The Lady and the Tiger
Severus Snape was in his home at Spinster’s End at the study he always used for personal correspondence. He was rubbing his temples while he read his newest journal entry.
November 29th 1998
Dear Lily,
I feel like something is going on with my tiger that I do not know about, something strange. I know I could be wrong from what little I know of the personality of the tiger that they attack anyone when they are injured. Yesterday I saw her actually lick Lucius’s fingers when she should have bitten them off since she was badly injured in the arena. I am beginning to think that this Tiger is an Animagus than just a random tiger. That dreaded Wormtail, I am saddled with him now, to help me, all but confirmed it. I can only imagine what the Dark Lord’s purpose was to give him this assignment. Pettigrew is not a gifted wizard by any means. His only gift is to be an Anigmagus, a rat, rather fitting form. I have to keep myself from hexing him to the next life for what he has done. I hate to admit it but Pettigrew may have a point. The idea makes more sense than a Tiger wondering into the wizadring world. That raises some interesting questions. I have set up an eye spell in her chambers as a precaution it will show me her habits. It will prove or disprove my theory, hopefully in the next few days there will be enough to figure it out. If she is an Animagus it will raise some interesting issues. Why she not reveal herself? Is she a spy? If not what does she want? Do I keep the secret or do I let the Dark Lord know?
Being triple agent does have disadvantages, you always must choose what you can win and what you can’t and plan accordingly. If it comes to Hermione or Mina would I be able to sacrifice them for the greater good? Could I bare that loosing the two things that matter most to me in this life?
Harry and His so-called army have entered the search for dear Hermione. You have to admire the courage even if they will be too incompetent to the task. Now my task is even more difficult, now I have to keep him from getting killed, damn him just as reckless as his father. You and Hermione would not forgive me if I let anything happen to him.
Damn this need to do, as she would wish. I already am doing what you would wish, will I get no peace in life? Why? Why do I worry about her, dream about her?
Why do I need her, want her? Why does she haunt me so? Why do the fates tease me with something that they know that I might never have? I dream of her everywhere begging me to save her but I never see her. Or dream of her falling the way Dumbledore did my greatest fear. Or dream of her laying next to me stroking my hair telling me everything is alright my head on her chest feeling her softness after we make love.
Merlin help me from being driven to madness
Your Friend,
Severus
He did not know anymore what were his dreams or what was reality any longer. He seemed awake when she would walk into whatever room that he was in. She would ease his fears and give herself to him, making his fears and doubts melt away for a little while.
He unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his aching member for any memory of her would make him rigid and relived his body’s longing for her.
Meanwhile Somewhere in the wizarding world
Draco decided that the person that he was safest contacting was Ginny Weasley.
Hermione was her best friend and she would do anything for her, even talk to him and keep his secret. But how was he going to contact her without her family knowing? He could ask Snape but he was in another one of his moods. He could not blame him, Wormtail was assigned to assist Snape in his work. For what purpose is anyone’s guess, no Death Eater dared to question an order from the Dark Lord.
Draco finally decided that he would have to risk Snape anger by forging a note in Hermione’s handwriting to lure Ginny out to speak with her. But where would they meet? Hogsmeade at the Hogshead is the most logical choice.
Praying he was making the right choice he went to town bought a owl and sent Ginny a note
Ginny
Please meet me at the Hogshead tomorrow at midnight and tell no one
Hermione
Meanwhile in the Death Eater Compound
Hermione was lying on her carpet trying to plan the next course of action. Severus Snape could be a good ally, he was smart, talented, resourceful, and a good duelist. But for all the years that she had known him, she could hardly figure him out. He joined the Death Eaters at a young age, had an affinity for the dark arts, he is a Slytherin, tried to have Sirius arrested to get the Dementor Kiss. The most damning of all killed Dumbledore and left with the rest of the Death Eaters that night and never came back. But on the other hand, He saved Harry from Professor Quirrell, tried to save the three of them, even if it was an imagined threat, Made excuses for the three of them when they broke the rules attacked him at the Shrieking Shack. He Helped uncover the Alistor Moody teaching at Hogwarts was an impostor, Let the Order know that they had gone into the department of Mysteries. His warning allowing Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Mad-Eye and Kingsley time to go and save them from the Death Eater trap, and lastly Dumbledore never wavered in his confidence in him. She sighed. She could also confide in Lucius or in Rabastan, they seemed as though they cared for her, they might even help her out. But if she was wrong, she would have to face Voldemort, who would most likely unleash Bellatrix and Fenirir on her, making her fate worse than death.
