Bittersweet

Chapter 9

“His reaction was simple-imitate and pre-determined. He knew what he was going to say when I asked him about it.”

“Charles is nothing but a cheating dog-which deserves nothing but to be put down. Sarah, I wouldn’t take anymore of his crap. Tell him how things are and how they will be. Slytherin women need to be in control of their man or they’ll walk all over you.”

“Samantha’s right,” Pansy Parkinson barked up.

Sarah and Samantha turned around to see their best friend looking smug with her arms crossed.

“Just like my man. He knows where the whip ends.”

“I just can’t believe he would sneak it behind my back. It’s not like I didn’t see a change in him.” Sarah coiled.

“That’s how it all starts, the moods-the loss in sex drive.” Samantha chimed in.

“If Draco did that to me, there would be more hell on earth; he wouldn’t know what hit him. I shot that one down, once he started making googily eyes over that know-it-all mudblood Granger.”

There was a gasp from the two girls.

“Are you serious? Why would Draco associate himself with one of them?” Sarah spoke up, appalled that a Slytherin boy would even look at such filth.

“Don’t ask me, but he won’t be going down that road again, that’s for sure. I don’t see why he would want to. It doesn’t matter anyway, we will be married at the end of the school year and then I’ll have everything that I need. No more filthy mudbloods breathing down my neck.”

The girls all laughed in unison, pleased with the outcome of Pansy’s life. The girls had been friends for a long time and always tried to make each other feel better by talking bad about guys and their boyfriends. It was what Slytherin girls did best. Keeping men under their wing and showing each other that they could handle the pressure of it all.

Pansy was the worst. She had done more damage to men, than all three girls combined. Used them, abused them, and then trampled over their pride like it was nothing. Not since their sixth and seventh years, had she finally got her hands on the man she had been working her whole Hogwarts career for.

Draco Malfoy was what women called the holy grail, not too his face of course-everyone knew that his head was bigger than the Ministry of Magic and him knowing what girls thought of him, would make the Ministry of Magic seem like Hogsmeade.

Girls were jealous of course when they started dating, but once he started dating Pansy, they knew he was out of the question. Pansy was a tough player and no one cheated on her man without paying a true price. Slytherin girls kept their distance.

“What should be his punishment?” Pansy asked while they walked to the Dungeons for Double Potions.

“I was thinking he should have a little taste of Fluffy.” Samantha suggested cheerfully.

“No, too obvious, if he dies-someone will notice.” Pansy said, throwing her hand in the air dismissing the suggestion.

“Do we have to do anything that dangerous?” Sarah asked slowly.

Pansy and Samantha stopped walking to look at their friend with concern.

“Doing nothing, gives him the right hand. Do you want them to have that power? Power over you and lord knows what else?” Pansy asked, even though the question only had one answer.

Sarah shook her head.

“Good, because every man deserves what he gets and those affiliated with his treachery. We will think of something, because men don’t get away with things, they suffer the consequences of their actions.” Pansy said, leading the girls into their second class of the day.

~~

“Killing is an art. It doesn’t come easy. Think of yourself as a perfectionist, making the wrong strokes or movements can upset the balance of your spell or wand waving. Focus on your victim, collect all the rage in the casting and always keep your eye on the target. Losing that focus and concentration will be less damaging.” Barton Potter said to a group of newly acquired Death Eaters.

“Sir, how does it come so easy for you? How do you let all the rage and hate subside?”

“That’s a good question Sam, I don’t let the rage dwindle-it’s what helps the spell. I would encourage just not you Sam, but all of you, to take yourself away from that moment or the feeling and set that aside. Just doing the act isn’t enough; you need to have passion in the slaying and passion in yourself to succeed. Caring about nothing has always been helpful to me. Preparing yourself to be an excellent death eater takes dedication and concentration. Practice on that concentration and putting your mind set away will give you the power.”

“That’s all I have for today, next week we will work more on the art of slaying Magical Officials, its more difficult than you can imagine. Come prepared with a muggle.”

