Okay, allow me to apologise as much as humanly possible for this taking so long. I just graduated school, went on schoolies, working full-time ect. So I just didn't have as much time. Sorry! Hehe. Anyway here it is, please ENJOY!

Chapter 22

"They would be proud Sirius; you gave Harry a family, you gave him a life when he didn't have anything," The werewolf reminded him. "You did your best...Now James and Lily can take care of him. If nothing else, they're all together now."

Hermione withdrew into her own mind, trying to ignore the feel of Lord Voldemort's cold lips upon her skin.

I'm an Angel and I am just letting him do this; what is wrong with me? Scream, kick, bite, swear just do something you stupid girl!...I'm an Angel.

She felt wiry hands grasp her hips and Hermione knew she had to act. Taking one deep breath, the young girl once again fell back into the depths of her being and hunted. She was searching for that luminous well inside her that made her special, that special presence that made her so strong. Simultaneously flinching from the Dark Lord's touch and tapping into something warm and fiery inside herself, Hermione grasped onto it with everything she had.

"Good girl." The voice came out of nowhere and startled Hermione, but not enough to let go of the silver string she mentally gripped. With one will full leap she gave into the power of the Angel and let it consume her, terrifying though it may be.

"Distracted, my sweet?" Voldemort's amused voice was quickly replaced by a growing hum emanating from Hermione's skin. Her ivory complexion was slowly engulfed by a soft, yet solid glow.

"Something like that." Hermione's words echoed around the room and her eyes opened to reveal two shining blue orbs. The ropes binding the Angel to the bed snapped like fine twine and she rose serenely from the covers to float above the somewhat unnerved Dark Lord. Her hair whipped around her like toffee tinted serpents caught in a wild whirlwind, while her face remained serene and almost amused.

"Well, well this eventuated much sooner than anticipated." Lord Voldemort grinned idly.

"When cornered, one is capable of remarkable things." Hermione cooed steadily, her presence filling the room as Lord Voldemort rose from the bed and examined his floating captive.

"So I see."

"You sound disappointed, Dark Lord. Is this not what you wanted? To see me embrace who I am? Or did you not plan for it to inconvenience you?" Hermione's barbed questions assured Voldemort it was still Hermione somewhere amidst the glowing entity.

"Quite to the contrary my pet, I may not have anticipated this, but I most certainly prepared." With a simple flick of his wrist, Lord Voldemort took a step back as a large, open ended sphere descended from the ceiling and trapped the angel like a hamster in a ball.

The light flickered as Hermione jumped in shock and swirled in her round prison. "Clever, but not enough," She mused, curling her limbs tightly into her body and smiling against her knees. "You forgot something." The angel's body suddenly unravelled, giant ivory feathered wings expanded from her back, cracking the magical boundaries that held her. "There's more to me than meets the eye."

"So much more." Voldemort sneered, but did not seem disheartened.

Lord Voldemort continued to hiss at Hermione, but the light engulfing her was slowing growing more and more intense. Gradually it grew unbearable and she could feel every muscle in her body screaming in protest, begging for her to relent the power she so firmly held to.

Too soon my young light, you are not yet strong enough. The warm echo comforted Hermione's aching body, like slipping into a warm bubble bath.

"Don't leave me with him." She begged softly of the voice.

I can never leave you dearest one, I am you. The whirlwind flashed into existence once more and, with an explosion of blinding light, Hermione lay curled on the floor, clutching her knees to her chest and her body shaking roughly. Shoulders trembling, stomach clenching and breaths coming short and sharp, Hermione tried to force her muscles into submission.

Lord Voldemort was content to just watch the shivering girl try with all her might to recover. He smirked at her well deserved punishment, just observing as her body throbbed and twitched with magical withdrawals. Yet somewhere deep within his consciousness there was another feeling, something far less spiteful; it almost begged him to go to Hermione. To take her in his arms and hold her, protect her...Help her.

With a start, Voldemort mentally shook himself, clenching his fists in annoyance. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he want to help the girl? Certainly she was beautiful, witty and quite obviously powerful, but that didn't mean he cared for her. He was the Dark Lord Voldemort, he didn't care for anyone but himself. His frustration only swelled when he felt an unfamiliar pang seeing tears start to slide down Hermione's pale cheeks. That devious angel had done something to him and she would pay for it.

Hermione let out an involuntary yelp as Voldemort gripped her upper arm harshly and jerked her to her feet. "Get your spiny hands off of me!" she cried, tearing the limb from his grip.

"You conniving little siren," Voldemort hissed softly. "What did you do?"

