Chapter Forty-Two

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A hush fell over the arena as Hermione shook with Lisa Johnson, surprised at how tall she was. She had to crane her neck to meet Lisa's strong gaze, and her crushing handshake made Hermione wince.

"Johnson," Hermione said.

"Black," Lisa replied steadily.

They nodded at each other, and something in Lisa's clear expression made Hermione want to like her.

She's the top-ranking under-17 duelist from Australia, Arabel had said. She comes from a little known magical family but when it came to the school tryouts she blew everyone else away. She plays quidditch too, and quadpot, and even some muggle games. Hermione didn't find that hard to believe. They stepped backwards ten paces. Hermione swallowed, breathed deeply to settle her nerves and moved into a duelling stance.

Lisa shook her sleeves loose and held her wand lightly, assuming a duelling stance. She wore the flowing green duelling robes of Australia and the way she rested on the balls of her feet and aimed her wand told Hermione that Lisa was a natural mover.

The referee raised his wand and shot red sparks into the air and the duel began.

"Stupefy!" Lisa shouted, dropping to one knee.

It was unusual for a talented duellist to signal their intentions so clearly, but in a split-second, Hermione realised the trick. An onslaught of spells slammed into her hastily erected shield with the force of bullets. Red flashed and Lisa was rising to her feet, advancing.

Hermione lurched sideways but rallied, returning fire with curses Lisa barely dodged. Heart hammering, Hermione moved fast as the sand shifted beneath her feet.

"Duro!" she cried, flinging the spell down and turning the sand to stone. "Duro! Duro!"

Turning her spellfire on the sand at Lisa's feet, Hermione flicked her wand to encourage the sand to lurch upwards and seal Lisa's ankles in stone. But Lisa evaded her, leaping backwards and landing neatly, retaliating with a volley of arrows rocketing towards Hermione.

Hermione twisted, ducked, and transfigured the silver arrows into brightly coloured birds that turned mid-flight and dive-bombed Lisa in a squawking cacophony, causing her to cancel the spell and the birds to disappear. In the moment of distraction, Hermione advanced, casting a smoke spell. Grey choking clouds flooded from wand, and in seconds the floor of the arena clouded, making visibility poor. Groans of protest came from the stands but Hermione waved her wand harder, wreathing the arena in smoke and dodging the jets of light Lisa aimed at her.

Lisa was a dim figure now, hard to see through the smoke. But the spells flew thick and fast and Hermione ducked, pivoted and shielded more than she would have liked. Lisa was fast and fierce and fighting with everything she had.

"Fumo aqua!" Lisa cried, and smoke turned to raindrops which splattered on Hermione's face and soaked her hair.

Now the arena was clearly visible. Lisa sprinted for Hermione, her eyes fixed and determined. Hermione bludgeoned the ground with spells to trip her, ropes to tie her, and fire to stop her but Lisa dodged or shielded them all. It was all moving too fast. Hermione stumbled. Her reactions weren't fast enough; her movements slow and sluggish beside the swift Lisa.

"Confrigo!" Lia shouted and a sheet of flame exploded in a wall to Hermione's right.

"Aquamen -"

"Confrigo! Confrigo!" Lisa screamed.

Hermione lurched back as towering walls of flames rose around her. It was time to run, to fight - she was surrounded by fire. But as she spun, raising her wand, she made a mistake. Through flaming walls, a gap appeared. The crowd, briefly visible, were on their feet. Hermione couldn't stop herself; she glanced over her shoulder to the Hogwarts box where Severus sat. Concentration slipped, and she hesitated for a fatal second. Before she could move, Lisa was in front of her.

Lisa's clear eyes met hers and her lips parted to cast the final spell, the one that would disarm Hermione. Hermione froze. The arena, the cheering crowd, the crackling flames all blurred and stilled. She was going to lose. She couldn't lose. At any cost.

Hermione opened her mouth to cast a spell, but it wasn't a spell that left her lips.

"Legilimens," she whispered, hardly meaning to do it. It was unconscious. The flame receded, fading into nothingness until all she saw was Lisa's endless blue eyes. She slipped into Lisa's mind, without thought or intent, and the outside world disappeared. Lisa's mind was a vortex of images, utterly uncontrolled. It was the mind of somebody who had no mental defences, who had no occlumency or any form of protection, and whose inner landscape lay open and helpless.

