Chapter 2
The loudness of the room quickly stopped at the arrival of Hermione. Suddenly, the faces that had hurt moments ago from laughing and jokes with each other, became hardened and brittle.
No one felt the need to welcome her. Not even Harry.
But she couldn’t blame him at all. In many ways Hermione deserved the way she was being alienated by all her friends.
She tapped her foot restlessly. She wanted so very much to leave.
A person barged into the room, panting.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, it’s just with the kids— and dealing with Dean,” The women looked around the room with an embarrassed expression, “I’m sorry, that’s all”.
The lady in question was Hannah Abbott. She wasn’t well known at Hogwarts, not to Hermione’s knowledge, but at the base she was extremely respected. She was nothing if not brave.
The others looked up to her as she’d been the one to confront the surprise death eater attach a few years ago. By herself.
And by god, she had put the ten in their places. That courage had really struck up a great deal for Order members for years to come. It had given many the desperate morale that they had needed.
Hermione had been somewhat bitter of Hannah in the beginning; although, as the years had gone by, she’d been glad that it was Hannah who had done such a thing and not her.
Hermione didn’t want others to see her as a heroine. She was a leader, sure. But she didn’t deserve people’s awe and admiration. She had soon realised that many order members tended not to see the nuisances that war inflicts on people. They enjoyed placing people in cages under ‘evil’ or ‘good’ but Hermione had found those terms mocking almost.
Some of the torture and legilimency that she had afflicted in certain prisoners had had them begging for death by the end of it. And this was nothing that she was proud of. And although Hermione had never killed before, she felt her soul being tainted by the affects of black magic at a rapid rate and there was utterly nothing that could be done to stop its spread.
She felt utterly dark.
Maybe she had been this fanciful heroine in the beginning - back when she was fighting for the ‘right’ reasons — trying to fight against darkness.
But as the years had gone by, Hermione had stopped fighting for the cause that she had desperately believed in back when she was a silly teenager.
She fought for the Order because she had to.
She had no family to go to — the memory of her parents was something that she often didnt think of. She also knew that power like the Dark Lord’s regime would never last anyway — she was not called the brightest witch of her age for no reason after all — Voldemort would fail as his predecessors because power claimed in such ways can never persist for long. And so it made sense for her to fight on this side.
She was fighting for self-preservation. She wanted this god awful war to be over with. She wanted to escape from this hatchet that she had placed herself under. She wanted to disappear from this place to somewhere which wouldn’t have heard the name Hermione Granger and she would live a mundane life and never wish to be more than that.
She despised the order — the essence of what it stood for. She despised the current leaders and their lack of leadership. And most importantly, a hatred that was forever fostering, she despised bloody Harry Potter.
‘The boy who lived’ had once been a source of endearment for Hermione (whom loved Harry like a brother) but as the cruel war dragged on, and the death counts rising, Harry’s lack of involvement in anything had began to really irritate Hermione.
And everything blew over the day that Fred had died.
Kingsley had ordered George to leave Fred and instead aid Harry potters safeguarding team. This had infuriated Hermione, as Harry was so inactive in missions that for a while, Death Eater intel began to believe that Harry had died. And at times, Hermione wished he would’ve. Maybe then Kingsley would actually do his job.
Or when a gaggle of death eaters had tortured fifty eight - fifty eight - children to lure Harry out of hiding. Kingsley had again forbidden Harry to go and that resulted in the murdering of all those innocent children.
This had sparked a massive argument between the two of them and it had been what had ultimately ruined their friendship. She had pointed out how Harry was to be blamed and the git had hit her back with some crap about how “Kingsley wouldn’t let him”.
All Hermione could see at that point was red.
“Kingsley says this. Kingsley says that! Listen to yourself Harry. The boy I know would’ve gone ahead and saved those children anyway! He would not have been a coward playing dress up. He would’ve gone out there to do something. He would saved those children, but you…
You’ve changed Harry Potter. I can put my hands on my heart and tell you that I have too, and I’m well of that, but I also hold myself accountable for my heinous actions and you, don’t. And that is the most vile thing I’ve ever seen.”
Hermione’s eyes swelled up with tears but she rapidly blinked them away. Harry Potter of all people did not deserve her tears.
He was kept far away from the realities of this war. God forbid he actually did something but instead he was a puppet figure, playing the role in a much larger stage than he was aware of.
More importantly of all, Hermione saw it: this was starting to grind away at peoples morale. Harry Potters Order had been a reason for defiance, a reason for dying. But as time had gone by, people were perhaps starting to realise that the boy who had lived, was doing exactly just that. Living.
Hannah had made her way towards to seat that was empty but when she had glanced up and realised that it was Granger whom she would be sitting next to, she quickly diverted her route and sat herself hastily next to Luna.Hermione was not shocked by this act, everyone avoided her like the black death. They did not loath her, she knew that much for certain, they just — feared her. Hearing whispers of what she was capable and more importantly the nature of magic that she was well consumed in, had caused many to be wary.
