A Shadowy End

This story is dark and features a very OOC of Hermione Granger and a very OOC of Ginny Weasley. There personalities have been altered to fit this story. Hope you don't mind too much.

_____________________________________

Chapter One: Introduction

Hermione and Ginny stayed to the shadows as Darius Penfold and Tyler Thomas made their way into a dingy pub in Knockturn Alley. Dressed in all black uniforms with an arsenal of weapons strapped to their bodies and their wands transfigured to necklaces around their necks. Both girls were dressed in tight black cargo pants and black tank tops. Over their tops were anti-spell armour designed to return any spell cast against them to the attacker. They both also wore black stiletto boots spelled to feel like sneakers so they wouldn’t be uncomfortable. On the boots were dispensers that held ten throwing stars on each boot.
* * * *
The girls had both been selected by Albus Dumbledore to become an elite team that would help render Voldemort’s forces. The idea for this team came about one evening after fighting with Harry and Ron about being shipped away for the Final Battle; the girls wanted to stay and help the boys prepare and get a little payback for all the attacks on the wizarding world. The girls had gone to the Headmaster and demanded to intimately involved in the preparation and ultimately in the battle against Voldemort.

Surprisingly, Albus agreed and set about training them for the elite assassin squad they were now. He arranged for the girls to train with a muggle Master Chief in the British Marine Corp. and highly trained assassins. They also trained with a sensei for six hours a day, every day for three months. He also had them train with Madam Pomfrey under the pretence of being there to help her during and after the Final Battle.

In the beginning when the girls found out the Headmaster’s plan for them, they had adamantly disagreed about killing people opting rather to use their brains to devise attack planes but after much argument they finally conceded seeing why the Headmaster was pushing for the assassin option; while directly targeting the death eaters they would be inadvertently postponing the Final Battle allowing the Order more time to prepare.

Finally in agreement with Albus, the girls threw themselves into their training earning praises from their teachers for dedication and mastery. The girls initially had begun training halfway through Hermione’s sixth year, training after classes and on the weekend. Because of their hardships together they formed fast friendships and relied on each other’s strength.

During, the course of their training they developed they developed their bodies. Both girls had been willowy by nature so their muscles became toned, their stomachs flat and their legs lean. Both the girls had long hair and although Ginny’s hair had always been straight, Hermione’s had softened out into soft ringlets. However when hunting their hair was braided into tight French plaits.

When they weren’t training, the girls were studying with Albus to accelerate their graduation date. Hermione graduated a month later and Ginny followed three months afterward, completing the two years she had left. This allowed them to focus on their main objective: depleting Voldemort’s army.

At the beginning of the initial training Hermione had suggested being trained by the muggle military and learn to use their weapons as it would be near impossible for the Ministry to trace the bullets as there were no weapons of this kind in the wizarding world.

Albus was the only person who knew of their existence who made them swear not to tell anyone knowing that a wizard’s oath would be unnecessary since Harry and Ron would eventually have to be told.
* * * *
Hermione looked around and realised no one had noticed their shimmers in the shadows.

“Panther,” she whispered, “the rooftop is a good place. Ascendio!” Hermione felt herself lift off and fly to the shadowy rooftop. She landed quietly and went to the ledge to peer down. She felt Ginny land next to her. While out in the field they referred to each other by their animagus form. Ginny was a black panther and Hermione transformed into a Siberian white tiger.

The girls pulled out their sniper rifles and began to assemble them. Once done, they picked up the magazines full of explosive rounds. They sat there poised for half an hour before the targets came out. Hermione and Ginny simultaneously fired a round at Penfold and Thomas. They watched as their heads exploded splattering blood and brains against the door of the pub they had just left.

The girls repacked their rifles making sure to pick up their shell casings. They could hear the screams coming from the street and the aurors popping in to the bloody scene that the girls were about to leave behind. The girls cast an anti-tracking and a silencing spell on themselves and apparated to just inside the Forbidden Forest. They went about changing back into their school uniforms and shrinking their hunting gear and placing it inside their back packs located inside a dummy tree Dumbledore had made for them.

Hermione and Ginny made their way back to campus with their weapons and clothes stuffed into their backpacks. Their story for their disappearance was studying for exams by the lake. Although the girls had already graduated, they attended school to keep up the pretence of being students and thus non-threatening.

The girls remained silent on the way to Gryffindor tower, still caught up in their own world.

“Password please.” The Fat Lady said.

“Snuggle puff.” Ginny replied.

The door opened and the girls entered. They found Ron and Harry playing wizard’s chess by the fire. It was a little after seven and the sky had just started getting dark.

“Where have you guys been?” Harry asked suspiciously.

“And don’t say the library because we already checked there.” Ron said accusingly.

“Actually Ron Hermione and I opted to study by the lake as it was such a beautiful day.” Ginny replied while glaring at her brother.

“The library was too crowded so we decided to go outside so no one would disturb us,” Hermione added, “why? Did you need help studying?”

