Family
With a sigh, she stormed up to the castle gates, while she might not entirely approve of the little witch she was still family. Her family and no one got to hurt her family but her. And as Henry had informed her, bluntly, apparently having spent too much time with his ridiculously young and outspoken aunt, it was hardly her fault that their mother was a raging bitch. Not that he’d put it like that of course, she’d raised him better.
With an impatient wave of her hand, the gates flew open, admitting her to the grounds.
“Oi! Who’re you then! You can’t jus’ come in ere!” An eye roll followed another impatient wave as she froze the…was that a giant? What on Earth was going on at her sister's school?
She continued to pick her way across the grounds. It was rather impressive if she was being honest, and silently she wondered how her magic would have fared if she had had this as well as Rumpelstiltskin. Not that there was any point in dwelling on it now but she’d seen the scope of her sister’s magic, young though she was and part of her was forced to admit that she was jealous.
The doors opened with a satisfying bang despite there being no one but her to appreciate it, following the noise, she waved her hand sending a second set ricocheting off the walls. The entire Great Hall fell silent. Which was pleasing. Unfortunately, it meant her sister's groan was all too clear.
“Yes?” she asked pointedly.
“I’m sure my nephew has warned you against this,” Hermione muttered.
She gave a tight smile, her eyes raking over her sister. She looked pale and stressed, it wasn't a good look and her blackened heart have a small twinge as she strode over to her, ignoring the spluttering and questions coming from the front of the room. “Up,” she commanded.
“Regina,” Hermione sighed tiredly, “Must we do this?”
“Hand.” Regina barked instead.
Reluctantly, Hermione placed her hand in her sister's. Regina's mouth tightened at the words carved into the back of it, feeling her magic rolling on her skin, begging to be released. “You will point out the culprit of this abomination immediately,” she hissed, “Or next time I’ll bring Mr Gold.”
With a resigned sigh, Hermione took her hand back, “She's the one that looks like a toad.”
“In all that pink?” Regina checked sounding disgusted.
“That would be her.” Hermione agreed, “What did you cast? They’ve been trying to stun you since you walked in.”
“Nothing,” Regina smirked, pulling a necklace out of her robes, “Gold made it for me. He made you one too, something about payment for the ingredients you sourced him.”
“Ah,” Hermione flushed, taking the necklace her sister held out to her, “Yes. Apparently, we have plants here he can't get quite so easily.”
“I do hope you know what you're doing, sister.” Regina arched her eyebrow pointedly.
“Me too,” Hermione murmured.
Regina hummed, her face indicating just how far out of her depth she believed her sister to be before she turned to face the hoard of angry teachers, putting on her most winning smile.
“I am Dolores Jane Umbridge, Headmistress of this school and Senior Undersecretary to the Minster of Magic!” Regina snorted at the tiny spluttering toad-like woman, “I demand to know how you got in!”
Regina hummed, a sinister smile travelling over her face. “You've been hurting my sister, Headmistress, ” she replied scathingly, her hand darting out quickly, plunging into the woman's chest. Her smile widened as she stared at the still-beating heart in her hand.
“Tell me that isn't a family gift, Mione?” Ron squeaked, watching the scene torn between fascination in horror.
“Oh, it is,” Regina purred slowly, smirking at the rapidly paling boy, squeezing the heart in her hand slightly until the pink witch was on her knees. “I do believe my sister chooses not to utilise this particular skill….much. But I know Gold taught her, just as he taught both our mother and me.”
“Bloody hell,” Ron gasped, eyeing Hermione with fear while Harry looked contemplative.
“As…understandable as I find your urge…” Minerva tried, straining for calm. “We cannot murder the headmistress.”
“In front of the students,” Severus muttered, making Regina smirk.
“Stand.” she hissed into the heart, "and walk out of this room.”
“Sweet Mother of Circe.” Pomona breathed as the headmistress did just that.
“Do you intend to supervise, sister?” Regina demanded, arching a brow.
“Someone should,” Hermione muttered, moving to stand next to her sister.
“Very well. Do you also intend to dictate her punishment?”
An unreadable look stole over Hermione's face. “Perhaps,” she murmured to the shock of almost everyone in the room. Harry though, grinned.
“I get to watch, right?”
Regina briefly eyed the boy with disapproval, recognising him from her sister's letters. “You will not interfere.”
“Ah...no, your Majesty.” he agreed, smirking slightly at the gasp that stole around the room.
“Your majesty?” Neville squeaked.
A slow, smug smile travelled over Hermione's face as she took the heart from her sister. “Didn't I mention? My big sister's the Evil Queen.” she squeezed the heart slightly, her smile widening in satisfaction at the strangled groan that came from the hallway. “Oops.” she shrugged, her eyes finding Malfoy and his friends. All of them were pale, their horrified eyes watching her carefully. “Coming Harry?”
“Absolutely.” he agreed, following her out, Regina trailing after them. Perhaps it was time to reevaluate her sister. She was far more ruthless than she’d realised.