The Prime Princess

The compartments door burst open and the sleek Mirkhound stood in the opening with fiery eyes. The creature was huge, with big paws, claws, jaws and fangs. The steel-gray fur shined in the light of Lumos.

Hermione backed away a little more and bumped in with something. Snape was standing between her and the creature. Golden eyes finally fixed on her and with a roar, the Mirkhound jumped.

“Avada Kedavra!” shouted Snape. Green light flashed before her eyes, making her feel sick but the Killing Curse only punched the Mirkhound out of the door. Growling Mirkhound landed in the opposite wall, digging its claws into the surface and disappearing from sight.

Screaming still filled the whole train and when Snape went to investigate the situation, he noticed claw marks running along the ceiling. The damn thing was running amok. Stepping back inside, he looked at Hermione who was still sprawled on the floor.

“We can’t Apparate from here because it’s not a sound point of origin,” he said and held out a hand to pull her up.

“Lovely,” muttered Hermione and pointed her wand over her head. “Fiat Lux!” The air above them started to radiate brightly and Hermione gathered up her luggage that was scattered all over the compartment. Among her stuff was a narrow container she had received from Mr. Ollivander. She hit its side with her boot and the lid popped open. Professor Snape stepped closer and looked inside.

“Guess we’re going hunting,” he said as Hermione crouched down with one smooth movement and took one half of the staff out. It’s mercury surface shined like melted gold and on top was the head of mighty dragon. Between its jaws was a power-crystal that started to glow red from the moment she had touched the staff. The other half still lay inside the container padded with royal violet velvet.

“Hell yeah we’re going!”
***
“Aw, I just had a very wet dream,” growled Draco as Blaise nudged him off the bench.

“Yeah, we should hit a dance club,” said Blaise and ushered Draco out of the Great Hall.

“Whoa, wait, how did you know?” stammered Draco who was still fuzzy from sleep. Blaise stared him a moment and then figured they had shared a daydream. Maybe because of the link between Marks, who knew, but right now he needed to get Draco out of there.

“While you were still drooling in the afterglow, I saw Cu Sith,” he said and rushed Draco into the Entrance Hall. “And they were many.”

When they ran out into night, Draco finally awakened from his slumber as cold wind hit his face. His mind sharpened and so did his senses. Blaise rushed beside him towards the gates of Hogwarts and searched for Hermione through the link. She was too far and the image of her was vague. Something blocked him out.

“Damn, Morrigan has surfaced,” hissed Blaise and kicked the gates open.
***
Passengers broke out of the Hogwarts Express that had stopped on the bridge between hillsides. They fled from train to get away from hellish beasts that attacked each one of them. The dark night was lit by curses hitting Cu Siths that didn’t retreat. They still charged on, ripped everything apart on their way to run up that hill.

On top of the train stood Hermione with Potion Master at her side. Around them people were scattered on the ground, crying, pleading, wounded. Dead. Mirkhounds were relentless assailants; curses had no real effect on them. Shots from Rage Walkers staff disintegrated the hounds but there were too many of them. Hordes of dark masses advanced from all sides as far as she could see. She tried to hold them back, protect people who had gathered under her and to find a way to end this night.

Hermione glanced at Snape who held up a shield to stop the hounds from reaching them. He breathed hard, his face was covered with cold sweat as he held onto the idea of all the lives they had on their hands. She felt the Mark inside her palm sting as Morrigan whispered to her that there was a way. She had seen that way. And it wasn’t a pleasant way considering how many lives it would take.

‘You have to sacrifice some lives to gain some lives,’ said Morrigan inside her.

‘Alone I’ll kill them all,’ retorted Hermione.

‘It’s just a couple of hundreds, lass. Think about the wizarding community. Think of all the world!’

“No!” screamed Hermione and the blast from her staff burned a straight line through the army of Mirkhounds. She held up that energy for few seconds more and disintegrated 1/5 of hounds in onslaught. It took all from her not to crash on her knees and gasp for air. The gap among the hounds filled up with moving bodies just like nothing had happened. They kept coming.
***
Draco stomped around for few minutes to lock on Hermione but she kept slipping from his grasp. He felt the death around her and feared the worst but Blaise stood calm. That was even more nerving.

“I could end up anywhere!”

“Don’t think about the location. Think of her.”

“Easy for you to say!”
***
Hermione split her twin-staff from the middle and aimed both crystals at the surrounding Mirkhounds. She had no choice anymore. To wipe them all out meant she was forced to get energy from lives. And what a great power it was. And what a great death it was.

‘Every war demands a sacrifice, lassie,’ hissed Morrigan.

Hermione swung her staffs into position and looked down for a split second. There were people she knew, people who knew her. And she was going to take their lives to kill half the million of Mirkhounds to save wizarding world. Her head was empty, she no longer heard Morrigan yelling at her to do it. It was for the greater good. For everyone she loved… Her parents… Lucius…

She looked up at her Potion Master. Severus… All her friends… Pansy, Millicent, Blaise… And Draco.