Hermione frowned at the delusional wizard. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't play the fool with me, Hermione."

"Monkey see, monkey do."

Hermione found herself on the ground once more as a long, forceful hand stung across the side of her face with enough strength to drop her from her feet. She cupped her tingling cheek in her hand and glared up at the stony faced man towering over her. Voldemort ignored the odd wave of pleasure he felt seeing Hermione posed beneath him, glaring up with that ever-enticing fire of hers dancing in her eyes.

"You have tried me long enough, my pet-,"

"I am not your damn pet!"

Voldemort sneered, taking a small step forward and crouching in front of Hermione, who remained on the floor. He reached out to cup her clenched chin, but she flinched away sharply with a clear warning flashing in her coffee orbs. Voldemort was in no mood to play the usual struggles with Hermione and he snatched her chin painfully, forcing her to face him.

"Oh but you are, Hermione, you are." He whispered in a sinister promise.

Hermione shivered, but never broke eye contact with the Dark Lord as she steadied her shoulders and stared back. "No, I am not. I am not your pet or property...And you are nothing to me."

There was a soft hiss that slipped free from between Lord Voldemort's gleaming teeth that Hermione did not have the courage to consider. "I am your Lord."

"No."

"I am your Master."

"No."

"You belong to me."

"No!"

Lord Voldemort leant forward, his lips brushing Hermione's ear as he spoke and his cold worlds creeping down the skin of her neck. "You. Are. Mine."

Remus had remained poised in the corner of the cell for several hours, just staring at one particular spot in the brick wall behind them, while Sirius paced uselessly back and forth, occasionally throwing a glance to the sleeping Ron.

The trio had barely said a word since Hermione had been dragged off and Harry's body removed from the cell. On minutes too many ticked by and Sirius' limited patience finally snapped and he rounded on the pensive wolf in the corner.

"Well?" He cried, causing Remus to shift his gaze calmly to his flustered friend.

"Well, what, Sirius?"

"You seem to be the plan man Remus, so let's hear it. What do we do?" Sirius advanced on his friend, his frustration and growing helplessness urging him to act.

"Not lose our heads would be a good start." Remus murmured.

"Okay, watch out for low hanging ceiling fans, great Remus. Really helpful." Sirius growled, kicking a white rock, that looked suspiciously like bone, into the wall near Remus' head.

"While you're at it, don't eat yellow snow." He smirked.

"Don't make jokes Remus."

"Laugh or cry Sirius and only one can help us now."

"Fine, let's just please do something constructive. I can't stand here and wonder what that hissing prick is doing to our Hermione any longer."

"I agree." Remus nodded, jumping to his feet and running his hand along the bricks until he reached the spot he had been staring at for the past hour. Remus' scarred fingers tickled over a fine crack in the foundations and he gently tapped it.

Sirius peered over his friends shoulder and had enough sense to hold any questions back, at least for now. Remus continued to tap the spot, muttering slowly under his breath. Sirius could only catch a few odd words and what he did hear weren't English, they sounded more like Latin. Sirius knew that Remus understood his disapproval of old magic, especially when it was wandless, but now was not the time to argue or preach. His curiosity grew when snall flakes of stone and pebble dripped from the wall. The bricks began to rattle and Sirius stepped back, staring as Remus worked on bringing down the wall.

"Ron get up!" Sirius bellowed at the sleeping Weasley just as larger chunks of rock began to tumble free. Ron snorted in protest and Sirius sighed, rushing over to drag the semi-conscious boy out of harm's way.

"Gettoff." Ron grumbled, swatting lamely at Sirius.

"Any chance you can do this quietly?" Sirius snapped.

"Ever heard a quiet demolition Sirius?" Remus retorted poisonously.

"That's the point."

"Well then lead by example and shut up."

"Fine."

Remus placed both hands flat on the wall, closed his eyes and started to chant much faster, his chest rising and falling at an ever increasing pace. Sirius shivered as the cell slowly filled with a warm, tingly breeze that send odd, not entirely unpleasant sensations through his nerves. Old magic. Suddenly the wall collapsed, sinking into a massive pool of rubble and dust that shrouded the cell in a cloud of grey.

"Cover your mouths!" Remus instructed, pulling his sleeve over his own lips.

Once the dust cleared and all three had finished coughing up their lungs, Sirius grinned at the gaping hole that now offered their, and Hermione's, freedom. "Nice one Big Bad Wolf, you blew down the house."

"Please stop Sirius before I crack a rib," Remus deadpanned. " Now shall we go before some curious passer by wonders what that thunderous sound was?"

