Chapter Text
18th November, 9 years after the Battle of Hogwarts
Silence.
Nothing.
Not a fucking sound.
Hermione took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and pressed herself into the stone wall behind her. She trained her ears on the quiet, waiting for the footsteps she knew were on their way towards her.
She just needed a second. Just a moment to catch the Death Eaters off guard and steal the artefact they carried. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were moving it today. Knew this could be a chance to change the tide of the war, to wipe the slate clean and give the Order a new lease of life; a fighting chance - Merlin knew they needed it.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Neville whispered from beside her, his voice croaking nervously. “Are you sure they're moving it tonight?"
"Yes.”
"How?"
"I just am!" Hermione snapped, irritation prickling at her chest. She wished Neville would just shut up, now was not the time for a conversation.
She knew the artefact was being moved tonight, and was certain there would only be five Death Eaters guarding it.
Voldemort was trying something new. Likely thought fewer numbers would draw less attention, and therefore lower the risk of any unwanted interference.
It was being moved through a series of underground tunnels just outside of Derbyshire. A secret labyrinth-like maze with countless connections, which could lead to Chatsworth House, disused coal mines, or even as far as Sheffield. A perfect way to avoid being seen, but also an opportunity for the Order to sabotage them. Trap them in a maze like rats and steal the artefact. It was simply too good an opportunity to miss.
Hermione knew it was being transported tonight, because Medusa had told her.
Medusa, she snorted internally. What a ridiculous code name for a spy.
Medusa, the beauty who was seduced by Poseidon in the temple of Athena. Medusa, who enraged the Goddess so much, she punished her the only way she saw fit - by transforming her into a monster. Changing her hair into snakes, and giving her eyes so deadly they turned men to stone as soon as they looked upon her.
She had wondered if the mole was trying to be poetic. Metaphorical, even. If they were trying to demonstrate that they, too, had been seduced by Voldemort, by his power and promises of inconceivable strength. Whored themselves for him. Sold their souls to the devil in exchange for riches and wealth beyond imagination, and turned themselves into a monster in the process.
As much as she resented this ridiculous façade, Hermione couldn't deny that Medusa's intelligence was never wrong. They'd proven, time and time again, that they were incredibly useful to The Order. 'A valuable asset', 'irreplaceable' Shacklebolt had said. ‘Of Unparalleled usefulness’.
She supposed her own code name, Lilith, wasn't that ambiguous either.
She'd picked it carefully, and purposefully. Lilith, the first woman, created for Adam in the garden of Eden. The woman who believed she was equal to Adam, and therefore she didn't need to lay beneath him. She wouldn't, in fact. Wouldn't bend to lower herself. She was strong, immovable in her beliefs.
They were qualities that Hermione always strove for in herself. Her Gryffindor courage and stubbornness had always planted her in the spot; unshakable in her beliefs that The Order had to win, that good had to conquer evil, and the war must end.
By whatever means necessary.
She'd met with Medusa many times to exchange information. Both concealed with their hoods, masks upon their face, and voice-altering charms cast on their voice boxes; doing everything in their power to conceal their identities.
She had no idea who they were. She knew he was a man from his staggering height and broad shoulders. His physique could only be described as that of a soldier; battle-hardened. It went beyond simply being toned, every muscle in his back and arms were defined and rippling with their deadly overuse.
Hermione and Medusa had probably shot countless curses at one another on the battlefield since the war began. They'd probably nearly killed each other a dozen times without realising it.
It was common practice for all Death Eaters to enchant their voice- boxes while on duty. And Medusa's had a deep bravado, the vibrating effects of the spell only adding to the masculine undertone. It was almost a growl most of the time; deep and controlled like a lion - but that was all she knew about him.
Hermione was the only soldier The Order deemed intelligent - and lethal enough - to be able to meet the opposition on neutral grounds and defend themselves if anything went wrong, should he change his mind and lure her into a trap.
That, or she was expendable enough. She suppressed a shudder.
She supposed Ron might have been selected if things were different, if the war had taken a different turn. But he hadn't been on a mission in years.....
With a tilt of her head, she signalled for Neville to get in position against the opposite wall, laying a trap for the Death Eaters on their way down the tunnels.
Neville's weary gaze locked on hers from the other side of the tunnel. He withdrew his wand, his jaw tight as he motioned with his chin towards the end of the hallway.