The students shook their heads at their professor and left the courtyard where multiple of men and women in black cloaks where making their comings and goings from their classes. Barton Potter was at The Institute of Mephistophelian, a school he rarely taught at for sport. It was something that made him whole at times, brought him together. Teaching young souls at the art of evil and treachery was something that he loved- and partly because of the pay-had to make money somehow.

“Well Mr. Potter, we are looking mighty smug today? Are your students finally learning the art of muggle slayings? I hear this year’s students are fond of your lessons?”

Barton turned around to see a beautiful woman in a silver colored robe. He smiled at the sight of her. She was a sight for sore eyes and he marveled in it.

“Why yes, I do believe so.” He responded suddenly after seeing her. She smiled back at him- leaving her mouth and his to do the talking. Taking her mouth off of his, she leaned into his body.

“What are the plans for tonight?” The woman asked Barton.

“I have a meeting with Malfoy at seven.”

“Really? I thought those meetings were coming to a close? Why are you spending more time with him than me?”

“You know why my dear, we have something big going down and I need to be prepared as much as I can.”

“I still don’t understand why you have to keep things from me.”

“It’s business.”

“That’s what you always say, “business”. I want some of our business to go down once in awhile…” she smiled mischievously.

“Well, when I get home, I’ll make sure you get enough “business” to last you a century.”

“You better.” She smiled. “Well, I have another class to teach before my daily slaying-see you when you get home. I love you-my Barton Potter.”

“And I love you- my Bellatrix Lastrange”

~~

Dim lights evaporated the Hogwarts Castle and grounds at night. The sight was beautiful. Lights coming from every direction gave off a powerful glow of the castle and brought chills to everyone who looked upon her. Dark crevices secluded by candles and a glow of tender illumination filled the skies above. It was a magical sight. It brought power and glory to the school and often enough gave itself a spectacular feeling of unblemished artistry. Many rather viewed the castle at night to look upon her wonder and astonishment for guidance. The light followed them on their path. Lights had that kind of power. Glimmering in the moonlight, creating that balance of good and evil; Hogwarts set that medium of power.

Cherishing the secluded night sky and lights that evaporated it was somewhat astonishing and overbearing at the same time. The sky was innocent in the light, but accepted it knowingly. Danger was approaching, the sky knew this, but accepted the darkness and light together. It knew that more than one question would be answered and would wait openly for the call.

Hermione Ann Granger loved to stare at Hogwarts Castle; she loved to look upon her beauty and knowledge and dream of a better place where there was no good or evil-there were only people living and fighting the good fight. She dreamed of a place where she could feel about someone and not suffer the consequences of her actions, where her friends wouldn’t judge her and where she could live without any worries. Captivating this feeling was what she loved, she knew it was a false hope, but she still thought of that stoicism of love.

Stretching her arms wide over her head she fell onto the grass below her. Smothering herself in the greenery, she listened to the earth and everything around her. Glancing high into the sky she tried to count the stars. She knew it was impossible to count these particles, but tried anyhow. Doing this, gave her memories of her back yard, sleeping on her parents trampoline. Spending time in a world, where she wasn’t a witch, spending time where she wasn’t learning spells or making potions. She was just a muggle-learning history and writing stories of far away lands. Trying to remember the old days was fun enough, but she knew that her world was no longer that way. She was a witch and she was learning spells and she was creating potions.

Finding the Great Dipper, she placed her finger in mid air and drew it out into the sky. As she drew her finger over the stars alignment, she caught a glimpse of another beam coming from the trees to the left of her. Startled by a new set of rays coming from the sky, she looked over to the trees. Only seeing a light through the branches and flickers, she sat up. Confused and wondering what could be happening in the dark forest at this time of night, she quickly sat up and grabbed her wand for protection. Just because she was on Hogwarts grounds and because it was one of the safest places to be, the grounds where still a threat and a danger to anyone on them after sundown.

