How the Mighty have Fallen

A/N: Thank you readers and reviewers!! Oh, I don’t know if that spell is a charm… I just decided to use it as such for my story. Also, I took liberties with the “difficulty” of a charm as the actually difficulty is unknown.


Margaritama: No, she will not be stuck in the past for forever; just the foreseeable future.

October 2, 1971: Saturday afternoon


As Hermione resettled atop the desk, Lucius was busy transferring the charms material to its own parchment, by way of magic; adding a few charms to gage how knowledgeable the new girl actually was.


“Couldn’t I look over the parchment and let you know which charms I am unable to perform or that I don’t know?” she implored.


“No. Regardless of your knowledge I have to ensure you know the material. So, you will have to perform every charm. Every Professor gave similar instructions. Sorry,” he finished, clearly not the least bit apologetic.


“Let me see them then,” Hermione replied in a clipped voice, gesturing impatiently for the parchment with her right hand. Handing her the parchment, Lucius sat down on the desk opposite to observe her reaction.


She quickly scanned the material, ‘fairly straight forward’ she thought, nodding her head slightly, before she had read the list through. ‘What the…’ her mind began surprised when she encountered an unexpected charm. Looking up, she raised an eyebrow as she said in good humor, “I highly doubt sex charms are on the curriculum Lucius.”


Lucius was impressed but drawled, “How does such a nice girl know such naughty charms, hmm?”


“I’m well read,” Hermione readily supplied. A small smirk gracing her lips at the idea of being ‘a nice girl…’ he was in for a rude awakening it seemed.


Taking the parchment from Hermione to remove the unauthorized charms and duplicate the content, Hermione laid back, tired. When Lucius looked up, finished with his task, his mouth went dry. If Miss Dagworth didn’t sit up there would be no need for sex charms… he could practically see up her skirt.


Turning his head, to maintain his composure, he cleared his throat.


“Miss Dagworth?” he said. “Miss Dagworth,” he repeated with a bit more force attempting to gain her attention; “you’ll probably perform best if you stand,” he offered, hoping she would embrace the idea.


‘He’s addressing you, you idiot,’ her mind supplied when she recognized that he was speaking to her. Opening her eyes Hermione pushed herself up, “call me Hermione,” she extended kindly. She really needed to remember her alias… she obviously was too hungry to think clearly.


“Lucius… I think we need a break,” Hermione said sweetly.


“But, we actually haven’t started yet, Hermione,” he reasoned, enjoying using her given name; not intending to actually deny her.


“I need a snack,” she replied in explanation, “Let’s go to the kitchens,” she commanded bossily; jumping up off the desk.


“You don’t know where the kitchens are,” he pointed out, standing up.


Biting back a retort, as she was about to say ‘of course I know where they are’, she instead appealed to Lucius’ ego. “I bet you know where they are,” she insisted.


“Alright, let’s go,” he conceded, holding out his arm.


Lacing her arm through his, a smile brightening her face, “I knew you’d see reason,” she stated jovially.


The journey was short and they were before the fruit bowl painting in no time. Tickling the pear, Lucius opened the door allowing Hermione to enter first.


“May I please have a snack? If it isn’t too much trouble,” Hermione asked the nearest house-elf politely, bending down to speak on eye-level.

“One doesn’t ask a house-elf to do something, Hermione,” he reproached disbelievingly. “They take orders,” Lucius informed her imperiously.


Glaring at Lucius disapprovingly Hermione missed the little house-elf’s, “yes, misses.”


While the little elf prepared her snack, Hermione stared at nothing in particular; mind blank. Lucius entertained himself by tormenting a poor, unsuspecting house-elf with his wand causing her to emit a startled shriek. The scared, shrill shriek roused Hermione from her trance. Turning her head to assess the situation she realized in an instant what was happening.


“Lucius stop it!” she admonished sternly.


Stopping immediately at her censorious tone he reluctantly stowed his wand away.


The little house elf tottered over with a large tray of snacks, setting them before Hermione.


“Is everything being to your liking, misses?” the little elf squeaked.


“Yes, thank you very much.” Hermione replied with gratitude while Lucius glared in displeasure at the house- elf as if she was the cause of Hermione’s breach in etiquette.


