Broken Hearts
Tension in the camp was thick by the time Hermione, Genesis and Sephiroth returned, the tension was that thick that Genesis and Sephiroth actually hung back.
“What’s wrong?” Hermione asked, coming to stand at the cauldron that was being used as a make-shift stew pot.
“Are you alright?” Ron asked, standing along with Harry.
“Y-yes...I’m fine, why?” Hermione folded her arms and cocked her head to the side.
“Then what’s this?” Harry asked, holding up the bloodstained knife that Hermione had used only hours ago.
Hermione felt Genesis come up beside her. “It’s mine.” He said, matter-of-factly.
“No. It’s not.” Harry responded. “I watched Hermione pick that knife up before the attack on the camp.”
Hermione felt her blood run cold as Harry continued. “We used spells to reveal the origin of the blood. It belonged to a Walter Aldercapt, a known Death Eater. That can only mean-”
“-You have no proof that it wasn’t me that did it.” Genesis cut in.
Ron stepped up this time. “The knife was used by Hermione, Genesis. The magic we used confirmed it.”
Genesis was about to speak again but Hermione cut him off with a look. “I’m not going to lie to you. Yes, it was me, and don’t ask me how or why I ended up doing it because I don’t know.”
“It was the Horcrux that made you do it, wasn’t it?” Brother asked.
“I thought it was, but Genesis has just shown me that maybe it wasn’t. Maybe wearing that Horcrux gave me more nerve to do it than I would normally have, but that killer instinct is in me. I just have to rein it in, that’s all.”
“So, it wasn’t an accident, then?” Angeal spoke up.
“SOLDIER’s Slump, actually, Angeal.” Sephiroth spoke this time.
“What’s that?” Asked Ron.
Hermione returned to the cauldron as Angeal and Sephiroth explained once more, she blanked them out as she thought back to the attack.
Am I becoming a killer? What if I hurt one of the others? Something in her went numb, she began to shake.
“I can’t do this anymore.” She stated, silence followed her words and she heard someone walk up to her, looking straight in front of her she just put the ladle back into the pot and walked off into the woods.
“Wait, Genesis, Ron, let Other go.” This was all she heard before she shut herself off from everyone.
*You are so much better them, child. You have a power that could over-throw every power-house on your world and the world of Genesis. You could keep them all safe –*
“*Now that is not a fair fight, Uncle.*” Other’s voice sounded both in Hermione’s head and right next to her.
“*You are not corrupting either of them. You will have to destroy myself and Brother if you do and the binding laws of our family state that you cannot harm us.*”
The other voice gave a growl before disappearing. Hermione blinked and looked over at Other, who was smiling. “Thank you.” She didn’t mean for the tone of surprise but she had not expected Other to silence the voice that had been in her head since the attack on the camp.
Other giggled, “always the tone of surprise.”
Hermione stalled for a moment before laughter hit her.
“Why did you walk away?”
“I don’t know how much more of this inner darkness I can keep back before I hurt someone I care about.” The words were blurted out loud before Hermione could stop them. “I’m afraid, Other. What if I do more harm than good on this journey, or in the war in general?”
“Now stop right there.” Hermione closed her mouth. “I will not hear these words coming from you. You are stronger than you know; all you have to do is choose how you used that power. What happened at the campsite was both an accident and the fault of my Uncle, who seems to be hell-bent on getting you to fall into a Darkness that I will not allow you to.”
Other wrapped the surprised Hermione into an embrace, it was warm and reminded her of Genesis, of Ron.
“How will I know if I make the right decision?” she asked quietly.
Other squeezed her in comfort, “I trust you. Plus Brother and I are here for you both, so you don’t have to worry about making the wrong decisions.”
Giving a sniffle, Hermione smiled. “Thank you. Come on, we’d best go back before the boys get worried.”
The meal was a better one than the trio had eaten in a while, moods were high, but they were not happy, all of them were worried about one thing or another, as well as worrying about her, Hermione knew it.
“Okay, let’s get some sleep, we’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.” Genesis got up and stretch, Sephiroth had not moved.