When she heard Rabastan Lestrange approach, this time he was alone. He did not have his robes on this day just his leather pants. It was then did she noticed that there was a tattoo on his left biceps, the Azkaban seal the same as she seen on Sirius many times before. On the other arm nearest to his shoulder was a tattoo of a star besides his Death Eater tattoo he had on his left forearm.
He had a satisfied look in his eye that disturbed her. The moment he started talking she understood why. “ Hello darling. I know I have not seen you in a while, but I was busy with a mission I created long ago.” He turned then he cast a spell, sounded like some sort of silencing charm. “ Long ago I fell in love with a boy, his name was Regulus Black. He was the younger brother of my sister in law’s cousin. I knew him all my life saw how he was abandoned broken and thrown away to be murdered. I bided my time, allowed my brother and father to teach me Leglamancy and Occlamency and to recruit me to the bloody murderer’s group, how I hate them all. I needed to infiltrate the group to get close to the man who killed my love and to bring him down. I needed the power base to execute my vendetta against those who abandoned Regulus to be used and broken, his own brother Sirius, how I hate him. He saw the dangers that that house and family posed, yet when he was old enough and ran away he did not take Regulus with him or contact him after he left. He fell into what his parents view where. It appeared that he always wanted to be a death eater but I knew better. He had no choice, no one to turn to or alternative to that view. When he finally was strong enough to rebel he was in too deep and Voldemort or someone close to him killed him.” He paused, eyes turning red with unshed tears. He then began to speak again.
“That day I vowed to get revenge on Sirius and his friends that contributed to his choice to leave. I seduced a friend named Peter Pettigrew whom they nicknamed Wormtail, made him take me into his confidence and finally I was able to break into his mind and turned him against his friends. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall when Voldemort killed James that day, to see the look on his face as the life went out of his eyes. He stepped into Regulus’s place, and was partner in crime to Sirius and his many emotional tortures of Regulus.
“I was indeed sorry that his wife had to die, but she did know what she was getting into when she signed on to the fight. Sirius I did not kill, no that would have been too easy. I planted a spell in Wortail’s mind to frame him for his death, essentially breaking him off from the one last friend he had, Remus Lupin. Lupin did not stop his friends from what they did, but did not partake in it, the only reason why his punishment was not as great.”
His handsome face twisting into something freighting and cold, reminding her of how freighting he could be.
“Wormtail however did and James and Sirius did without thinking about it or the consequences of his actions. That is why he suffers now, his life destroyed as he help destroyed everything I held dear. How he screamed and cried at the realization at what he had done, that he could not stop himself from doing it. It broke my ears with the screaming and crying the night he was confronted by the friends about what he did, having no other choice but to run again to Voldermort’s side. One that is held in the worst regards and treated the worst. I revel in the helplessness he is faced with, hating his life and what is forced to do. He is particularly mournful of the death of a Hogwarts student that was caught at the wrong place and wrong time. It is good punishment until James’s son will come to finish the job or Voldemort will tire of him and kill him personally. I work for the day when Voldemort himself will die for the final time, finishing Regulus’s work and mine. I care not if I die in the process, I will die happy knowing I accomplished my goal.
Wormtail’s only real use to me now is to alert me how an Animagus behaves. He let me know that he strongly suspects that you are one, I do not care either way. You are the only thing left in the world that makes me remotely happy. I will be here for you if you choose to reveal yourself to me.” He pet her head and got up to go to do whatever he does this time of the day leaving Hermione thunderstruck by what she just heard.
Rabastan would be the perfect ally, but could she work with him after what she just heard? After he caused so much chaos and pain for many people that she loved?
Now she understood what Mad Eye meant by emotion could kill you or yours if you let it. Rabastan must have gathered information that could be useful to the Order over the years of his vendetta. Information that in the end, could make all the deaths and pain mean something.