"I'm for that." Ron croaked, suddenly awake and wide-eyed.

"Good man." Sirius approved with a grin. He clasped Ron's shoulder and steered him outside, followed closely by Remus who cast a quick glance back to ensure they weren't being watched.

"Where do we go from here?" Ron asked, squinting at the early morning glare.

"We have to get word back to Albus and the others," Remus said, his eyes darting across their surroundings. "And then we have to get Hermione out of here before Voldemort has the chance to turn her."

"Turn her?" Ron frowned.

Remus paused in his scan and eyed Ron kindly, hoping he would understand. "Convince her to join him."

"No!" He cried. "Hermione would never-,"

"Not of her own free will she wouldn't," Remus cut Ron off gently. "But as far as they both know, we are all still locked in the dungeons. We are his leverage over Hermione and until she knows otherwise she is vulnerable."

The young Gryffindor's shoulders slumped in agreement, bitter though it may be. Without another word spoken between them, Sirius, Remus and Ron crept through hedges, trees and over grown oceans of vines in an attempt to take the most obscure path away from the mansion. There was the unspoken understanding between the two Marauders that Ron would be the one to return to Dumbledore and the Order, while they continued on to rescue their toffee haired damsel in distress. Whether Ron would agree to this was a different matter, but either way he would be leaving.

The group finally reached a cluster of particularly thick elms and paused, running the various scratched and bruises courtesy of the braches that had whipped into their path. Ron rested against the trunk of the nearest tree and massaged his throbbing feet while Sirius worked on pulling several thorns from his flesh. Remus on the other hand was ignoring his injuries and staring at the mansion, a million plans flying through his mind. As he filtered their chances of succeeding, he noticed that one of their sheltering flora was not an elm. Rather it was a elegantly overgrown willow, as he gazed at the deep emerald leaves and idly billowing reeds something in his memory clicked. The bank they had washed up on.

Without a word to the others he darted to the willow and let out a muffled cry of joy. Within seconds Sirius was at his side and poised to attack whatever dared move first.

"What happened?" He demanded of Remus after seeing nothing more than his friend, a tree and the lake. The lake.

Remus smiled.

"You found it!" Sirius beamed.

"That's not all I found." Remus pointed into the depths of the willow and as Sirius followed his gaze, he too had to silence a cry of elation. Nestled discretely within the reedy embrace of the ancient tree were the two rafts they had abandoned upon arrival.

"I don't believe it." He grinned.

"Nor do I, but let's not question it." Remus ventured lightly closer to the water and bent as near to the lake as he could without falling in and wrenched the black rubber rafts into plain sight. "One of them has a rip in it." He announced.

Sirius' hopes dashed slightly as Remus held up a patially deflated raft and tossed it into the scrub behind them. "What about the other?"

A tense silence followed the question as Remus inspected the vessel. "It's fine."

"Thank Merlin for that."

"Go get Ron, this is our best chance to get him to Dumbledore unharmed." Remus ordered calmly. He heard Sirius sneak off and braced himself for the inevitable protest display Ron would put up. He could understand why the boy would be reluctant to leave his friend, especially after already losing one, but it had to be done.

"I'm not leaving Hermione!" And there it was.

"Shut up Ron," Sirius hissed. "Do you want every Death Eater in the place to hear us?"

"No way am I going." Ron repeated in a more reasonable tone.

"I'm sorry Ron, but someone needs to warn the Order and Sirius and I are far more likely to survive a Death Eater attack."

"Yeah, says you," Ron sulked. "I can handle myself."

"Do you want to save Hermione?" Remus asked bluntly.

Ron blinked dumbly a few times before answering as though afraid it was a trick question. "Of course I do."

"Do you really think that three wizards, all injured and one still in school can take on a whole mansion of Death Eaters and live to tell the tale?"

"Maybe if we-,"

"Ronald."

"...No."

"Now get in the raft." Remus motioned gently. Like a puppy that had been caught out chewing on the new sofa, Ron dipped his head and allowed Remus to help him into the wobbly plastic contraption.

"This isn't a punishment Ron," the ex-professor assured him. "It's just the most effective move we have up our sleeve right now."

Ron nodded sadly. "I know."

"Good man, now do you remember where we came in?" Sirius asked, holding to the side of the raft before Ron floated away.

"Uh yeah," He frowned and looked at the distant pool opening. "We turned on the right fork and left into the pool."

Remus beamed. "Exactly."

"Good luck Weasley," Sirius grinned. "We'll be seeing you soon."

Ron just nodded.