“I’ll take the first watch, Genesis, you come after me, Angeal, you come after him.” He ordered, waiting for the other two to nod.
Ron frowned, “what about us?” he asked.
“You three are going to get some sleep. You have nothing to fear whilst we are here with you.” He answered, finally getting to his feet to hold open the tent flap.
“We shall wake you at sunrise, that way we can move onwards towards the next target.”
Sephiroth entered the tent and proceeded to the conveniently placed coffee pot on the stove, pouring himself a cup, he bid the others goodnight before going out to his watch.
Hermione made to clamber onto her bed only to miss her footing and cut her hand on the wooden railing.
“Ow! Damn it!” the cut was deep and was now beginning to bleed heavily.
“Come here,” Genesis’ gentle voice reached her ears. A pale hand with pianist fingers gently wrapped itself over the underside of her hand whilst another held a pale green orb that lit up and flared. Placing the free hand over the wound, Genesis just sighed softly. “Be careful, my Golden Flower. The last thing I want is to see your blood spilled unnecessarily.”
Hermione looked up into his pale blue eyes. She felt herself getting lost in those eyes, eyes that felt safe, eyes that were dangerous, but still they were safe.
“Come on, up you go.”
She let Genesis boost him up before he tucked her in and brushed a strand of hair out off of her face.
---------------------------------------------------
Genesis turned to see Ron watching with a small smile on his face. “Come on, you as well. You need your rest more than the others, that necklace was beginning to affect you.”
Ron blinked. “It was that obvious?”
“Haha, you’ve been glaring at me all night, so yeah, it was that obvious.” Genesis sat down next to Ron and gave him a playful nudge. “Come on, am I that much of a threat?”
“Well, yeah.” Genesis dropped the smile. “You and Harry, you’re both better than me and Hermione adores you both. I just can’t compete.” Ron looked down at his hands.
“I thought we’d have gotten somewhere with this Horcrux thing, but we haven’t even managed to destroy the one we already have. I dunno, maybe it’s just me being stupid, y’know?”
“Well I think you’re putting yourself down too much.” Genesis stated, not looking at Ron. “I’m always in competition with Sephiroth, that’s how I got my injury. He’s superior to me in every way; he has been the hero for as long as anyone can remember. But since you three came into my life alongside other revelations, I have become more grounded. Sephiroth and I have neither really battled, nor argued in general at all. You are not worthless, Ron. Hermione can see something in you, and that should be all that matters to you.” He patted Ron’s shoulder.
“Come on, no more melancholy, it’s time for sleep. This wretched thing can stay up on the top shelf.” He took the glass from Ron and placed the trapped Horcrux on the top shelf in the kitchen.
I love this world, they have so many simple things that make life that little bit easier. He thought as he, too, got into bed and drifted off into a light sleep.
He was sleeping, this he knew, but the darkness around him was suffocating. “You are the key, Genesis. Bring me the pure one, and I will cure your degradation!” Hollander? But when did he say this to him?
“Genesis?!” Hermione’s voice broke through the mist, he turned to face her, she was wearing a Turk’s uniform. Why?
“Please stop! I can’t lose you!”
He wanted to scream at her, tell her that he was here, that he was never going to leave her side, that he would protect her no matter what it cost him. But the words would not come, she was getting further and further away from him, acid green eyes suddenly filled his vision.
“You will rot!”
Sephiroth’s voice? Why was he saying that?
“Genesis, Genesis!” Genesis woke with a start and made to run his attacker through, only to find his arms held firmly by Angeal.
“Easy, SOLDIER it’s only me.”
“Angeal... sorry.”
Angeal shook his head. “It’s alright. Anyway, I apologise for waking you, but it’s your turn to take watch.”
Nodding his head, Genesis poured himself a cup of coffee and shook his head, he was not prone to nightmares, but neither was he immune to them. He saw a flash of amber from outside the tent and quietly hurried out.
---------------------------------------------------
Brother lowered his hand.