“No needs to be thanking Tala, misses,” the elf said, wringing her tiny hands, uncomfortable with the compliment; but pleased none the less.


“Please call me Hermione,” she offered.


The elf’s eyes widened significantly at the unusual request. But before the elf could decline, or accept, the offer Lucius roared, “Absolutely not!” directed at the timid elf.


“I didn’t ask you for your opinion on the matter,” Hermione scolded, clearly angry. “Furthermore, you can wait in the corridor if you can’t mind your manners,” she warned.


Lucius bit his tongue, hard; to suppress the angry words he wanted to voice. Under no circumstances did a house-elf address a wizard or witch by their given name… ‘Did she have no sense of propriety?’ he wondered crossly; although, he was brought up with better manners, and better sense, than to point out her obvious faux pas.


Picking up the tray of snacks Lucius left prompting Hermione to follow.


“Bye Tala,” she said brightly, attempting to further aggravate Lucius.


Lucius arrived at classroom eight just before Hermione setting the platter done with a clatter.


“Lucius… I really like house-elves,” Hermione said quietly, hesitantly, in explanation; feeling uncertain of his response rather than apologetic for her actions.


“Friends needn’t always agree,” he returned a bit coolly, not meeting her eyes.


‘We’re hardly what anyone would consider friends’ she internally reflected. Deciding to meet him halfway, as he was attempting to ignore a strongly ingrained belief, she murmured enticingly, “would you like some nosh Lucius?”


He couldn’t stay mad at her… “Sure. But we really do need to get started if we want to make progress before dinner,” he reminded, grabbing a tart, posture relaxing.


“Yes, alright,” Hermione muttered grabbing an apple slice with her left hand, “ Just be sure to pay attention and keep up,” she cautioned pointing her apple at him. She then charmed her paper to check the charms as she completed them, so she wouldn’t lose her place.


Looking at the paper she began to go through the charms silently, so as to eat as she went along. Using her wand hand, right hand, she went through the correct motions while her left hand concentrated on dipping apples in peanut butter and bringing them to her mouth. By the time she had finished her apple she had completed a fourth of the list; all nonverbally.


When Hermione looked up Lucius was gazing at her in shock.


“Is something the matter?” she said with uncertainty.


“No. That was perfect. You’re very bright,” he complimented sincerely. Although he was thinking ‘bright’ was the fucking understatement of the century.


“Thank you,” she said humbly.


So as to make it easier to assess, and not show off, she completed all but three charms verbally.


“I’m not certain I can do the next charm,” Hermione prefaced in case she failed miserably. Like the previous charms before she executed it flawlessly.


“You needn’t have worried,” Lucius replied when she performed the charm without a hitch.


“It seems I’m not really needed…” he said with a chuckle.


“Actually, I haven’t the faintest idea what the last two charms are; let alone how to perform them,” she admitted begrudgingly.


“Really?” he asked, surprise tingeing his voice, as he sat up straighter.


“No, I just like the attention,” she muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. ‘Boys’ she thought with a mental shake of her head.


“Come here then,” he prompted with a crook of his finger.


Standing up, stretching, Hermione crossed the short distance; standing before him. The proximity was uncomfortable, but not unwelcomingly so for both parties, making it difficult to concentrate.


“This,” Lucius instructed pointing to the second to last charm, “charm reveals previously written material… like directions on a board,” he elaborated. “I wrote out instructions for the last charm, as it is arguably the hardest, on the off chance that we would complete the list; I will reveal it so you may see how this charm is performed,” he explained.


‘I will finally know how Professor Snape did that’ Hermione thought happily while paying close attention to Lucius’ wand movements and enunciation.


He encouraged, “now you try,” vanishing the directions with his wand.


Hermione managed the charm on her first try.


“Well done,” Lucius praised, pleased. “The last,” pointing his wand at the board, “is the Caterwauling charm,” he informed.


“Oh,” Hermione muttered under her breath, a frown furrowing her brow. ‘War reminders were around every damned corner it seemed’ she thought; peeved. She grinned and bared her way through the charm pleased when it was time for dinner.

Selecting a seat across from Severus, Hermione began to dish up her food looking up only when her task was completed. Eyes widening in shock as she took in Severus’ black eye.