“To hell with it!” she roared and felt the power rise within her. Blood-blindness came over her eyes and from there on, all she felt, was rage.
***
“Oh shit!” hissed Draco and landed face down on the roof of the carriage. Blaise Apparated right next to him but closer to the edge and saw people on the ground dying. Draco sensed death from everywhere and looked up at Hermione towering over them with a golden set of staffs pointing in different directions. A constant beam of red light was shot from both ends and everything on its way got terminated. Hundreds of Mirkhounds disappeared into clouds of dust.

Draco actually could see the life sources being sucked out from people below them and fed to Hermione. She hadn’t even spared Professor Snape who lay in front of her feet.

“Oh no you don’t,” hissed Draco and grabbed hold of her left foot, feeling the Mark burn like acid on his cheek. Blaise followed him and turned his mind on Mirkhounds as Rage Walker channeled her energy source through them and when their minds were fixed on another energy supply, which was much greater, she went for it.

The beam turned from red to white and finally into electric blue as the light exploded around them into a fireball with such enormous force it destroyed everything in miles radius.

Rage Walker lowered her staffs and just stood there in the dark. There were no curses to lighten the night, no stars in the sky or sunset in the horizon. The last one standing – and she stood in the dark. And then she closed her eyes.
***
Crisp white sheets covered a young witch who had been sleeping for three days. Madam Pomfrey had sent all the visitors away from the Hospital Wing to allow her some time of silence and rest. Mr. and Mrs. Ariston had come to Hogwarts but not even they had seen their daughter. Professor Snape had talked to them and assured that everything was all right. He never spoke of Mirkhounds or Rage Walker. He just mentioned a Quidditch practice and nothing more. The rich patrons of the school didn’t need to know everything.

But he couldn’t cover up articles in papers writing about mysterious Hogwarts Express accident in a middle of nowhere. Snape had managed to alter Pansy’s and Millicent’s memories of the night. These two had survived but not the College guys they were together at that night. Maybe it was for the best.

“How is she doing today, Popy?” asked Professor Snape when he had stepped into Hospital Wing and located the bed with Hermione in it. Madam Pomfrey had just finished giving her medicine and tucked her under sheets again.

“Oh, she’s fine. Got some color in her face,” she said and collected the goblets onto a tray. “Not just waking up.”

Professor circled the bed and then configured a chair for himself to sit next to her. Long cherry-black hair cascaded over the pillow and for a second he wanted to touch them. But Snape kept himself in check. He had to or else he would have gone mad.

“Aa, here you are,” said Lucius who had crept in without Madam Pomfrey’s notice and sat on the edge of Hermione’s bed. He leaned down and kissed her pink lips.

“I start to see why Alya is so nervous when she goes out ridding a broom,” he smirked and looked at Snape. His grim look deceived him.

“Severus, what’s wrong?” asked Lucius, his voice full of concern. Snape looked up at his lifetime long friend and pulled a grin over his face.

“Nothing, you’re a lucky wizard, that’s all. And I want you to be happy,” he said. His smile was fraud, but his words were honest. Lucius watched him closely and furrowed his eyebrows. He was missing something.
***
Hermione opened her eyes and saw a hand on a pillow. It was long and slender with elegant fingers. Was it hers? She wiggled her fingers and was pretty sure it was her hand. Raising it before her eyes, she saw the burnt Mark inside her palm. It was red and looked rather nasty.

Then she remembered. And a headache whooshed over her. Hermione screamed and grabbed at her throbbing head. Madam Pomfrey ran straight to her.
***
Lunchtime in Great Hall was a loud period as everyone munched their food and talked at the same time about train crash they had never seen. Professors at Staff Table were also discussing quite lively about something. It was loud in Great Hall and Professor Dumbledore enjoyed it because it meant his students were alive.

“How long is she gonna jog us around?” drawled Blaise and pointed his fork at Carmen Granger who had put Prefects into double-shifts to secure the well-being of students after the inexplicable crash.

“She’s just a paranoid Mudblood,” growled Draco, “Too bad she wasn’t on the train.”

“That’s very slytherin of you to say,” told Blaise and looked at his pocket watch.

“Thank you,” smirked Draco. “Is Pomfrey’s shift over?”

“Yes. Come on, let’s go,” he said and stood up from the table and walked towards the doors with Draco at his heels. Professor Snape followed them with his hidden gaze and continued to talk with Professor Sprout.

Blaise pushed the door of Hospital Wing open a bit and took a look inside. Yep, Madam Pomfrey wasn’t there, only one nurse was tending the patients and she was no adversary to the two slytherins. Blaise marched in with Draco at his side and strode right to Hermione’s bed.

“Mione!” Draco dashed to her and looked into her vacant face. She was awake and sat up in bed with three pillows tucked behind her back. Blaise sat next to her and studied her.

“She’s drugged,” said Blaise and waved his hand in front of her eyes. Next to her on a little nightstand were five empty goblets.

“But I’m not lost to the world, yet,” she grumbled and turned to look at Blaise. Her discolored eyes were hollow and lifeless. Then she turned away from him and locked her eyes with Draco. Pain inside her came back haunting. She had left him out for so long time. Without words she reached out her hands and pulled him gently into a hug.

“But I wish I was.”