Hermione Riddle, the Dark Lady

Another talk with Slytherins

George's P.O.V

"So, we can't help her... in any way," I ask. Can we seriously do nothing for Hermione? "Not if she doesn't ask for the help herself, Mr Weasley," Dumbledore repeated calmly. How can he be so calm when something is definately going on with Hermione? 

After some weeks, Dumbledore asked them in his office again to overhear her conversations with her Slytherin friends in the library.

Hermione's P.O.V

"It is not so difficult Crabbe," I sigh. I have tried to explain it to him now 5 times, but he still won't get it! "Hermione, have you got any letters from your father recently," asks Draco.

"Yes, why do you want to know?" "Well, does he have a plan?" "No, or maybe he won't tell me." I rub with my hand in my neck. That little Dark Mark had moved. "Does it hurt or something," asks Blaise. 

"No, it just.. moved. Nothing's wrong," I reply. "Can we.. see it," asks Goyle curiously. I shove my hair over both my shoulders and reveal the Mark. "Awesome," Crabbe and Goyle mutter in choir. I laugh at their reply.

"I really miss home," I sigh. "You will see him soon 'Mione," Blaise says with a smile." "I am not so sure about that." "Why not?" "Come on Draco, he is-," I look around, "a very powerful wizard, you know." They nod.

"Have you heard about that scar Potty got?" "Don't call him Potty, Blaise." "Anyway, he got a scar from detention by Umbridge, you know, that cruel Quill of hers." "Really! What is it for scar," asks Crabbe. I don't say anything, as I already know this. Harry had shown me the horrible thing himself.

"Something like 'I must not tell lies' or something like that." "It is awful, I know. I do need to check on him soon though, I think." "Since when do you communicate with them again," asks Draco with a playful smirk. I push him against his chest.

"By the way, I need to go. Dad had told me his owl would be here by-" I didn't end my sentence because the black owl flies in,"-now, apparently." The owl drops the letter on my textbook and he sits down next to the letter. I give the bird a treat and break the seal.

"Typical parenting stuff, but... wow. Bellatrix Lestrange and some other Death Eaters had escaped. They went into hiding." "Bellatrix Lestrange? That is my aunt," Draco mentions. "Well, she has escaped from Azkaban. Why was she there in the first place?" "Torturing Frank Longbottom and his wife Alice."

"Wait, Neville's parents?" "Yes, those Longbottoms." "That is harsh, poor Neville." They nod. "Yeah, my aunt is completely insane," says Draco softly. I read the letter further. "Nothing much for the rest. Does anyone has a piece of parchment?"

Goyle gives one sheet of parchment to me and I write a short letter back. I attach the letter to the leg of the black bird. "Goodbye Hellanys, good flight," I mumble. The owl nods and flies away. 

"Will we meet that lovely aunt of yours when we stay over by you, Draco," I ask while watching the owl departing. "Maybe, maybe not. I mean, she is in hiding, isn't she? I don't think she is at our home, to be honest," Draco says with a shrug. I sigh.

"I miss your house, it is more nice than the Burrow or even Hogwarts." "Well, I'll say it to my mother," Draco replies with a smirk. We burst out in laughter and grab our stuff together, moving to the classroom for the next lesson.

Ron's P.O.V

I knew I shouldn't be jealous. But that is bloody hard if your love interest is half-flirting with your rival; some slithering, blonde Ferret with an awful smirk. "Well, she knows about the escapes from Azkaban then," says Dumbledore, with a gloomy smile.

"Why doesn't she want to say her father's name," asks Ginny. That was true, she tried to not call her dads name. "Maybe his name is forbidden to say," mutters McGonagall, who was there with them again.

"Maybe you are right Minerva," says Dumbledore, deeply in thought. "Maybe her father's name is forbidden, and I have a strange thought the dead of Karkaroff is linked to this."