It was so much better to use logic than emotions, her present position is a great example. She was thinking emotionally that day running from the pain she was in she taking refuge in the Forbidden Forest running away from her life by taking on another form. She often wondered why she had no guts to end it with Sirius. Was it that the sex was amazing and he made her fell so wanted and loved? Or was it because she had no other option to love again if she did leave him?
If she were really honest with herself, she would admit being attracted to Remus, since she was sixteen years old. But he was her friend, and mentor, he probably even thought of her as a sister or daughter, making anything between them impossible. She satisfied herself with the knowledge that he was her friend. She would rather have him in her life as a friend than not having him in her life at all. His friendship was one of the few things that kept her going, he would always knew what to say to her when she was troubled about something, giving her advice that would steer her to the right direction. She wished she could talk to him now, to know what she should do. He knew James and Sirius longer and the best, he would know what they would say, what they would feel about it.
Meanwhile at the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters
Remus was sitting in the room that Hermione shared with Ginny just staring at her bed. He would often come here to be close to her, just like Sirius would lie on the library couch to be close to her. Harry was still very angry with Sirius but he was at least starting to talk to him again. With some coaxing Harry finally confided in Remus what his plans for the DA where. He had to be impressed at the bravery and friendship demonstrated by these kids for their friend. He was also worried a lot for them as well since they did not have the amount of experience in dueling or matching wits with Death Eaters. Harry was so like James that it frightened him at times. He was emotional to the point of recklessness, a trait that contributed to his death. He was so afraid that Harry would walk in his footsteps and die young. He knew that James would never forgive him if something happened to Harry. Remus sighed and put his face in his hands. How can he blame Harry for being emotional over Hermione? She was a beautiful, loving compassionate girl whom everyone loved deeply, including him.
He never intended to confess his love for Hermione to anyone. Sirius of course could read him like a book like he always could, so there was no reason to deny it. He knew that as much as anyone would deny it, they considered him a monster. They would have been disgusted if they knew what he felt for her. She was a genuine good soul, so bright, so full of life, loving her would taint her and he could not stand the idea of her damaged because of him. He distanced himself for her own good, and started a relationship with Tonks. It eventually did not work out for many reasons and she ended up with Kingsley.
She was a smart woman, she probably sensed his feelings for Hermione. She was kind in the end, she parted amicably with him and stayed his friend. Truth be told he would not have been able to keep his this long without her friendship.
He could not say when it was that he fell in love with Hermione. He had always cared for her, since the day that they first meet. She was kind to him, kept his secret and still liked him after he changed into his beast form and almost killed her. The first one in a long time to show unconditional support since his friends in school. They where so alike, they liked books and learning, they loved Arithamancy, and keeping in touch with current events. There where times that they would spend hours-discussing things, or read together and not need to say a word to each other at all.
The day he realized how deep his feelings really where was the day that they almost lost her rescuing Sirius a year and a half ago. The lycan was not sure where she got the book, it seemed to come out of nowhere. Not that he was complaining, it was wonderful to get Sirius back. The risk however was very high to Hermione to her body and her soul. Somehow she talked Kingsley into letting her in to the veil room where she performed some sort of ceremony. He was not there; he only heard what happened next by Tonks in the hospital. There was a bright white light, and Sirius crawling out on all fours, looking the same he did that day. He crawled to Hermione collapsed over the strain of the spell. They both where taken to St Mungo’s where Sirius was fine but shaken. Hermione on the other hand was a different story. They had to put her in a coma to repair the damage to her body and possibly her soul that lasted almost four months. The healers did not have much hope of her surviving at all. Harry was overjoyed to have his godfather back, but shocked beyond belief at the state it left Hermione in. It broke Remus’s heart to see her that way, so small, so pale, desperately clinging to life. By some miracle she survived, she came back to him. It did not matter that she did not give her heart to him, she was alive and they where friends, it was the best that he could hope for. He had to admit that he was hurt and jealous when Hermione ended up with his best friend, but she appeared to be happy. She deserved that, and so much more if it was with his friend so be it.