Kingsley walked in and from the get go, Hermione could tell he was excited. That conniving snake. The man she detested was also the one she took orders from.
“The raid last week was a disaster, we have lost many order members and the supplies to our healthcare are running short as of late. So as for now, I’m requiring the healing unit to round up every last supply we have and ration it within the sub groups carefully. It’s important that you have supplies in the other safe houses too, be wise with the luxury of choice that we have given you.”
He said ‘we’ like it had been a group decision. Everyone knew that it was Kingsley who sailed the ship of the Order.
With that, the Healer Unit stood up and left the meeting. That’s how prompt these meetings usually went. Time was an illusion and they were always seemingly running out of it.
With the last healer closing the door behind them, Kingsley signalled Moody to start his update,
“ The safe houses in Yorkshire and Delaware have been breached. So my group and I will be looking to relocate those safe houses. With that being said,” he glanced over at Hermione, “ I will be requesting eight new portkeys for the district 1 safe houses.”
Hermione rolled her eyes.
“We also need to test out the wards placed in the newly found underground lab. We need at least 20 members to help out and-“
“No.”
Hermione was aware that Moody looked like he wanted to curse her to oblivion but she continued nevertheless. Even if her mindset and causes of the war had changed, she was no idiot. She wanted the Order to win regardless and she could see that this was just a useless waste.
“ Eight new portkeys will not be produced in time and as I’ve said multiple times, these new Portkeys are now designed to carry a maximum of 6 people at once. By asking for this many, you’re putting the lives of those in the safe houses at risk if those portkeys were to get in the wrong hands anyone.” Noticing the look of disapproval on Moody’s face she continued, “before you snap at me moody, I told you I’m working on a replant for that but until you bring me a death eater Moody, Dead or alive I don’t care, but we need the Mark so we can test the shield on it.”
Turning to address Kingsley directly she continued,
This is suicide mission. That potions lab is enchanted. That’s timeless magic that you’re trying to mess around with and sending 20 volunteers is not going to get you anywhere”
“Miss Granger, that potion lab could be vital for to course of the war and I think it’s imperative-“
“You’re telling me you’d risk the lives of 20 order members, which might I remind you right now that there is a shortage of, just for the fraction of a chance that the potions lab may open?”
Moody did not reply.
Hermione sighed, “You’re making an unnecessary gamble on something that shouldn’t even be questioned on. You read Flamel’s diary, he said that the lab will only open itself when the correct potioneer arrives.
If I were you, I’d be either finding a brilliant potioneer, or putting recourses into teaching an Order member the skills of potionery, otherwise we’ll keep losing numbers and it will all be your fault.”
There were murmurs of agreement across the oak table. Despite the cold attitude that she received socially, Hermione was still a much respected order member.
Kingsley, as though feeling the attention had been redirected, collected himself saying, “Hermione is right, why don’t you and your team begin the search right now”.
Moody - realising that he had lost todays battle - got up and left as well alongside the Placement Unit.
“That will be all for today, Hermione, Ginny and Harry, a word please?”
She wondered if Kingsley had finally decided it was time for Harry to face Voldemort. It had been almost a decade for crying out loud and the man had still not even seen the battlefield. Would he even be able to fight against the noseless bastard?
Kingsley cleared his throat,
“There’s been a rather, interesting breakthrough in the inner circle of Voldemort”
Hermione’s heart raced.
“His General, Draco Malfoy has recently killed his wife, Astoria.”
Hermione felt as though time had slowed down.
Kingsley however had an eerie smile on his face. “He is now in dire need of a Governess for his two children and lucky for him, we have just the right lady. We have you Hermione.”
Hermione felt like the world was playing a cruel twist on her.
Kingsley continued,
“You look nothing like what you did a decade ago Hermione, not regarding your personality and certainly not your looks, you will be under the guise of a pure blooded witch who ran away because of an arranged marriage 3 years ago, but upon the request of Mrs Malfoy herself, you’re back to teacher her children.”
Hermione was utterly lost for words.
“You’ll be the eyes and ears of the Order and if time comes to it, you will be the deciding blow to Voldemort. Killing his precious puppet and leading the soldiers into battle.”
“You mean-“
“Yes Harry,” Kingsley looked at him with excitement, “ Voldemort will meet his end, very soon and it will be all down to you two.”
Hermione hadn’t said a word. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to make of this revelation.
Ginny, mistakenly taking the silence as refusal added, “You can do this Hermione. You’re literally the brightest witch of our generation, you’re perfect for the role.”
Hermione had completely ignored Ginny’s comment as the one thing that had played over and over in her head had instead been the man who had haunted her. His betrayal still inflicted more pain than anything Hermione had endured.
What a cruel fate.
But she knew that she would do it. The war was nearing an end and Hermione needed to put a stop to the madness.