“No we were just curious. We hardly see you anymore. You’re always of ‘studying.’” Ron said.

“What else do you think we’re doing?” Ginny asked.

“Besides with N.E.W.T.S and O.W.L.S around the corner in just a few weeks and we want to be prepared. Is something wrong with that?” Hermione looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

“No we were just worried about is all.” Harry said.

“Well no need to worry, we’re here safe and sound.” Ginny smiled at him.

“Well now that we’ve established where we’ve been, have you boys been studying for the upcoming exams?” Hermione asked, placing her hands on her hips.

“Um…yes?” Ron looked at her guiltily.

“Ron, you have to prepare especially if you want to get into Auror training.”

Harry rolled his eyes, good ol’ Hermione to be worried about their futures.

“Don’t roll your eyes Harry Potter, you should be studying too.” Ginny quipped.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Harry replied.

“Uh huh,” Hermione sighed, “well I’m going to go take a shower and study some more. Want to join me Gin?”

“Sure,” still looking at the boys, “oh get your heads out of the gutter boys. It’s not like I’m going to jump in the shower with her. Christ! Men!” Ginny huffed.

The girls made their way up the Head Girl’s rooms ignoring the boys sniggering.
Hermione muttered the password and entered with Ginny at her heels. She threw down her bag and collapsed onto the couch.

“Hey ‘Mione, do you have any more dreamless sleep potion?” Ginny asked as she flung herself next to her.

“Still have problems sleeping?”

“Yeah, still can’t get those images out of my head from that killing spree we went on last month. It was a little more gruesome that I would have liked.”

“Yeah, I used a lot of dreamless draught that month too but I have some left over. I’ll get it for you later. At the moment I just need to relax for a while. Killing takes a lot out of me.”

“Yeah.”

At that moment the flames turned green and the Headmaster stepped through. Two wands confronted him.

“Well good evening to you too.” He said with a twinkle in his eyes. He was dressed in an outrageous purple robe with yellow moons that blinked every few seconds.

“Sorry sir, we’re still a little on edge from this afternoon.” Hermione said as they lowered their wands.

“Constant vigilance as Moody would say.” Ginny added as the girls returned to their seats.

“Ah yes and that is why you two are the best.” Albus situated himself in the armchair next to the fire. “But to business, successful?”

“Yes, Penfold and Thomas are no longer with us.” Hermione reported.

“Good. Severus has just reported that Voldemort is on edge from the attacks and has devised a plan to find a place to hold the remaining death eaters until the Final Battle. What I need from you is to find out where that place will be.”

“Us? Why not get Professor Snape to tell you?” Ginny asked.

“Because Severus will not be told. Voldemort knows that Severus must remain here for classes and a disappearance could be suspicious. Voldemort does not want to lose his spy within the Order.”

“Well how would you like us to find out? It’s not like we can go up to the death eaters and ask now, can we?” Hermione said sarcastically.

“Torture,” was all the Headmaster said.

The girls started at him with their mouths open before shaking their heads.

“No way, no way! Killing is difficult enough for us but torture is completely out of the question. We are just not that kind of people.” Hermione jumped up and began pacing. “OK, hypothetically speaking, if we went out and managed to capture this person, where the hell would this torture take place?”

“We would have no place to take him. I can’t imagine torturing him this Shrieking Shack would be a good idea. Too many entry points, it would be a death trap.” Ginny said while shaking her head.

“Albus, Ginny and I did not sign up so we could torture people.” Hermione had stopped pacing and was looking at the Headmaster directly.

“I understand. Could you capture one of them anyway and I’ll get someone else to do the torture then.”

“Fine, but I don’t like the idea despite the information we would get. But who should we take?”

“I asked Severus who the best candidate would be and he said that it should be someone inside Tom’s close circle just not the Inner. Here’s a list of names he gave me.” Albus handed the list to Ginny,

“We’ll do some research and then set up a plan. Although I have to agree with Hermione, I don’t like the idea.”

“Understood. Remember, the best defence is a good offence so keep up the killing.” Albus turned to leave but held up his hand and turned back to the girls, “oh before I go, I brought you a gift.” He placed two glasses and a bottle of port on the coffee table, “I also know the burden of killing.” He also put down a medium sized package on the table, “dreamless draught for the nightmares.” With that he left the girls with their thoughts.

The girls sat there for a while. At the same moment they both went for the bottle of port. The laughed before Ginny opened and poured them both a hefty glass.

“I can’t believe him. Ugh torture?” Hermione shook her head in disgust.

“Yeah, I’m just coming to terms that I’ve been killing people for the past year, barely.”

“I’m starting to really hate that man. I never realised how calculating and cold he could be. I guess I somehow always knew but torture? How could he even ask?”

“I don’t know ‘Mione. I just don’t know. He’s changed so much.”

___________________________________________
A/N: this story starts out as Ginny/Hermione but ends with Severus/Hermione and possibly another pairing. Haven't figured that out yet but will soon. Cheers and thanks for reading. Please review.