For a while they where happy together. But Remus could see the danger lurking under the surface. Sirius never really tried to get help for what he had been through, he saw it as an act of weakness no doubt. It was like watching an accident happen. Remus knew that Sirius’s lack of help would ruin the relationship, in the end his was right. Remus saw the pattern that Sirius always got himself in; he would find something good, then he would do whatever he could to destroy it because deep down he did not believe he deserved to be happy or loved. Most people would be furious that Sirius but all he could feel was sorrow at the pain for them both. She drifted away into her little world that truly concerned him, then she was gone. He kept the front of faith that she would return to them, but deep down he was not so sure. His greatest fear is that she was ambushed by Death Eaters and did not care enough to fight them. Every day that that went by without any word made him fear more and more for her. Ironically the man who drove the woman he loved away was the one he turned to for comfort in his grief and fear.
He looked at his watch and saw that it was getting late. Ginny would be back soon and she would need her room back. As he was exiting, he saw something in the corner of his eye that caught his attention. He walked over to her nightstand and saw the Animagus book that Sirius used years ago to transform into a dog. Then like a ton of bricks the revelation hit. What if she was not in her human form? What if they where looking for the wrong thing?
He found himself running into the hallway shouting
“TONKS! TONKS WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?”
He found her at the kitchen table pale, tear tracks evident on her face. Hestia had her arm around her trying to comfort her the best she could. Seamus Finnigan , Cho Chang, and Lavender Brown were at the table also, looking terribly guilty.
It was Mad Eye that answered his question
“Bloody immature wizards.
Young Harry’s army was tailing Kingsley’s movements. They got in trouble and Kingsley helped them but he was captured.”
Remus went to the other side of Tonks and put his arm around her unable to think of what to say. Sweet Merlin if Hermione wasn’t enough now Tonks had to loose Kingsley as well.
Merlin please let him be alright
***
Later on that evening
Lucius was in the compound in his normal chair at the dinning room table. He was
Greatly disturbed a mood that he was falling into more and more often. Not even his routine drink of a hot toddy before dinner calmed him.
He was starting to come attached to an animal, something that was not in his nature at all. What disturbed him the most was the idea that it might be an Animagus, someone that he was familiar with. His wife was annoyed that he would be concerned with an animal, one that attacked her sister, and not the welfare of their only son. He of course was concerned for his son, but he could not help being concerned for the tiger Mina. He could see the obsessive look in the Dark Lord’s eye every time he looked at her, making him truly worried for her. He was not the only one that suspected that the tiger was an Animagus, from their demeanor Wormtail, Rabastan Lestrange, and Severus Snape were also suspicious of the animal. The question remains what will he do about it if she was an Animagus?
All his life Lucius believed in the old ways of wizard supremacy up until it ruined his life. What if the tiger was someone he knew but not of pureblood ancestry. Could he watch the woman be tortured in all manners that the Dark Lard come up with or will he help her?
His believes had failed him of late, making his son a target, and robbing him of the duty of protecting him. In the past few months he was able to gather very little information on the whereabouts of his child. With the little information he gathered Snape was caring for him and treated him decent. He was grateful that he son was taken care of but he was resentful that it was not him that spoke with him, offering him his support, his guidance.
The situation had disintegrated were he had to choose between his faith and his son, and there was no going back.
His troubled thoughts were interrupted by the sound of The Dark Lord entering looking rather excited. Lucius rose and bowed to him. “ Lucius summon Snape. We have an interrogation to perform and some fun to have. Behind him was the Order of the Phoenix member and senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. Malfoy bowed and summoned him while other death eaters took Shacklebolt to the cadge room.
***
Things were always on edge for Hermione for all the time she had been a prisoner, but things were about to get much worse. The normal Death Eater guard had arrived but with a bloody and beaten Kingsley in between them.
no, NO NOT KINGSLEY her mind screamed as they dragged him into the cadge.
His cloths were ripped and bloody, both eyes were swollen and bloodshot and he had a split lip. Mina stretched and open her eyes, trying not to make any sudden movements that would alarm her friend.
How could this have happened? Kingsley was an exceptional Auror who could always get out of tight spots rather well, how could he have been captured.
It hurt her to see the fear in his beautiful dark eyes that were obviously for her. Kingsley never saw a tiger before, but he was intelligent to know a dangerous creature when he saw one.
She heard the mocking laughter coming from the Death Eaters when they saw one of the bravest wizards out there show obvious fear.