Hermione shook her head. “Not yet,” she mouthed. She wasn’t sure if Neville could see through the darkness. Hoped he could though.
They needed to be united if this mission was to be a success. They couldn't put a foot wrong. If they just stuck to the plan everything would be fine.
The pair were eclipsed in total silence again.
Hermione tapped the edge of her wand to the coin in her pocket, signalling that the others should be in position. It burned back in response; two sharp pulsations of heat. Finnigan and Creevey were ready.
Hermione took another deep breath through her nose, exhaling slowly out her mouth as she readied herself.
Then there it was, the sound she'd been waiting for.
Footsteps. The unmistakable click of boots hitting the flagstone, echoing, magnifying off the concrete walls of the narrow labyrinth they were passing through.
She made eye contact with Neville again. “Five," she mouthed.
“Four," he nodded.
“Three.”
“Two," Neville responded when the footsteps got louder.
“One,” she said silently before stepping forward and shooting an exploding hex at the left wall behind the Death Eaters. The stone crunched under the force of her spell. The impact shattered the immovable concrete and collapsed the wall, sealing the four assailants with Hermione and Neville.
The narrow corridor was engulfed in smoke and debris from the blast.
An eerie silence followed. There wasn't a sound. Nothing.
Then everyone sprang into action.
"Protect the artefact!" the smallest Death Eater, the one who carried the box, shrieked as they sharply withdrew their wands.
Four of the cloaked figures formed a barricade around the one that carried the wooden box. The air cracked as they started to Apparate - only to pop back into existence a second later.
Hermione smirked; her Anti-Apparation wards had worked perfectly.
"They've warded the area!" the tallest Death Eater shouted, whirling to aim a black-coloured hex at Hermione's chest. She deflected it with the precise flick of her wrist, then retaliated. "Use the item!"
"What item-" Hermione started to shout as she cast a binding hex, encasing one of the attackers in thick metal chains which caused him to fall to the ground.
One of the figures withdrew something silver from their pocket; a long, blade-looking item with a sapphire attached to the hilt. Hermione recognized what it was a heartbeat too late.
A Vhaltera Dagger.
As soon as he touched the gemstone, a blast of dark energy pulsated from the object. It didn't affect the other cloaked figures; they'd thought ahead, or wore some type of charm to prevent them from the effects of the dagger.
Hermione and Neville were not so fortunate.
Black magic radiated from the silver in a searing flash, exploding from it with a force so powerful it knocked Hermione and Neville into the air. She hissed when her skull connected with the wall behind her. Was sure she could feel blood at the back of her head.
The dark magic from the blast seemed to seep into her skin. She shivered against the foreign entity as it crept up her body like ice water. Dark hexes tended to do that; the violent, repugnant brand of magic always left the victim cold, feeling like their heart was turning to ice, their breath visible and frozen as though they were standing in the middle of a blizzard - like it was turning them into a corpse.
Hermione touched her temples. There was a violent ringing in her ears, and her vision was blurred as she watched the fuzzy shapes of four Death Eaters step over her and run down the corridor.
The fifth was dead, strangled past the point of suffocation through her own hex.
"Hermione!" Neville called through the high-pitched ringing.
She sat up and squinted, trying to focus on the sound of his voice. He was on the floor, hand pressed to his shoulder and blood pouring from his ear, but he was alive. Wounded. Pale, and visibly shaking. But alive, nonetheless.
She breathed a sigh of relief and forced herself to her feet, ignoring the way her muscles screamed in protest as she stumbled down the hallway, wand in hand, following the path of the Death Eaters.
"Hermione! Wait!" Neville screamed from behind. "Wait for me! Colin and Seamus can handle them for a few minutes! Just wait and I'll come with you!"
"Stand down Neville,” she commanded over her shoulder, her own voice croaking as she fought off a scream from the stabbing pain behind her skull. She guessed she had a skull fracture; possible swelling in her brain. She would need Fleur to examine her if she ever got back to the base. "I'm not risking them getting hurt. Stay there and stay safe. I'll come back for you."
He shouted something in response, probably yelled for her to come back. She was already rounding the dark corridor, too far gone to hear him.
Hermione followed the narrow hallway, one hand on the wall for support and the other grasped around her wand. Eventually, she heard shouting and the sting of hexes flying through the air. Seamus and Colin were close.
