Hermione and Nagini plot and scheme.

The next full moon had arrived and Hermione was running a bit late to meet Nagini.

She’d been in the library with Malfoy working on their Potions project.

The last few weeks had been a bit tense between her and the other Slytherins, after her outburst, which compounded with the overall tenseness at Hogwarts due to the fact that Crouch Sr. had been found murdered on school grounds the day after the second task, everyone was on edge.

Daphne had been her usual cheery self, but Draco had been unusually somber and quiet. He didn’t tease her nor engage her other than doing their work.

She thought briefly that perhaps she should apologize, but then thought better of it.

She had gone up to the Room of Requirement to change into something more comfortable to wear and that was why she was hurrying along the corridors and outside towards the Black Lake.

Draco had gone to his usual spot right after they had finished studying, placing a disillusionment and silencing charm and waited for Granger to arrive.

He spotted her coming down the hill hurriedly, curls flying, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

She was so beautiful, and it made his heart ache that he’d hadn’t noticed before this year.

Granger was everything a wizard could want in a witch. Beautiful, smart, cunning, kind, strong and resilient. He grew more in awe of her everyday, and he knew she didn’t trust him and most likely loathed him with good reason. It physically hurt him seeing her with Krum. He didn’t think she’d kissed the Bulgarian yet, but they’d held hands and she smiled with him easily.

Her smile was breathtakingly beautiful, and he was covetous of that smile being given to another wizard.

He wanted it so badly for his own.

He was truly good and well fucked.

Hermione sat down waiting for her friend to show, her mind drifting to thoughts of the pale blonde Slytherin.

He had been so withdrawn this past week, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

Draco Malfoy was an enigma.

He’d spent three years tormenting her, telling her she was nothing but filth and unworthy to do magic. She had been so shocked when she’d overheard him talking with Daphne that day on the Hogwarts Express the end of last year. He seemed truly worried about her, and watching him closely this year, he did seem a changed wizard.

But she was convinced that there was some ulterior motive behind this sudden change.

So lost in her thoughts as she was, she didn’t notice Nagini right away. The snake rested her head on Hermione’s lap and could sense her mistress’s distraction. She slowly lifted her head and flicked her tongue out and the little witch gasped at the sensation, coming out of her trance.

Hermione gazed down at the snake and laughed joyously, and Nagini smiled (if snakes could smile that was).

“You are distracted today, young one. What has you in such a state?” Nagini hissed at her mistress.

“Sorry, Nagini. I just have a lot on my mind today.”

“Do you wish to talk about it.”

Hermione laughed again. “Are you sure you want to listen to my boy troubles?”

The snake hissed in irritation and moved over Hermione’s shoulder. “Mistress is too young to be thinking about boys. Master would be most unhappy.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the snake. “My Father would be unhappy if a wizard wished to court me, or date me? I suppose?”

The snake tilted its head considering the witch. “Master would feel it is not appropriate for young Mistress to be thinking about courting any wizard until she is older and has finished her studies. Master values knowledge and power and would not want his heir seeking to settle for a substandard wizard.”

Hermione nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. Pay me no mind, Nagini. I’m not planning on allowing any wizard to distract me from my goals.”

“And what are your goals, young one?”

“To help my Father return more powerful than before. To remove those who would seek to take my family from me. To discredit those who would seek to taint my Father’s name and myself. To rule the Wizarding World and have every person bow before us.”

Nagini nodded at her Mistress, pleased.

She truly was her Master’s daughter.

“I will tell your Father as much. Now I bring word from my Master to you, young one. He understands your desire to approach his servant, but is unsure of your reasoning. I will need to explain to him your plan so he can decide whether it is worth the risk exposing yourself before he returns.”

“Do you know Nagini, whether my Father has found a blood magic spell to return to full power?”

“Yes, on the night of the final task? Master’s servant will make sure the Potter boy is victorious. The champions cup will be charmed to transport Potter to a graveyard where Master will be waiting with another of his servants. A ritual will be performed taking the boys blood and retuning Master to full power.”

Hermione thought something like this was the plan. The problem was there were other champions in the tournament and it would not do well if one of the other champions got to the cup first, or heaven forbid, a tie with Potter and another wizard like Viktor—being transported together.

“I have been researching and have discovered Salazar Slytherin’s personal library and I found a Romanian text that contained a spell to repair a damaged soul. I believe by using Potter’s blood, performing the ritual and reciting the incantation not only would Father return to full power, but also return the missing piece of his soul to him, thereby severing the attachment and making it possible to kill Potter. I think it would be better to obliviate the boy, and then return him back to Hogwarts via the portkey. It could be used as a means to discredit Dumbledore. Allowing an underaged wizard in the tournament and then obliviated. I could potentially use it as a means to turn Potter against the Headmaster. It might be more advantageous to leave the Potter boy alive for now if we can use him later on. Killing the boy might make him a martyr and a rallying point Dumbledore can exploit for his benefit. I also overheard a conversation earlier this year. It would seem that when Potter received his wand in Diagon Alley, the wandmaker Ollivander, had let it slip stating that the Phoenix core that resides in Potter’s wand came from the same Phoenix that offered up the tail feather that resides in Father’s wand. If my research is to be believed, twin cores can damage but not kill each other. It is doubtful that Father would be able to kill the boy with his own wand.”