Hermione could see Severus approaching with Voldemort behind him
Sweet Merlin what was she going to do?
November 29th 1998
Dear Lily,
I feel like something is going on with my tiger that I do not know about, something strange. I know I could be wrong from what little I know of the personality of the tiger that they attack anyone when they are injured. Yesterday I saw her actually lick Lucius’s fingers when she should have bitten them off since she was badly injured in the arena. I am beginning to think that this Tiger is an Animagus than just a random tiger. That dreaded Wormtail, I am saddled with him now, to help me, all but confirmed it. I can only imagine what the Dark Lord’s purpose was to give him this assignment. Pettigrew is not a gifted wizard by any means. His only gift is to be an Anigmagus, a rat, rather fitting form. I have to keep myself from hexing him to the next life for what he has done. I hate to admit it but Pettigrew may have a point. The idea makes more sense than a Tiger wondering into the wizadring world. That raises some interesting questions. I have set up an eye spell in her chambers as a precaution it will show me her habits. It will prove or disprove my theory, hopefully in the next few days there will be enough to figure it out. If she is an Animagus it will raise some interesting issues. Why she not reveal herself? Is she a spy? If not what does she want? Do I keep the secret or do I let the Dark Lord know?
Being triple agent does have disadvantages, you always must choose what you can win and what you can’t and plan accordingly. If it comes to Hermione or Mina would I be able to sacrifice them for the greater good? Could I bare that loosing the two things that matter most to me in this life?
Harry and His so-called army have entered the search for dear Hermione. You have to admire the courage even if they will be too incompetent to the task. Now my task is even more difficult, now I have to keep him from getting killed, damn him just as reckless as his father. You and Hermione would not forgive me if I let anything happen to him.
Damn this need to do, as she would wish. I already am doing what you would wish, will I get no peace in life? Why? Why do I worry about her, dream about her?
Why do I need her, want her? Why does she haunt me so? Why do the fates tease me with something that they know that I might never have? I dream of her everywhere begging me to save her but I never see her. Or dream of her falling the way Dumbledore did my greatest fear. Or dream of her laying next to me stroking my hair telling me everything is alright my head on her chest feeling her softness after we make love.
Merlin help me from being driven to madness
Your Friend,
Severus
He did not know anymore what were his dreams or what was reality any longer. He seemed awake when she would walk into whatever room that he was in. She would ease his fears and give herself to him, making his fears and doubts melt away for a little while.
He unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his aching member for any memory of her would make him rigid and relived his body’s longing for her.
Meanwhile Somewhere in the wizarding world
Draco decided that the person that he was safest contacting was Ginny Weasley.
Hermione was her best friend and she would do anything for her, even talk to him and keep his secret. But how was he going to contact her without her family knowing? He could ask Snape but he was in another one of his moods. He could not blame him, Wormtail was assigned to assist Snape in his work. For what purpose is anyone’s guess, no Death Eater dared to question an order from the Dark Lord.
Draco finally decided that he would have to risk Snape anger by forging a note in Hermione’s handwriting to lure Ginny out to speak with her. But where would they meet? Hogsmeade at the Hogshead is the most logical choice.
Praying he was making the right choice he went to town bought a owl and sent Ginny a note
Ginny
Please meet me at the Hogshead tomorrow at midnight and tell no one
Hermione
Meanwhile in the Death Eater Compound
Hermione was lying on her carpet trying to plan the next course of action. Severus Snape could be a good ally, he was smart, talented, resourceful, and a good duelist. But for all the years that she had known him, she could hardly figure him out. He joined the Death Eaters at a young age, had an affinity for the dark arts, he is a Slytherin, tried to have Sirius arrested to get the Dementor Kiss. The most damning of all killed Dumbledore and left with the rest of the Death Eaters that night and never came back. But on the other hand, He saved Harry from Professor Quirrell, tried to save the three of them, even if it was an imagined threat, Made excuses for the three of them when they broke the rules attacked him at the Shrieking Shack. He Helped uncover the Alistor Moody teaching at Hogwarts was an impostor, Let the Order know that they had gone into the department of Mysteries. His warning allowing Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Mad-Eye and Kingsley time to go and save them from the Death Eater trap, and lastly Dumbledore never wavered in his confidence in him. She sighed. She could also confide in Lucius or in Rabastan, they seemed as though they cared for her, they might even help her out. But if she was wrong, she would have to face Voldemort, who would most likely unleash Bellatrix and Fenirir on her, making her fate worse than death.