“What happened?” Hermione asked in a concerned whisper, dropping her hand before she actually touched him remembering boys hated being mothered.


“Nothing,” Severus lied abashed, flinching away from her outstretched hand.


“Drop it,” Lucius advised firmly, as Hermione was about to protest. Narrowing her eyes as she turned to tell Lucius off she noticed that Severus had relaxed slightly at the reprieve.


‘Fine’ she thought angrily as she turned to eat her food in a snit. Three bites in she faced Lucius once again, “You’d think as Head Boy you would do something about this,” she said disdainfully; gesturing at Severus with her fork.


“He doesn’t want me to do anything, Hermione,” he explained wearily.


“You didn’t even ask him,” she countered, ignoring the fact that she hadn’t ask him either.


“Would you…” Lucius began before Severus quickly cut in with a resounding, “no,” before he had even completed the question.


“See,” he said, as if that proved his point. Gesturing to Severus he explained, “Boys are different than girls.”


‘So I’ve been told’ she thought bitterly as she stabbed her salad rather viciously. Staring at her plate as if it had wronged her gravely she attacked the remainder of her dinner with sharp, forceful jabs.

“There’s no need to get upset,” Lucius placated.


“I’m not upset,” Hermione snapped, stressing the t on upset; driving her fork forcefully into the plate snapping off a couple tines. With a huff of frustration, she vanished her contaminated food slamming her broken fork down next to her empty plate.


“Excuse me,” she said as she got up to leave.


As Lucius stood up to accompany her, she forcefully said, “I’d rather be alone,” leaving the Great Hall for the privacy of the corridor.


Angrily pacing back and forth, as a means to reign in her sudden fury, Hermione was brought out of her reverie by a loud clang. Peering in the direction of the disturbance, she saw a pretty girl with brilliant red hair hunched over a broken set of scales. Although the scene was unpleasantly familiar Hermione went to help the girl anyway.


The young girl raised her head as she heard someone approach. Noticing the older girl was a Slytherin she visibly tensed but stood her ground as she was a Gryffindor.


Mending the scales with a silent flick of her wand, Hermione crouched down to retrieve them from the ground.


“I’m Hermione,” she introduced, as she handed the girl the repaired scales.


“Lily,” the girl said softly; nearly causing Hermione to drop the scales in surprise.


‘My God, I’m meeting Harry’s mother’ she thought wildly. “It’s nice to meet you Lily,” she said breathily, with a small smile.


“Severus said Slytherins aren’t to be trusted,” Lily said apprehensively taking the proffered scales.


“Most aren’t. Severus was wise to warn you,” Hermione replied, keeping her tone light so as not to scare the girl. “If you don’t hurry you might miss dinner,” Hermione advised.


“Thanks,” Lily said as she skipped on her way to dinner.


Hermione waited a few more moments before entering herself and joining her housemates.


“Dinner finished… but we saved you some treacle tart,” Severus said, pushing the plate toward her.


As her eyes turned glassy he hurriedly said, “If you don’t like them…” when Hermione said a bit thickly, “no, they’re my favorite… at school…,” she hastened to explain but stopped because she was overcome with emotion.


Blinking rapidly so as to compose herself, Hermione began to eat the tart in silence. Once her emotions were in check she turned her attention back to Severus. “I met a friend of yours,” she said casually, “Lily,” Hermione clarified.


Severus gave her a guarded look and dryly asked, “And?”


‘Boy, he’s even distrustful as a child’ Hermione thought disheartened. “She’s a nice girl,” Hermione supplied, “pretty, too,” she added, shooting him a sly grin.

Standing up Hermione said, “I think I’ll head back.” “Walk me back Severus?” Hermione questioned, although it was phrased as a statement, before Lucius could offer to escort her.


“Sure,” he mumbled, awkwardly holding an arm out.


While traversing through the labyrinth of corridors Hermione said meaningfully, “Not all Gryffindors are awful.” “Are bullies,” she clarified referring to his black eye.


Meeting her eyes he asked, “How would you know who…?”


“Gryffindors are a bit obvious at times,” she replied casually as they entered the common room and headed their separate ways.