Nagini thought on this and after a few moments nodded her head. “That is interesting and concerning, young Mistress. Do you believe you have the necessary information to discredit Dumbledore, and do you have the incantation?”

Hermione nodded and took a piece of parchment wrapped in a cloth out of her bag. “Yes, I have quite a bit of damaging information about Dumbledore’s past that isn’t common knowledge. If the Potter boy returns sufficiently obliviated of all his reasons to support Dumbledore, I believe I can bring him onside eventually. He’d make a more powerful ally than enemy, especially when we indicate that the death of his parents is laid firmly at Dumbledore’s feet. Also, I can attach the small pouch containing the spell and necessary ritual that has to be performed for you to bring back to Father. Will he send for his Death Eaters immediately when he returns?”

“My Master’s most loyal will know he’s back when their marks return to full strength.”

“I see, perhaps it would be better to wait until all the pieces are in place before Father makes his move. If people start to speculate he’s back before we can completely discredit Dumbledore and have him dealt with, fear will cause people to overlook Dumbledore’s more dubious past and it will be harder to gain a foothold without open violence and warfare. I believe we can win this with minimal bloodshed. Do what Father wasn’t able to accomplish the first time. If I can speak with his servant, I have found other spells that will secretly ward the area where the cup is to be placed so only Potter can enter and take it. If any other wizard or witch approach, they will be unable to reach it.”

“You don’t wish the wizard harmed that was with you at the ball.” Hermione nodded. “I will speak with your Father about what we’ve discussed.”

“Thank you, Nagini. Here is the spell for Father.”

The snake allowed Hermione to magically attach the small pouch to her before slithering away.

Hermione watched the snake go and gazed out over the lake. Everything was coming to a head, and she wondered whether or not her plan would succeed. If it did, her Father would return before the end of the school year and Harry Potter and the rest of the Wizarding world would find out very quickly that their beloved Dumbledore wasn’t the saint that they’d all thought he was.

She had found letters at Bathilda Bagshot’s home last year. The woman was the Great Aunt of Gellert Grindelwald, and according to her, Gellert and Dumbledore were very close. The letters showed of their plans to secretly rid the world of Muggles. Dumbledore and Grindewald were after power, but Dumbledore’s mother died and then his sister Ariana was killed and everything changed.

Hermione had found a strange rune in one of Dumbledore’s letters, and she still hadn’t been able to figure out what it was or what it signified. One thing she did figure out was that Dumbledore had dueled and defeated Grindewald in 1945. Following that duel, he had become a national hero, and soon afterwards he’d taken over the Headmaster position at Hogwarts.

Doing some further research into the first Wizarding war, Dumbledore had created a resistance group called the Order of the Phoenix, which had a large following. Many were killed by the Death Eaters it was true, and that was why she thought it was best to use subterfuge and stealth where open violence didn’t work before. People were more likely to fight back if you gave them a good enough reason to, but oftentimes if you manipulated them with diversionary tactics and propaganda they would fall in line. Dumbledore wouldn’t be able to rally followers if there was no violence, bloodshed nor boogeyman.

But use the media and people’s own innate prejudices to bring the man down?

Now that would be far more damaging and much easier to accomplish.

Everyone had secrets, the trick was finding them and exploiting them to one’s advantage.

Standing up and stretching, Hermione watched the sun set before she headed back into the castle, thinking about what lay ahead and what she needed to do in preparation. She was always good with planning and this was no different. It would hinge on what her Father decided to do. If the Potter boy returned dead, then the dye would be cast and open warfare would be the result. If he returned obliviated, her Father was sending a clear message that he trusted her judgement and valued her offer.

It would be interesting to see what path he would ultimately choose.

Her only concern was inasmuch as the fact that splitting his soul so many times might make her Father less rational and more reactionary, but there was hope that having that single piece of his soul returned that had been attached to the Potter boy for so long, might strengthen his resolve and temper his need for immediate vengeance.

She would just have to prepare for both contingencies, which she excelled at.

Draco watched Hermione leave and made his way towards the owlry to send his Father an update.

Granger had talked to the snake for well over an hour and had given the snake something to take with it.

Was it something for the Dark Lord and if so, what?

He knew that his Father would see this as proof that Granger was in contact with the Dark Lord, further proving his knowledge and acceptance of his heir.

Draco was convinced that the Dark Lord knew of Hermione and that they were in communication with each other.

If he didn’t make inroads towards fixing the mess he’d created soon, there was no telling what would await he and his family, not to mention the entirety of Slytherin House—when the Dark Lord returned.