Images came into view, swirled and settled; parents, a house by the sea, and a small boy with curly blonde hair. The boy was everywhere in Lisa's mind and her warm love flowed like a hot water spring. Brother, her mind sang the word. Brother.

Lisa was happy, Hermione realised with astonishment. Lisa loved life. She loved her family and she loved magic. She loved sports, swimming and flying her broomstick and duelling, but most of all Lisa loved her brother. He had been unexpected; so much younger than her, but he was her sunshine. Hermione's own heart ached with the depth of Lisa's longing to see him again.

Hermione drew back sharply, wrenching her way free from Lisa's mind and came back, staring into blue eyes. She put a hand to her face and found her own cheeks wet with tears. The blistering, flaming walls still rose around them, no time had passed and Lisa was casting the final spell. Once more she tried to cast a spell, and once more her voice said something she did not mean to say.

"Michael," she rasped, throat stinging from the smoke.

Lisa froze, her mouth half-open, her final disarming spell still forming on her lips.

"Michael," Hermione repeated, hardly able to comprehend the words that forced their way out of her. "I'll find him. No matter where you hide him. Do you know who I am? You know who I work for?"

The flames and the smoke masked the sight of them from the crowd. What was she doing? What was she saying? She couldn't believe the words that came from her mouth. But she couldn't lose - couldn't. It would be the end of everything.

"I work for the Dark Lord," Hermione hissed, and Lisa shrank back in horror, words dying on her lips. Hermione reached over and yanked Lisa's wand from her hand and Lisa did not resist.

"Stupefy," Hermione said, unable to see the look in Lisa's eyes any longer.

Lisa toppled. Hermione, her mouth dry and heart thudding, watched her fall to the sand slowly, sprawling ungracefully on her back. What had she done? The seconds lengthened, and the flames dropped, and the crowd became louder. As Hermione came into view they began to cheer and shout her name.

Hermione was being watched. Voldemort's people were in the stands. And so, while she wanted to scream, to cry, to wake Lisa and beg her forgiveness, instead she raised a hand and waved. But she couldn't smile, no matter what she told her facial muscles to do. The referee came forward and took Hermione's hand.

"Ms Hermione Black-Snape from Hogwarts!" he shouted, and through the fog of cheering came the resonant sound of applause from the other teams. The Australian students were clapping, disheartened but not angry. That would change.

On the sand, Lisa was woken by the healer on standby. She got to her feet slowly and approached Hermione.

"My wand please," she said to Hermione in a low voice.

Hermione handed it over and as she met Lisa's eyes she saw nothing but cold fury.

"I'm -"

"I needed that apprenticeship," Lisa said icily. "That wasn't an illegal move, but we both know it should have been. Thanks for nothing."

Then, ignoring Hermione's outstretched hand, she turned and strode from the sand. Hermione's stomach roiled as she remembered the images she had seen in Lisa's mind. Lisa was happy, her family were kind, but they were poor and Australia was far away from the rest of the wizarding world. If Lisa was to excel in her chosen field she had needed that apprenticeship. This had been her chance.

Hot, prickly shame that crawled over Hermione's skin. She returned to the Hogwarts box slowly and only nodded to Amos when he offered her congratulations.

"Nice work," Rabastan said, clapping her on the back.

"Thanks," Hermione said, sinking into her chair. Across the arena, she could see Lisa talking to the other Australian students. They were looking angrily in her direction. What was Lisa saying to them? Had Lisa known that Hermione was inside her mind, or had she merely thought Hermione had done research on her?

"Those flames were wild," Rabastan continued, bouncing up and down. "We couldn't see anything going on in there."

Hermione nodded slightly. She wrapped her arms around her knees, misery sinking into every part of her body. Lisa would have won the duel. Hermione had almost lost. She was not the invincible fighter she thought she was. And she had cheated. She had used someone's emotions against them. She had blackmailed.

The rest of the duelling passed in silence. Only a few matches remained, and none of them enthralled. Hermione was lost in her own thoughts, struggling to push them down.

The announcer concluded the last match of the day and wizarding reporters descended on the competitors, demanding interviews and photos. Hermione, Severus and Rabastan moved as one towards the exit steadfastly ignoring the clamouring reporters. This was part of Lord Voldemort's plan. He didn't want any Death Eaters making press statements until after the finals.