Sister hit him across the back of his head causing him to wince. “You were not supposed to do that!” she hissed.
“It wasn’t me! I was trying to stop it.” He argued.
The two came to the same thought. “Uncle.”
########################################
Their Uncle cackled away, but stalled when he realised someone could see him. It was Sephiroth. The evil that would soon threaten Gaia.
“I can hear you. I can see you. I do not know who you are, nor where you came from, but I demand that you leave my friends alone.” He purred, Uncle shivered with joy.
“Leave them alone? Oh no, no, no. They are instrumental to my ultimate goal and nothing my niece and nephew do will stop them both from falling into the darkest pits of their desires. Your Commander will start it all off. He will be the reason for her to fight, oh I have no doubt of that, but he will also be her demise!” Continuing to cackle Uncle disappeared as Sephiroth threw a ball of fire at him.
################################################
“Sephiroth?”
Genesis exited the tent to find Sephiroth on his feet, lowering his hand.
“Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you. I just had a rather strange dream, is all.” Sephiroth looked uncharacteristically sheepish.
Genesis chuckled, “seems to be the night for it. Angeal just woke me up from one as well.” He took Sephiroth’s place in front of the fire. “Anyway, I am here to take over the watch, so you go and get some sleep.”
Sephiroth seemed to hesitate. “Go on,” Genesis urged. “I’ll be alright.” Genesis kept Sephiroth’s gaze until the higher-ranking officer gave in and returned to the tent.
Four hours later, Genesis got up and stretched. Entering the tent, he found Angeal already at the pot.
“Your turn old friend.” He announced before hopping up onto the bunk that Angeal had just vacated.
He heard Angeal grunt in response, this caused him to chuckle. Angeal was not a morning person, but orders were orders.
Genesis fell into a blissfully dreamless sleep.
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Three weeks later and they had all become rather comfortable living together in such a small space. Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis had even managed to hunt down a deer to fill to cupboards with meat, whilst Other and Brother helped with gathering fungus, berries and other edible flora for them to cook with the meat.
As a result the mood kept well, Hermione found herself feeling much better that she had the night the three SOLDIER First Class had come to them.
It was also a blessing in disguise that the three men were used to taking watch at night as Hermione, Harry and Ron had been allowed to get all the sleep they needed.
Hermione should have known better than to think it would last.
She awoke to the now familiar smell of fire and the familiar sounds of laughter coming from outside.
“Ah! There she is!” Greeted Genesis. “Good morning, my Golden Flower!”
She exited the tent onto the shore of the lake that they had come to rest at.
Giving a tired chuckle, Hermione yawned. “Good morning, Genesis.” She looked around her and smiled at everyone, they were all tucking into a good breakfast that, to Hermione’s surprise, Other was cooking.
“Good morning, Other! Oh, thank you.” Brother handed her a plate of bacon and sausage as she sat down next to Ron and nudged him playfully.
“Morning.” She greeted.
“Morning. Did you sleep alright?” he asked.
Hermione nodded, “yeah, very well considering. Are you alright? You look like you got into a fight with a troll and lost.”
Ron was about to answer when Sephiroth spoke up. “He has that locket you had been wearing the other day around his neck.” Ron’s face paled as he looked over at Sephiroth. “And he thought no one had noticed him pick it up last night,” Sephiroth rose, stood before Ron and held out his hand.
“You misjudged the fact that I had yet to fall to sleep when you rose from your bed.”
Everyone looked over at Ron, suddenly there was a black mist surrounding him as anger filled those deep blue eyes that Hermione loved so much. “Ron?”
The anger disappeared and his eyes went blank.
Hermione frowned and went to reach for him to shake his shoulder, when she felt herself freeze when her magic warned her of a powerful force in his head. All she heard was Ron’s voice. “Crucio!”
The pain that raced through Hermione was so great that she felt like she was going to die. She screamed high and loud.
It was as though she was being constantly stabbed with sharp knives whilst having been set on fire all at once. She shook and convulsed as the pain both continued and increased.