"Be quick, be quiet and you know we're not far behind if you need us." Remus added with a quick squeeze of the boy's shoulder.

"Thank you Remus."

Sirius and Remus watched from the cover of the willow as Ron silently paddled off and both begged whoever was listening that he would be alright. It was a few minutes after the Gryffindor was out of sight that either man moved, Remus was the first to turn and head back towards the mansion.

"So what's the plan now, captain?" Sirius whispered, jogging up behind Remus.

"We go get Hermione." He said simply.

"Ah, why didn't I think of that?"

"That's why you're not the captain." Remus sneered.

"Seriously Moony, anything more elaborate in mind?"

"Simple is best. We get in the mansion, get to Hermione without dying and preferably leave in the same state."

"It's bulletproof." Sirius rolled his eyes.

Severus stared at Dumbledore as though he had just turned into a small frog with a top hat and was parading around the office singing "Hello my baby." Dumbledore just observes Snape's changing shock play over the pasty features of his face.

"H-He's a what?" Snape finally stuttered.

"I cannot be certain, but there is strong evidence to suggest Oliver Wood is in league with Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore said calmly, well aware he would have to explain himself eventually.

"What evidence Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed and leant forward. "Well obviously we have known for some time that Voldemort would place a Death Eater within the walls of Hogwarts if he could,"

"Right, Malfoy." Snape snapped, refusing to believe what the headmaster was telling him.

The elderly man shook his head lightly. "Too obvious for Tom, no I knew there would be a wolf among the sheep and it would be someone we would never expect. So naturally I kept my eyes open throughout the passing years for anyone who made an attempt to get closer to Harry, someone who seemed innocent, but had something...More."

"But Wood and Potter are acquaintances at best, headmaster."

"Another twist I should have seen coming, rather than getting close to the one person Tom knew I would be diligently watching, he went for someone far less high profile."

Snape slumped uncharacteristically in his chair. "Hermione."

"Precisely." Dumbledore nodded. "When this occurred to me I started to watch Oliver very closely, I noticed his Defence Against the Dark Arts scores improve and his manner take a slight shift towards the arrogant."

"All classic signs of a senior student," Snape shrugged slightly. "Not necessarily that of a Death Eater."

"I thought the very same and while Mr. Wood's interest in Hermione was understandable it was still quite surprising, therefore I...monitored their progress throughout the years."

"You spied on them?"

"I prefer monitored."

"I'm sure you do."

"As I was saying, Oliver seemed to always keep very close watch on Hermione and seemed overly interested in her previous experience with the Dark Lord. More interested than simple curiosity should allow." Dumbledore continued with his usual above reproach gaze.

"You think he was interrogating?" Severus asked more seriously this time, as much as he wished he could point out a strong flaw in Dumbledore's theory, there was too much to be called a coincidence.

"I believe so yes. And now Hermione is gone and Oliver wishes to help, my concerns are beginning to grow."

"How so?"

"It seems a very convenient way to keep track of our progress by offering his help, does it not?"

Snape sighed yet again, but straightened in his chair. "What do we do?"

"We change the game Severus, so the prey may become the predator." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in intellectual delight and Snape couldn't help but smile.

"This could be interesting."

"Entertaining if nothing else...,"

Hermione's foot collided with Lord Voldemort's chest and she scooted backwards to the foot of the bed and glared over the barrier of her knees. The Dark Lord simply cast an idle glance down at the hollow of his chest and smirked.

"A little cornered, my pet?"

She shivered at the derogatory name. "I...Am...No...Pet." Hermione ground out angrily. Before Voldemort could contradict her once again, Hermione rose from the ground and stormed off into the bathroom. It was not until she went to slam the door did she realise it was no longer there.

"Lose something?"

"Other than my patience?"

"I was thinking something more superficial."

"Your mind?"

"You truly do believe you are hilarious don't you?" Voldemort sneered.

"I try not to fly in the face of public opinion."

"Smart mouth for such a small girl," Lord Voldemort stood up straight and sauntered to the door with a small smirk. "It's often tempting to silence it...Permanently."

"I'll die first."

"If you insist."

"Oh pull your head out would you?" Hermione snapped, crossing the few feet forward to close the distance between herself and the Dark Lord. "You need me, do you hear me? Need me. Without my help you don't have a fighting chance in the upcoming war. So enough with the pathetic threats, I don't buy it."

Voldemort's eyes flashed menacingly. "Ah but as you so often remind me Hermione, you want nothing to do with the dark side of the war. So why should I delude myself?"

"Force of habit?"