"Mrs Snape," a reporter shouted, thrusting a pen under Hermione's nose. "A quick word for the Daily Prophet?"

"It's Black-Snape," Hermione snarled and shouldered past the man towards the stairs. Severus and Rabastan fell into position behind her and they made it through the crowd unaccosted. Hermione kept her eyes downwards as they passed the Australian students.

All she could think of now was finding her bed and this being over. Exhaustion ruled her, heaviness dragged at her limbs and she was not sure she could even make it along the corridor to her room. But when they reached the top of the stairs an unpleasant surprise was waiting for them.

"Professor Dumbledore," Rabastan said in surprise, stopping so abruptly that Hermione stumbled into the back of him.

At the top of the stairs, Professor Dumbledore waited, stepping aside as students passed. But it wasn't him that made Hermione pause. Dumbledore was not alone. Behind him was Arabel, Alecto and Regulus, huddled together pale and shaken. And further, behind them two men stood. They wore the red robes of the auror office.

Hermione reached for her wand, instinct leading faster than conscious thought. They had been discovered. They were under arrest for Death Eater activity. Someone in the Order of the Phoenix had told - had told what? Hermione's mind slowed. Being a Death Eater wasn't illegal yet, nor was merely supporting Lord Voldemort. What then? Why were the aurors here?

"There has been an incident," Professor Dumbledore said, his face grave.

"What kind of incident?" Hermione asked, her mouth dry. Rabastan pushed past her and took Alecto's hands in his, looking into her eyes and communicating nonverbally. Alecto leaned her head against his shoulder and gave a dry sob.

"I think it would be best if we discussed this privately," the taller auror said. Professor Dumbledore gave a short bow.

"My office is at your service."

They walked upstairs in total silence. Rabastan held Alecto's hand and Hermione had never been more aware of the coldness of Severus. When they entered the office Professor Dumbledore conjured them seats and the two aurors took positions either side of the door.

"Professor, what's this about?" Rabastan asked.

Professor Dumbledore fiddled with some parchment, meeting their eyes one at a time, Hermione last.

"Ivan Grindelwald is dead," he said.

Hermione's mouth fell open with shock.

"What," Severus said blankly.

"Yes," Dumbledore said heavily. "His body was discovered by your friends here, although I believe it was Miss Selwyn who identified the corpse."

Hermione stared into Arabel's eyes, unable to risk legilimency so close but trying to read the surface of her thoughts. It was too hard. Arabel was a turbulent storm of emotions inside. Impressed by how Arabel hid her internal landscape, Hermione returned her attention to Dumbledore.

"Indeed, it was a most unfortunate incident, and something we are trying to get to the bottom of," Dumbledore was saying.

"Where was he found?" Hermione asked, dazed.

"In his dormitory," one of the Aurors said gruffly, then hesitated and glanced at the other Auror. "He was murdered."

"How?" Hermione asked.

"It looks like the unforgivable curse."

"Bloody hell," Severus said. Hermione frowned, bewildered. Ivan Grindelwald had been hiding somewhere in Hogwarts - this much they knew - but how had he come to be murdered in his dormitory? And on the day her friends were sent with a map to find him. Nothing made sense.

"It doesn't make sense," she said. She wished for a few moments alone with Arabel, Alecto, and Regulus to ask them how they had found him - and if the Marauders Map had led them there. Since the start of the year, Arabel had been monitoring Grindelwald's dormitory. Could she have missed his presence there?

"Yes," the auror said, dragging out the word. "And he left this."

He tossed a small, blue notebook onto the table. Hermione's throat closed at the sight of it. She reached for it, and nobody prevented her from picking it up. But when she flicked through the pages they were blank, and her relief turned her muscles to jelly. Only the first page bore writing. Hermione Black, scribed in a small, neat hand.

"This isn't mine," she said. "I've got one like it, but I wrote in mine."

"On the contrary Mrs Snape," the auror said, not moving from his spot by the door. "Several students in your house have already confirmed that you have been seen with this exact notebook on numerous occasions."

Hermione stared at the aurors, as what was happening finally dawned on her.

"You think I did it," she said with disbelief. "But I've been in full view of thousands of people all day. I never left the arena."

"Early testing on the body suggests that Ivan Grindelwald was killed last night," the a1uror said bluntly. The other auror was a tall man who had not once spoken or met her eyes but stared across the office, seemingly disinterested in the conversation.