“Ron stop!” she could hear voices shouting for Ron to stop, but it sounded like she had been submerged in water.
“ENOUGH!” That voice belonged to Other.
The pain subsided and she found herself huddled in the foetal position, with Genesis holding her tightly.
The next thing that reached her ears were words that she knew Ron had been thinking for a while.
“You two don’t understand what it’s like, never knowing if they’re dead or alive. Neither of you know how it feels, neither of you have any parents, you have no family to worry over!”
Hermione got to her feet and raced for Ron, snatching the necklace from around his neck.
“Is that really what you think?!” she shouted, her anger rising. “Is it?!”
Ron didn’t give an answer; he just glared at her, picked up his bag and pushed past her, disapparating as he went. “RON!!” Hermione screamed, looking wildly around them, “RON! Come back, please!”
Spinning on the spot, she tripped over on the rocks and landed on the ice that was once the lakeside.
“Hermione!” Harry slid out onto the ice after her, followed by the three SOLDIERs.
########################
Other held Brother back to speak with him.
“That was a combination of that wretched Horcrux and Uncle.” She said.
Brother nodded, “agreed.” He looked out onto the ice to see Genesis scoop her up. “What a cruel thing to do.”
“Pack everything up, we leave when we’re done.” Sephiroth ordered, causing the twins to shudder.
Hermione appeared to have heard him, as she struggled in Genesis’ arms, “no! We can’t go! Ron won’t be able to find us!”
The twins were pleased to see Sephiroth’s eyes soften. They watched him approach her as Genesis put her onto her feet. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, “it would be unwise to stay here after all of the noise that has just been made outside of the enchantments you put up.”
Hermione’s eyes filled with tears as the realisation that Sephiroth was right hit her hard.
###################
Hermione nodded, waving her wand and gathering everything up into her little bag. Sniffling, she tied her scarf to a nearby tree, resting her head on the tree she breathed a small spell into the scarf.
“Only you, the one we no longer host, can use this scarf to find me, me whom to you am now no more than a ghost.”
Returning to Other and the boys, she picked up their Portkey and disappeared from the lakeside.
When they reappeared it was a cliff side, with a small forest to their rear and a much larger forest below them.
Hermione broke off from the group to start the enchantments.
“Don’t bother, Hermione.” Brother’s voice found her ears. Frowning, Hermione turned to say something when she saw them all stood by a door.
“Come, you need to get away from this world for a while.”
Hermione turned to face the door, before nodding and walking up to Harry, where she hooked her arm through his, completely passing Genesis by.
#####################
He wasn’t upset that she had just passed by him without so much as a glance, her heart was injured, he understood.
Sephiroth and Angeal sat with him in the apartment as the witch and wizard slept on the sofa, a blanket had been placed over them for warmth.
“Do you think Other and Brother managed to find a way to contact their parents?” Angeal asked softly.
“Truthfully, I don’t think that’s what they’ve gone to do.” Genesis answered. Seeing the looks he received from that answer, he elaborated.
“They refused to listen to their parents when they came down to Hermione and I. Meaning that they will not contact them for fear of their parents bringing them back.”
“So why lie?” Sephiroth asked.
“Most likely to put their,” he indicated to the sleeping teens, “minds at ease.”
“Any theory as to where they’ve actually gone?” Angeal asked.
Genesis hummed in thought. “I honestly couldn’t say.”
#################################
Brother held up his sister as she, once again, doubled over in pain. “Sister, what can I do to ease your pain?”
Other gasped and winced, shaking her head. “I do not even know what this is! *Cough!* *Cough, cough!*. Whatever it is, I can feel it subsiding a little. I should be able to continue to hide it from the others. That way I do not worry Hermione.”
“But in the meantime, you worry me?” Brother joked, his beloved Sister chuckled.
“Such is my nature, Brother Dearest. Come we must go back, urgh!” As she had begun to walk out of their little pocket dimension hideaway, Other had doubled over again, causing Brother to both sigh and worry his bottom lip as he helped her out of the bubble.
Please, Mother, Father, help us through this.