When she heard Rabastan Lestrange approach, this time he was alone. He did not have his robes on this day just his leather pants. It was then did she noticed that there was a tattoo on his left biceps, the Azkaban seal the same as she seen on Sirius many times before. On the other arm nearest to his shoulder was a tattoo of a star besides his Death Eater tattoo he had on his left forearm.
He had a satisfied look in his eye that disturbed her. The moment he started talking she understood why. “ Hello darling. I know I have not seen you in a while, but I was busy with a mission I created long ago.” He turned then he cast a spell, sounded like some sort of silencing charm. “ Long ago I fell in love with a boy, his name was Regulus Black. He was the younger brother of my sister in law’s cousin. I knew him all my life saw how he was abandoned broken and thrown away to be murdered. I bided my time, allowed my brother and father to teach me Leglamancy and Occlamency and to recruit me to the bloody murderer’s group, how I hate them all. I needed to infiltrate the group to get close to the man who killed my love and to bring him down. I needed the power base to execute my vendetta against those who abandoned Regulus to be used and broken, his own brother Sirius, how I hate him. He saw the dangers that that house and family posed, yet when he was old enough and ran away he did not take Regulus with him or contact him after he left. He fell into what his parents view where. It appeared that he always wanted to be a death eater but I knew better. He had no choice, no one to turn to or alternative to that view. When he finally was strong enough to rebel he was in too deep and Voldemort or someone close to him killed him.” He paused, eyes turning red with unshed tears. He then began to speak again.
“That day I vowed to get revenge on Sirius and his friends that contributed to his choice to leave. I seduced a friend named Peter Pettigrew whom they nicknamed Wormtail, made him take me into his confidence and finally I was able to break into his mind and turned him against his friends. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall when Voldemort killed James that day, to see the look on his face as the life went out of his eyes. He stepped into Regulus’s place, and was partner in crime to Sirius and his many emotional tortures of Regulus.
“I was indeed sorry that his wife had to die, but she did know what she was getting into when she signed on to the fight. Sirius I did not kill, no that would have been too easy. I planted a spell in Wortail’s mind to frame him for his death, essentially breaking him off from the one last friend he had, Remus Lupin. Lupin did not stop his friends from what they did, but did not partake in it, the only reason why his punishment was not as great.”
His handsome face twisting into something freighting and cold, reminding her of how freighting he could be.
“Wormtail however did and James and Sirius did without thinking about it or the consequences of his actions. That is why he suffers now, his life destroyed as he help destroyed everything I held dear. How he screamed and cried at the realization at what he had done, that he could not stop himself from doing it. It broke my ears with the screaming and crying the night he was confronted by the friends about what he did, having no other choice but to run again to Voldermort’s side. One that is held in the worst regards and treated the worst. I revel in the helplessness he is faced with, hating his life and what is forced to do. He is particularly mournful of the death of a Hogwarts student that was caught at the wrong place and wrong time. It is good punishment until James’s son will come to finish the job or Voldemort will tire of him and kill him personally. I work for the day when Voldemort himself will die for the final time, finishing Regulus’s work and mine. I care not if I die in the process, I will die happy knowing I accomplished my goal.
Wormtail’s only real use to me now is to alert me how an Animagus behaves. He let me know that he strongly suspects that you are one, I do not care either way. You are the only thing left in the world that makes me remotely happy. I will be here for you if you choose to reveal yourself to me.” He pet her head and got up to go to do whatever he does this time of the day leaving Hermione thunderstruck by what she just heard.
Rabastan would be the perfect ally, but could she work with him after what she just heard? After he caused so much chaos and pain for many people that she loved?
Now she understood what Mad Eye meant by emotion could kill you or yours if you let it. Rabastan must have gathered information that could be useful to the Order over the years of his vendetta. Information that in the end, could make all the deaths and pain mean something.