Hemione stared at him in disbelief, and turned to Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir - this is ridiculous. I absolutely have nothing to do with this. Grindelwald isn't even supposed to be at Hogwarts anymore, he should have gone back to Bulgaria! This is a set-up."

"We are making enquiries within Durmstrang as to why Ivan Grindelwald was still on Hogwarts grounds," Dumbledore said.

"I'd like you to make enquiries as to why I'm being framed for murder!" Hermione snarled.

"Everything will be investigated in due course," the auror said.

"So what - am I under arrest?" Hermione asked wildly, panic rising in her chest at the thought of entering the Ministry of Magic cells again. Alecto made a small distressed noise, and Rabastan murmured something to her.

"Not formally," the auror said. "But you are required to come to the ministry for questioning under veritaserum. This is a voluntary action. However, if you resist then yes, we will formally arrest you."

"You can't use veritaserum - I'm under seventeen," Hermione insisted.

"You are married, Mrs Snape, and therefore accorded all the rights of an adult witch," the auror said. "Including the right to be questioned under veritaserum without your consent."

Hermione stared at the auror and the room swayed. Questioning under veritaserum was impossible. Everything - the time travel, the murders, the spying - would all come out. The ministry would know, but as soon as his spies reached him, so would Lord Voldemort. It would be the end of everything. The only solution was to run, rather than face a ministry investigation. Hermione eyed Dumbledore's office window. If she broke through it would Wingardium Leviosa keep her up before she hit the ground? Could she get past the Whomping Willow before the aurors caught her? She could escape through Hogsmeade and go - where?

But there was no point thinking so far ahead. She must wait for the right moment. How could she gain the precious few seconds it would take to make a run for it?

"Can I change first? I've been duelling all day," Hermione said. She was, in fact, filthy. Her robes reeked of smoke, sand showered out of the folds with every movement, and there were ragged holes where sparks had burnt through the fabric.

"No," said the auror shortly.

Dumbledore stared intently at Hermione, surely telegraphing some meaning to her. But whatever he intended it eluded her. She glanced at the window again, gripped her wand and tensed her muscles, poised to spring out of her chair.

Hermione drew breath for a glass-shattering charm when a voice broke the silence.

"I did it."

Arabel had spoken, white but still poised. Hermione's words died on her lips.

"Excuse me?" growled the auror. Even his fellow auror who had been silent so far blinked in surprise.

"It was me," Arabel said, and her voice did not tremble once. "I killed Grindelwald."

"No," Hermione said softly, but her voice was eclipsed by the shout of disbelieving fury from Regulus.

Arabel met Hermione's eyes, and Hermione took a chance. "Legilimens," she breathed, as quietly as she could without failing to voice the spell. In a split second, she was inside Arabel's mind, and a clipped and precise voice spoke to her.

I'm underage. They cannot make me take veritaserum. You need to be at the duelling final to defeat Voldemort. Do not fail in this, find the real killer. I have no intention of going to Azkaban.

Hermione withdrew with a shudder and stared at Arabel with a new appreciation for her quick thinking and bravery. It was no small thing to confess to a murder, particularly when you were the child of a family as well-known and influential as the Selwyns.

"You are confessing?" the auror demanded.

Arabel nodded. "I will make a full and complete statement and cooperate fully, but I hereby invoke my right as the daughter of The Ancient and Noble House of Selwyn to speak no further until I have attained proper legal representation, and my right as a minor to not be questioned under veritaserum."

"No!" Regulus bellowed furiously. "I've been with her all week. She didn't do it!"

"Yes I did," Arabel said calmly. "Stop it Regulus."

Regulus leaned forward, gripping the chair and seemed on the verge of speech but Arabel glared fiercely and he subsided. He slumped back into his chair, his head in his hands.

"Miss Selwyn perhaps this confession could have been made to us directly without having to bring your friends up here," the auror said irritably.

"I was frightened," Arabel said, not looking frightened in the slightest. "I'm sorry."

Alecto snuffled and took a handkerchief Rabastan offered her. Hermione wanted to cry but she didn't dare. It was the bravest thing she had ever seen. Arabel was just a child and she was offering herself for all their sakes. For the sake of the ministry not discovering their secrets. Hermione couldn't even begin to trace the consequences of what might happen if she herself was questioned under veritaserum. Arabel had known all this. She had calculated it in an instant, and then she had acted.