The sound of the duel spurred her on, thawing the ice in her veins enough to allow her to break into a sprint.
Her jaw tightened when she found them. One of the Death Eaters was gripping the wooden box tightly as their eyes darted around the hallway, looking for an escape.
Creevey was doing well against the tallest Death Eater, shooting hex after hex and forcing the cloaked figure against the wall, forcing him into a vulnerable state. Harry would be proud; he'd trained him well.
Seamus, however, was struggling. His two attackers got him with an acid hex to the knees. He howled in pain and clutched the burning flesh as he fell to the floor.
The Death Eater advanced, his wand illuminating green from the tip as he stalked towards Seamus. He held his wand in the air, readying the curse-
"Avada Kedavra!" A green light shot from Hermione's wand, and hit the attacker square in the chest.
He stumbled, and his body went limp before his lifeless corpse slumped onto Finnigan.
Finnigan pushed the body off him with trembling fingers, crawling to free himself as he stared at Hermione with panic-stricken eyes.
"T-thanks," he choked, the pain evident in the way his face twisted.
Hermione nodded, then started to look around.
Shit. Colin and the other three Death Eaters were gone.
Hermione retrieved the small Portkey from her pocket - a gold ring wrapped in a silk handkerchief to keep it from activating - and handed it to Seamus. "Find Neville, get past the wards I set up, and get out of here."
"But you and Colin-"
"It's fine. I'll find him and the artefact," she said, forcing herself to offer a small smile despite the panic she felt.
She wasn't sure if could do this. She wasn't sure if she was strong enough-
No! No, she could. She’d done it before. She needed to do it again. There was no other option.
"You and Neville need medical attention," she said sternly. "And you're no good to me if you’re injured. Find him and get out.”
"Okay. Don't get caught, Hermione.”
She didn't bother helping Seamus to his feet. She didn't have time, just handed him a potion for the pain and took off running. She cast a Silencing charm on her boots so they wouldn’t alert anyone of her advance. She needed to be quick, silent. Her stomach twisted, lurching with dread the further she got down the stone path.
She should have been able to hear Colin by now, shouldn't she?
She should have heard him shouting, screaming? If he was still alive, then surely he would-
Maybe he's not alive? she thought as she took another corner too fast, having to hold the wall to stop herself from toppling over. Maybe they already killed him, maybe they already-
No! He was alive. He was alive. He was alive. He was alive. He had to be.
She skidded to a stop when the hallway forked. Two paths; both completely eclipsed in darkness, not a sound emitting from either. She had no clue which the Death Eaters had taken; which path Colin was probably being dragged down.
Had they split up? Had Colin been taken down one, the artefact down another? Without giving herself chance to second guess her decision, Hermione followed her instincts and took the left path.
The silence was almost deafening as she sprinted. Her legs burned with the effort as she propelled herself forward. She forced herself faster, to take larger strides and ignore the pain in her lungs.
As it turned out, Colin was alive.
Her eyes locked onto his panicked gaze the moment she rounded the final corner. They'd roughed him up a bit in her absence. He had a deep cut above his left eye, his cheek was bruised and swollen, and blood poured from a wound on his left calf.
The three Death Eaters were there; evidently decided against splitting up. Maybe they figured they had a better chance of fighting Hermione and Colin off together?
But if that was the case, then why hadn't they killed him? Surely they knew they had a better chance if they did - three against one and all that?
"Evening Granger," one of the masked figures said as he clutched Colin's shoulder, pulling him further into his chest. The tip of his wand stuck into Creevey's throat, almost deep enough to cut. "We wondered where you'd gone.”
The one with the artefact chuckled darkly. The other had their wand trained on Hermione's chest.
"Let him go," she bit, her eyes sweeping the room, looking for something; anything to get them out of this situation.
"Not so fast Golden girl," the second said as he twirled Colin's stolen wand. "Drop the Anti-Apparation wards you set up and give us your wand. Then maybe, we'll think about letting you live.”
Hermione liked to think she was logical. Fair. Level-headed to a fault. She always put the needs of The Order - of the war - above and beyond herself. Beyond anything. Killing Voldemort and winning the war was of paramount importance.
Nothing else mattered.
Nothing.
But did that extend to Colin's life?
She could kill the Death Eater with the artefact easily, possibly the other one too. They stood so close together it could be possible, just one flick of her wrist. She could grab the Artefact before their bodies hit the floor. The item was important, it could help them win the war, change the stakes and save so many lives.