It was so much better to use logic than emotions, her present position is a great example. She was thinking emotionally that day running from the pain she was in she taking refuge in the Forbidden Forest running away from her life by taking on another form. She often wondered why she had no guts to end it with Sirius. Was it that the sex was amazing and he made her fell so wanted and loved? Or was it because she had no other option to love again if she did leave him?
If she were really honest with herself, she would admit being attracted to Remus, since she was sixteen years old. But he was her friend, and mentor, he probably even thought of her as a sister or daughter, making anything between them impossible. She satisfied herself with the knowledge that he was her friend. She would rather have him in her life as a friend than not having him in her life at all. His friendship was one of the few things that kept her going, he would always knew what to say to her when she was troubled about something, giving her advice that would steer her to the right direction. She wished she could talk to him now, to know what she should do. He knew James and Sirius longer and the best, he would know what they would say, what they would feel about it.
Meanwhile at the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters
Remus was sitting in the room that Hermione shared with Ginny just staring at her bed. He would often come here to be close to her, just like Sirius would lie on the library couch to be close to her. Harry was still very angry with Sirius but he was at least starting to talk to him again. With some coaxing Harry finally confided in Remus what his plans for the DA where. He had to be impressed at the bravery and friendship demonstrated by these kids for their friend. He was also worried a lot for them as well since they did not have the amount of experience in dueling or matching wits with Death Eaters. Harry was so like James that it frightened him at times. He was emotional to the point of recklessness, a trait that contributed to his death. He was so afraid that Harry would walk in his footsteps and die young. He knew that James would never forgive him if something happened to Harry. Remus sighed and put his face in his hands. How can he blame Harry for being emotional over Hermione? She was a beautiful, loving compassionate girl whom everyone loved deeply, including him.
He never intended to confess his love for Hermione to anyone. Sirius of course could read him like a book like he always could, so there was no reason to deny it. He knew that as much as anyone would deny it, they considered him a monster. They would have been disgusted if they knew what he felt for her. She was a genuine good soul, so bright, so full of life, loving her would taint her and he could not stand the idea of her damaged because of him. He distanced himself for her own good, and started a relationship with Tonks. It eventually did not work out for many reasons and she ended up with Kingsley.
She was a smart woman, she probably sensed his feelings for Hermione. She was kind in the end, she parted amicably with him and stayed his friend. Truth be told he would not have been able to keep his this long without her friendship.
He could not say when it was that he fell in love with Hermione. He had always cared for her, since the day that they first meet. She was kind to him, kept his secret and still liked him after he changed into his beast form and almost killed her. The first one in a long time to show unconditional support since his friends in school. They where so alike, they liked books and learning, they loved Arithamancy, and keeping in touch with current events. There where times that they would spend hours-discussing things, or read together and not need to say a word to each other at all.
The day he realized how deep his feelings really where was the day that they almost lost her rescuing Sirius a year and a half ago. The lycan was not sure where she got the book, it seemed to come out of nowhere. Not that he was complaining, it was wonderful to get Sirius back. The risk however was very high to Hermione to her body and her soul. Somehow she talked Kingsley into letting her in to the veil room where she performed some sort of ceremony. He was not there; he only heard what happened next by Tonks in the hospital. There was a bright white light, and Sirius crawling out on all fours, looking the same he did that day. He crawled to Hermione collapsed over the strain of the spell. They both where taken to St Mungo’s where Sirius was fine but shaken. Hermione on the other hand was a different story. They had to put her in a coma to repair the damage to her body and possibly her soul that lasted almost four months. The healers did not have much hope of her surviving at all. Harry was overjoyed to have his godfather back, but shocked beyond belief at the state it left Hermione in. It broke Remus’s heart to see her that way, so small, so pale, desperately clinging to life. By some miracle she survived, she came back to him. It did not matter that she did not give her heart to him, she was alive and they where friends, it was the best that he could hope for. He had to admit that he was hurt and jealous when Hermione ended up with his best friend, but she appeared to be happy. She deserved that, and so much more if it was with his friend so be it.