Slowly moving her way through the grass to the entrance of the Dark Forest, she quietly moved her way around Hagrid’s hut, which was just on the boundary of the Hogwarts grounds and the Dark Forest. Moving towards the light closer and steadily, she entered the woods. Not have been in the forest since sixth year, she slowly walked the path that Hagrid took daily. Stepping over stones and sticks, she walked closer to the light that stood yards away.

After walking for a few moments, she started to hear voices, and quickly hid behind a tree to escape from being seen. The voices were angry, threatening and seemed to be talking about what they had done. Only muffled sounds where heard, but Hermione could tell that whoever it was, that there was more than one. Slowly moving her head around the tree, she peered down to where she could hear the voices.

“I have to get closer”, she thought to herself. She wouldn’t be able to identify the people from where she was and she was extremely curious about the light that was still shining in the night sky.

“Curiosity killed the cat”, she then thought.

“You are Hermione Granger, you don’t go and do these things. That’s for Harry”, she thought again, trying to persuade herself to turn back.

“Yeah, but you have changed…you’re secretly shagging Draco Malfoy for goodness sake.” she thought arguing with herself.

“This is ridicules,” she said in a low whisper.

Decision made, she slowly walked her body around the tree and focused her attention on the light and the voices. When she became almost in view of the people talking, she hid behind a large oak tree. She listened for the voices again. This time they weren’t muffled, she could hear them extremely clear now.

“Sam, Barton is going to kill you, when he finds out what you’ve done.”
“Not if you blab on me, then he and the Institute will never find out. Anyone could have made the same mistake.”

“Barton? Who was Barton and who where these two men? They obviously have done something illegal” Hermione thought as the two men conversed.

“The same mistake?” said one of the men not called Sam.

“Yeah, anyone could have made the same mistake.”

“I don’t get your reasoning. We’ve killed a wizard, not a muggle!”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist; it’s not much of a loss anyway.”

“Maybe not to us, but what if the Dark Lord would have needed this person for something? Where would we be then?”

“You worry too much Nathan.”

“Worry? And what…you’re not! This was suicidal.”

“Its his own fault he was out in the woods at this hour.”

“I can’t believe this is happening. We need to get out of here, before someone finds us. Fuck and this close to Hogwarts. I don’t want to find out what awaits us at the Institute.” The man named Nathan said, and Hermione then heard a “pop”. He obviously had just apparated.

“That dick worries too much,” said the man named Sam.

The voice stopped talking and she heard him rustle around the leaves a bit, slowly Hermione turned around to see the man. He wasn’t a man at all, he looked fifteen or sixteen! Shocked, Hermione tried to get a closer look, but just as she was pulling away a branch, he had apparated leaving the area.

Running towards the clearing where the two boys had been, she was astounded and terrified. There was a boy slumped over on a log, dead to the world. Pale and disfigured. It was the most gruesome image Hermione had ever seen. Petrified, she could feel the white light above her. Imagining what it was, she slowly looked upward to see what she was dreading-the Dark Mark souring the skies.

~~

By the time Professor Dumbledore got to the crime scene there was already a rumour spilling all around the castle that Johnny Harbor had been killed by a Death Eater. The Daily Prophet was now asking everyone questions about his character, about who he hung around and why he was out late at night in the Dark Forest.

Not that many people new Johnny Harbor, he was a smart kid, but didn’t have that many friends because of his extra curricular activities. Rumours spread that Johnny did sprayers, an illegal magical substance that gave the sprayer an afterlife experience. Hermione didn’t believe the rumours though, she thought that Johnny Harbor looked like a boy who just didn’t have that many friends and concentrated on his studies.

She didn’t know why he was out late at night, but suspected that it wasn’t because he was doing sprayers. Reporters got that story anyhow and the next week all their articles consisted on “Death at Hogwarts” “Sprayers in your schools” and more than one mention of “Death Eaters at Hogwarts-how safe is your child”.