But that would mean sacrificing Colin.
The second she extended her arm to cast the curse, his captor would surely end Creevey's life. He was on the other side of the corridor; she wouldn't have time to kill him too.
The ultimate utilitarian question: Could you sacrifice one life to save a thousand?
As Hermione stared at Colin, she noticed the way his eyes darted to his assailant's torso, then to her, then to his wand. Signalling something to her. He had a plan.
Well, they didn't really have any other option, did they?
Hermione nodded.
Colin twisted his body, jutting his elbow out violently into his captor's ribs. The Death Eater jolted and lowered his wand momentarily as the wind was knocked from his lungs from Colin's manoeuvre.
In the same moment, Hermione cast a powerful knockback jinx at the other Death Eaters, her spell sending them flying into the concrete wall with immeasurable force. The one with the artefact got it worse. Their skull shattered, blood spraying up the stone with the impact and killing them instantly. The other was temporarily knocked out.
Hermione retrieved the artefact and threw Collin his wand back. She raised her wand to kill the last Death Eater, her arm extending and the spell dying to brush past her lips and end their life -
"No, don’t kill him!" Colin said as he walked to Hermione's side. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his face full of concern, his eyes kind. "There's been enough killing tonight. Let him go. He's too weak to stop us now.”
"Fine." Hermione lowered her arm, her eyes narrowing at the cloaked figure clutching their chest. "But if you follow us, I will kill you, do you understand?"
She didn't wait to see his answer. The pair took off running towards the exit.
"I can't believe we got it!" Colin shouted minutes later, glee clear in his tone despite the way he was panting. He was slower than Hermione, a slight limp in his jog from his injury.
"We're not safe yet!"
As soon as the words left her lips, a green curse shot between them, narrowly missing Hermione's cheek as it propelled past them and disappeared down the black hallway. She turned, still running, to see the last two assassins - the one she had spared included - sprinting after them. Their fury was evident in every long stride they took; their hatred visible in the way their arms jutted out violently with another killing curse; Hermione and Collin ducked to avoid it.
"We can't make it out!" Colin panted. "They're gonna follow us to the apparition point! My leg is fucked, I can't run any faster! We need to do something!"
"I have an idea!" Hermione called back as she aimed her wand at the stone walls. She cast the first spell she could think of, and the stone hummed with the magic she'd infused in them. The walls creaked as they began to move; the stone scraping across the floor as they started dragging slowly towards each other.
"Nice one!" Colin laughed. "They're too far behind us, they're gonna get squished!"
"Don't get cocky!" she said as a small light became visible at the end of the corridor. The exit. They were so fucking close. "We still need to get out. Don't fall! Don't stop running! We can make it!"
Hermione and Colin's pace increased considerably, their legs moving faster than ever before as the light got larger and larger. Her lungs burned with the need for oxygen. Her legs ached, screaming for her to stop.
The hallways continued to close in, the rocks getting closer together, the hallway becoming narrower. They had to go single file, Hermione leading the way as the walls got tighter. The air was starting to become hot and stifling, suffocating.
Hermione tried to stop the relief from creeping into her chest. Tried to stop herself from smiling the further they got down the hallway.
They were so close. They could make it. They were going to survive this. Both of them.
Curses continued to shoot past them; the blinding green lights coming faster, more chaotic as the Death Eaters realized they were too far behind them to survive this. They were undeniably going to be crushed when the stones connected but their fear was affecting their aim. The curses missed, hit the walls, the stone, the ceiling instead of their targets.
Finally, Hermione crossed into the light with a scream of elation. Unable to stop the sound from passing her smiling lips as she became free of the hallway and the fresh air hit her face. She was outside, with Colin.
They were safe.
The stone walls connected a heartbeat after they were free, compressing the Death Eaters trapped inside. There was an audible crunch, a sickening squishing sound as their bones and organs were crushed under the force of the stone walls pressing against each other.
But Hermione wasn't focused on that. She was too busy holding Colin in her arms.
Colin, who had stepped in front of Hermione when one of the attackers had cast a killing curse in a last-ditch attempt at revenge before they were crushed to death.
Colin, whose chest had taken the violent green hex that'd slipped past the stones just before they connected.
Colin, who now lay dead in Hermione's arms.