For a while they where happy together. But Remus could see the danger lurking under the surface. Sirius never really tried to get help for what he had been through, he saw it as an act of weakness no doubt. It was like watching an accident happen. Remus knew that Sirius’s lack of help would ruin the relationship, in the end his was right. Remus saw the pattern that Sirius always got himself in; he would find something good, then he would do whatever he could to destroy it because deep down he did not believe he deserved to be happy or loved. Most people would be furious that Sirius but all he could feel was sorrow at the pain for them both. She drifted away into her little world that truly concerned him, then she was gone. He kept the front of faith that she would return to them, but deep down he was not so sure. His greatest fear is that she was ambushed by Death Eaters and did not care enough to fight them. Every day that that went by without any word made him fear more and more for her. Ironically the man who drove the woman he loved away was the one he turned to for comfort in his grief and fear.
He looked at his watch and saw that it was getting late. Ginny would be back soon and she would need her room back. As he was exiting, he saw something in the corner of his eye that caught his attention. He walked over to her nightstand and saw the Animagus book that Sirius used years ago to transform into a dog. Then like a ton of bricks the revelation hit. What if she was not in her human form? What if they where looking for the wrong thing?
He found himself running into the hallway shouting
“TONKS! TONKS WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?”
He found her at the kitchen table pale, tear tracks evident on her face. Hestia had her arm around her trying to comfort her the best she could. Seamus Finnigan , Cho Chang, and Lavender Brown were at the table also, looking terribly guilty.
It was Mad Eye that answered his question
“Bloody immature wizards.
Young Harry’s army was tailing Kingsley’s movements. They got in trouble and Kingsley helped them but he was captured.”
Remus went to the other side of Tonks and put his arm around her unable to think of what to say. Sweet Merlin if Hermione wasn’t enough now Tonks had to loose Kingsley as well.
Merlin please let him be alright
***
Later on that evening
Lucius was in the compound in his normal chair at the dinning room table. He was
Greatly disturbed a mood that he was falling into more and more often. Not even his routine drink of a hot toddy before dinner calmed him.
He was starting to come attached to an animal, something that was not in his nature at all. What disturbed him the most was the idea that it might be an Animagus, someone that he was familiar with. His wife was annoyed that he would be concerned with an animal, one that attacked her sister, and not the welfare of their only son. He of course was concerned for his son, but he could not help being concerned for the tiger Mina. He could see the obsessive look in the Dark Lord’s eye every time he looked at her, making him truly worried for her. He was not the only one that suspected that the tiger was an Animagus, from their demeanor Wormtail, Rabastan Lestrange, and Severus Snape were also suspicious of the animal. The question remains what will he do about it if she was an Animagus?
All his life Lucius believed in the old ways of wizard supremacy up until it ruined his life. What if the tiger was someone he knew but not of pureblood ancestry. Could he watch the woman be tortured in all manners that the Dark Lard come up with or will he help her?
His believes had failed him of late, making his son a target, and robbing him of the duty of protecting him. In the past few months he was able to gather very little information on the whereabouts of his child. With the little information he gathered Snape was caring for him and treated him decent. He was grateful that he son was taken care of but he was resentful that it was not him that spoke with him, offering him his support, his guidance.
The situation had disintegrated were he had to choose between his faith and his son, and there was no going back.
His troubled thoughts were interrupted by the sound of The Dark Lord entering looking rather excited. Lucius rose and bowed to him. “ Lucius summon Snape. We have an interrogation to perform and some fun to have. Behind him was the Order of the Phoenix member and senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. Malfoy bowed and summoned him while other death eaters took Shacklebolt to the cadge room.
***
Things were always on edge for Hermione for all the time she had been a prisoner, but things were about to get much worse. The normal Death Eater guard had arrived but with a bloody and beaten Kingsley in between them.
no, NO NOT KINGSLEY her mind screamed as they dragged him into the cadge.
His cloths were ripped and bloody, both eyes were swollen and bloodshot and he had a split lip. Mina stretched and open her eyes, trying not to make any sudden movements that would alarm her friend.
How could this have happened? Kingsley was an exceptional Auror who could always get out of tight spots rather well, how could he have been captured.
It hurt her to see the fear in his beautiful dark eyes that were obviously for her. Kingsley never saw a tiger before, but he was intelligent to know a dangerous creature when he saw one.
She heard the mocking laughter coming from the Death Eaters when they saw one of the bravest wizards out there show obvious fear.
Hermione could see Severus approaching with Voldemort behind him
Sweet Merlin what was she going to do?