters. Two of which are my mum and dad, one is Lucius Malfoy im not sure who the other three are but we are trapped. There's no way we are getting out of here, you need to get the order" she thought quickly as she glanced warily at the rattling door.
"We are on ze way baby 'old on" Fleur spoke gently and Hermione cut the connection.
"Fleur and Dora are alerting the order, they will be here as quickly as possible." She informed them before leading them to the only other door at the back of the room. Just as she opened it the door behind them burst open and Bellatrix's signature cackle carried thorough the room.
"Oh look at the babies no where left to run" she cooed as she began to stalk forward.
Glancong behind her Hermione realised there was a drop into the room below them. With quick thinking she pushed her friends backwards and jumped after them, catching the panicked look that crossed her mothers face as she saw her daughter leap.
"Arrestomomentum" she called loudly, slowing their fall and ensuring that they landed without harming themselves.
"Where are we" Harry whispered as they stood up amd glanced around the room. The room was empty except from a larch arch in the centre of the room that had some sort of viel surrounding it.
"I'm not sure but give me second to cast a barrier around that viel it looks rather permanent" Hermione responded as she turned to cast the barrier. Before she got the chance though they were suddenly surrounded by black fog and long slim arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her against a warm soft body.
She relaxed instantly into her mothers arms. Knowing it could only be her. "Thats it baby, just relax, I've got you" Bellatrix whispered into her daughters ear. Silently ecstatic that her daughter instinctively knew it was her and she was in no real danger being held against the death eater.
As the fog settled Hermione looked around quickly to see that her friends were in exactly the same position with the other death eaters forming a semi-circle around the room and Harry was in the middle of the room with Lucius Malfoy standing directly infront of him.
She noticed that her father had a hold of Luna, and was holding her quite losely and gently as he watched Hermione and her mother intently.
'He's worried you'll get hurt' Bella told her telapathically. Rather than respond Hermione lent herself further into her mother, savouring the closeness with her, knowing that it would be the first and last time her mother would hold her for a long time. Bella, feeling instinctively the direction her little girls thoughts had gone in held her more firmly, pressing her cheek to her daughters to convey just how much she loved her child through touch. Willing her little girl to know that this was just as hard for her as it was for Hermione.
"Hand it over Potter, there is nowhere left to run" lucius said snarkily as he stepped towards Harry.
"Don't do it Harry!!" Hermione called drawing the attention of both Harry and Lucius.
"Do as I say boy or the mudblood is the first to demonstrate why you shouldn't dare defy your betters" Malfoy sneered.
'I'm sorry if I have to hurt you baby' Bella thought and Hermione could feel the worry amd dread her mother was feeling coursing through her mind.
'It's alright mama, I know. Do what you have to do to keep us safe. Aunt Cissy needs you to keep him away from her' she replied as she squeezed her mothers arm reassuringly.
"You hurt her and ill smash it" Harry shouted, glaring at Lucius. Lucius stepped forward threateningly and in a rash reaction Harry threw the prophecy down towards the ground. Shattering it into millions of little pieces before the death eaters could get a hold of it.
Before the situation could progress there were several loud pops of apperation as the order finally appeared. Hermione sighed in relief as Andromeda, Sirius, Fleur, Nymphadora, Remus, Moody, Kingsley and the minister of magic appeared and began to engage the Death eaters in duels.
Bellatrix seemed reluctant to join in or release her daughter. She didn't want to fight, especially with her child in the room and in danger.
"I'll be okay mama, I'm strong, my mates are here. It'll be okay. I love you" Hermione whispered quickly. Placing a quick kiss on her mothers cheek before pushing her mother away from her and spinning around to join the fight, seeing her mates currently engaged with a death eaters they seemed to be beating.
Spells were flying around so fast that Hermione was struggling to work out who needed help and who didn't. Remus and Sirius had teamed up, standing between Lucius and Harry. Her mates were working together against who she thought was Fenrir the werewolf. Moody, Kingsley and the minister were fighting an unknown man. Andromeda had moved to engage Bellatrix in a mock duel and that left Blackbird to face off against who she now could see was Dolohov. She could see her friends tiring and jumped into action. Flashing forward she cast a powerful protego over her friends, laughing slightly when Dolohov whirled in her direction to work out who cast the spell.
"Pick on someone else Dolohov" Hermione snarked.
"Or what little mudblood you'll insult my hair" he snarled, launching a killing curse at her. She jumped out of the way before erecting a silent shield around herself amd began firing spells back at him.
Around her the battles continued and she felt her concentration dip a little when she saw the bloody gash that ran across Fleurs arm. This soon proved a mistake when her momentary distraction allowed Dolohov to sneak an un known spell through her barrier. Slicing her torso open.