The articles weren’t helping the credibility of Hogwarts and more than one parent had pulled their child out of Hogwarts for the rest of the school year. Dumbledore was livid, Harry was worried about Voldemort attacking and Ron could care less as long as Quidditch didn’t get cancelled.

Draco had stopped seeing Hermione and she was worried that it was because of the incident. He had stopped all contact and it confused her. One minute, he was all over her, the next, he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. The boy confused her in more ways than one.

When she told Harry and Ron about the conversation that the two Death Eaters, Sam and Nathan, where having, Harry looked worried.

“Whoever this Barton character is, he seems to be a serious player and very powerful.” Harry mentioned one morning over breakfast.

“Maybe he is Voldemort’s right-hand man.” Ron subsided.

“I don’t know, he seemed to be a mentor of some kind. I don’t suspect, Voldemort to be working at an Institute.” Hermione chimed in.

The boys sighed.

“We really don’t have that much information about who this Barton character is or the boys who were doing his bidding.” Harry spoke up finally. “Well whoever this person is, we need to keep an eye out.”

The three of them parted their ways when Hermione went to Arithmancy and even though she still suspected that Malfoy’s father was behind it all, she had no proof. She wanted to ask him about it, but with Pansy Parkinson on your elbow twenty-four hours a day, it hardly gave you time to separate to have a quick chat with anyone else but her.

Hermione hated the girl more and more now. She was with Draco almost all the time. When she saw Draco, she was always near him-tagging along, giving her sideward glances of hate. She knew the girl had known of their debauchery, that wasn’t a secret, most women knew when their men cheated and or suspected the change of pace. She didn’t know how she found out about the two of them, but hated Draco for letting her get to him.

How could he spend the rest of his life with a girl like her-attached at her hip? He certainly wasn’t the Draco she had fallen for. She had fallen for the bad type, who wouldn’t take any crap from anyone. Pansy Parkinson, had finally got the best of him. Hermione scoffed at the two of them that she yelled out something that she probably shouldn’t have.

“Does she come with you to piss too Malfoy?”

She didn’t know where that came from. She just couldn’t control herself.

The Slytherin group, who was with them all stopped as they passed her,

Draco looked shocked.

Pansy looked appalled.

“I wouldn’t be surprised, she must hold it too.”

“What the fuck?” she thought.

Pansy looked like she wanted to kill.

Draco looked like he wanted to jump Hermione.

“How dare you speak to me in that tone you filthy little mudblood!”

“You know Pansy, I suggest you find another little insult for me, because that ones all used up. But then again, I think that’s all that is in your vocabulary. Malfoy, next time you pick em’ I suggest someone with a little more brains, because I think she’s all run out of smarts.”

Hermione couldn’t believe herself. She didn’t know why she was saying these things or why she had been acting like a total bitch, but she couldn’t help herself. Surprised that Pansy let her get that out, she smiled. But, wasn’t surprised when Pansy started running after her, landing her whole body on Hermione as they fell to the ground.

Punches then were thrown by both girls, kicking and screaming, pulling of the hair. More screams where heard in that fight then a banshee. Hermione could hear the Slytherin’s cheering on Pansy to punch her in the eye, while she saw Malfoy trying to get her off.

“Get off her Pansy, she’s not worth it.”

“She damn well is.” Pansy yelled back in gritted teeth.

By the time a Professor arrived on the scene, both girls had more bruises, bloodied faces that it looked like a muggle fight scene. Hermione’s hair was tousled every which way, while Pansy’s short hair resembled that of a mop. Hermione could feel that she had a black eye, but didn’t care. She only could feel rage building up inside of her. She was happy to see that Pansy had a large welt on her cheek and eye and thought that it was worth the punishment.

Before being dragged off to the Hospital Wing by Snape and McGonagall, Hermione gave one last glance and Draco, who was giving Hermione a look that resembled worry and apologetic feelings. Hermione smiled at him as he gave her one in return-hoping that this fight wouldn’t be the end to their relationship.