"Dumbledore, can we use your floo?" the auror asked.

Professor Dumbledore nodded agreeably. "Of course old boy. The floo powder is right - ah." He paused, holding a small silver dish in his hand and peering inside. "I do apologise but it would appear that I am entirely out."

"Damn it Dumbledore," the auror muttered. "How are we going to get back?"

"You can apparate from just beyond the gates," Dumbledore suggested. "I'm sure you remember the way."

The auror took Arabel by the arm, though not unkindly. He gestured to the other auror.

"I'll take her to the ministry and get her booked. You make the report and contact her parents. She'll need a guardian and legal representation present for any interviews."

"Yes sir," the other auror said. He had been silent so far in the conversation, but now he did something peculiar. As the first auror opened the office door, firmly gripping Arabel, he made eye contact with Dumbledore and tilted his head, as though asking a question. Dumbledore gave a short nod.

They all disappeared through the office door, and immediately Dumbledore stood and made his way to the window.

"Professor we can't let this happen -" Regulus began but Dumbledore raised a hand to forestall him.

"Not now. Wait."

Hermione rose and joined Dumbledore at the window. Outside the grounds were still and almost empty. Above the distant quidditch pitch, small figures flew. Smoke curled from Hagrid's hut, but no other sign of life.

"What's happening?" Hermione asked quietly. She thought she knew, but Dumbledore ignored her. The front doors opened and the trio emerged, one auror still gripping Arabel by the arm. She was not struggling but she made a pitiful figure standing between the two men.

Dumbledore raised his wand and unlatched the window. He narrowed his eyes at the two men and an instant later magic pulsed from his wand wordlessly, fast as lightning.

Though Dumbledore's office was hundreds of feet above the men, the spell flew true, striking the auror holding Arabel. He dropped to the ground like a stone. Arabel started, looking wildly about her. But the second auror didn't waste a minute. He took Arabel's arm, speaking quickly, and they began to run together to the gates. Soon they were out of sight.

"What's happened?" Regulus demanded from behind Hermione where he had squeezed himself in to see the action. "Where's she going?"

"Miss Selwyn is being taken to a safe house," Dumbledore said, stepping away from the window. He looked old and tired.

"Where?" Regulus demanded.

"She will be safe," Dumbledore said firmly and somehow his tone brooked no argument.

"Is the other auror one of yours?" Rabastan asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said wearily, sitting down heavily behind his desk. "He's an Order member. However, we did not expect it would be Mis Selwyn who required transport to a safe house."

"You thought it would be me," Hermione said, sitting down again in her chair.

Professor Dumbledore replaced his wand on the desk.

"Yes, we believed it would be you."

"But I didn't kill him," Hermione protested. "I didn't! I'll swear it under veritaserum - just not to the fucking ministry."

"That will not be necessary," Dumbledore said. "It does not matter whether or not you did kill him. He is dead, and Miss Selwyn is safe. All that matters now is that you proceed to the final round of the duelling competition and that we defeat Lord Voldemort there. All other concerns can be dealt with latterly."

"You think I killed him," Hermione said, staring.

Dumbledore didn't meet her eyes and shifted some things on his desk.

"It doesn't matter either way."

"But I didn't do it," Hermione burst out, furious. "Why would I kill Grindelwald?"

Silence fell, and for a moment nobody would meet Hermione's eyes. She stared around them, horrified and angry.

"She didn't do it," Severus said at last.

Hermione jerked her head up, and even Dumbledore looked surprised. But Severus shrugged.

"What? It's not rocket science. Hermione isn't exactly secretive about killing people."

The day had been long. Hermione's temples throbbed, her bruises ached, and her thoughts ricocheted between Arabel and poor Lisa Johnson with a stomach-churning mixture of guilt and worry. So, without the slightest compunction, she stood and left the room, kicking the door shut and cutting off Severus's voice.

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Thanks for reading. I took two weeks off to write and illustrate a children's book and wow that stuff is much harder to write than this. Also the lack of murder/romance/angst really makes it less fun. Glad to be back in the loving (and sometimes not so loving, I'm looking at you, flamers) arms of . How is everyone? Anyone in a country where you can actually do things yet?

Cas