Hermione cried out quietly as she felt the blood begin to seep from her open wound but she wasn't about to lose this fight and let Dolohov join in to hurt anyone else. Feeling her anger peak she felt her magic surge and her next 'bombarda' was so powerful that Dolohov was launched right back across the room and slammed into the wall, falling down unconscious as blood began to seep from his head.
She turned quickly to assess the scene before her. Her mother was still fighting Andromeda, her father joining in with her mother. Fleur and Dora had finally managed to disarm and capture the death eaters they were duelling and were now looking around frantically. Moody, Shaklebolt and the minister had backed a deatheater into a wall and Lucius was still fighting Serius and Remus. Her heart froze as she watched an unknown jinx fly from Lucius and knock Sirius straight towards the viel.
She didn't realise she had stopped breathing or began to get dizzy until she was falling forward. She registered three things as her vision grew dim. First was that her hastily thought 'accio Sirius Black had seemed to work as the man who previously was flying towards his death changed direction and began to fly in her direction.
Second was that Fleur and Dora were lunging towards her, identical looks of horror on their faces and lastly was that Dumbledoor and Voldemort had appeared in the room with them. Both automatically been drawn into a duel with each other. Just as she processed those three things her entire vision went blank and she felt herself hit the ground before she knew nothing else of what was going on around her.
----
"Fuck" Bella cursed loudly as she saw her baby girl fall forward covered in blood at the same time she saw her little cousin fly towards the viel.
"Andy, Mia's hurt" Bellatrix chocked as she felt her heart clench painfully as she tried to focus on figuring out how to stop Sirius dying without breaking her cover. However she was surprised to see him suddenly change direction and start flying towards Hermione.
"Evacuate now" The Dark Lord hissed as he arrived on scene looking furious at their failure to complete the task he had set.
"Go Bella, she'll be okay, we will take care of her" Andromeda whispered as she sent a reducto at Bellatrix's feet. Forcing her sister to snap out of her painfilled daze.
Andromeda was relieved when Rudulphus rushed to her sisters side and scooped her up into his arms. He made eye contact with Andromeda briefly before shifting his gaze pointedly towards his injured daughter. Silently telling her to get going and take care of their daughter. Andromeda nodded before rushing towards Hermione. Fleur and Dora were already at her side. Both witches muttering healing spells as they tried there best through their panic and tears to heal their unconscious mate.
"Girls stop let me do it. It won't work if you're too emotoinal" Andromeda said gently as she took over the spell work. Knitting her nieces flesh back together, completely unaware of the quiet that had filled the room as Voldemort escaped with half his death eaters. Bellatrix, Rudulphus and Fenrir being the only three of the six who had managed not to get captured by the order and Blackbird.
After a few minutes of intense concentration Andromeda managed to close the last if the wounds across her nieces torso and the three witches around her breathed a sigh of relief.
"She'll be okay. We still need to get her to the hospital but she will be okay" Andromeda whispered as she scooped her Mia up off the cold floor and cradled her gently before glancing around to see the damage.
She was relieved to see everyone relatively unharmed. The majority only spouting a few scrapes and surface wounds. Sirius was holding on tightly to an visibly shaken Harry with Remus standing close by. Dumbledore was in a heated conversation with the minister, shaklebolt and moody. The rest of the youngsters were standing to the side watching Hermione intently, all four of them seeming no worse for wear. Amd the three captured death eaters, including Lucius Malfoy were bound in the centre of the room.
"Dumbledore" Andromeda called tenderly as she gestured for the four students to approach her. "I am going to floo with the students, Dora and Fleur to the castle infirmary. Hermione needs medical attention" she informed him, not waiting for a response as she began walking quickly towards a floo.
"Go ahead Blackbird, tell Pomfrey to get a bed set up beside Minerva for Hermione please" she said gently as she motioned for them to go ahead. Silently relieved when they complied without a word. Fleur and Dora going next. She followed after, glad that the students were now out of the ministry safely.
-----
A few hours later found Andromeda again sitting watch by the side of a hospital bed. Hermione had been treated as soon as they had arrived and was now in a medically induced coma to allow her body to heal itself properly without the little witch doing any more damage to herself by moving or exerting herself.
The other students had all been checked over before being ushered onto beds and given dreamless sleep potions to ensure they rested and didn't go into shock. Fleur and Dora had also had their surface wounds healed and Andromeda had managed to convince them to go home to rest as they were both expected to be at work the next day. Reassuring them that Hermione would not wake for several days and they would be the first to know if there were any changes with the little witch. They had agreed to leave reluctantly but knew that Andy was right.
As she sat she struggled to contain her emotions. She couldn't work out if she wanted to be extremely proud of Hermione or wanted to be extremely angry with the little witch for putting herself in so much danger. The answer to that she assumed would only be apparent when her niece eventually woke up.