Gloria Victis

Gloria Victis

Chapter One: Twilight of Two Worlds

In my mind, prison became associated with love. Whenever I heard of a man who was or had been in prison, I felt my heart beating beneath my ribs.
----- Nawal Al Saadawi

It's chilling, she thought, how quiescent the grounds can be in the midst of war.

Stars flourished themselves on the twilight canvas while moon flashed in correspondence, all dancing in an ominous waltz not meant for human eyes. The once ripe summer grass surrounding the castle now stood in strokes of blue, glinting mischievously at its immortal counterpart. The night sky dazzled above her, crisp and ripe, naïve of what would become of the mortals below it. As if, despite the pressing Death Eaters gaining ground on the Order's refuge in Hogwarts, it went on untainted by death, hatred, and blood that threatened to swallow all who found it sanctuary.

It's all hauntingly beautiful, she thought with a solemn smile, gazing from the celestial heavens down to the lake mirroring twilight.

"Hermione..." She turned around, observing Harry's moonlight silhouette, reflecting silver strokes onto her own pale skin. His emerald eyes traced her fingers fondling with the wand in her right hand, then darted back into her own pupils. "Whatever happens...to me, I need to know that you and Ron will...That you won't--"

"Harry..." she started, hindering Harry's words, her eyes growing wider peering into his jaded ones.

"Listen, this is my fight. Sirius died because of me--I don't want you to end up like him," he rasped. Her lip twitched slightly at his benevolence. Averting her eyes, she looked away from him, onto the crescent moon hazed through the windowpane. He managed to chuckle weakly after minutes in silence, "All those fights you've been through...with me, I can't imagine this one being your last."

Her lips curved into a feeble smile on her starved face. "Whatever happens, Harry, we do together. That's how it's always been, hasn't it?"

Hermione stared at him; transfixed on his scar. She then carefully dove into those audacious green eyes, partially covered by messy strands of black hair. "You keep insisting to go off on your own, but it's too late for that, Harry. The time to abandon you and your destiny has passed. And who would've helped you find all those Horcruxes, if not Ron and I?"

"Without your support, it never would've been impossible," Harry replied softly. He breathed in sharply, continuing, "I know you'll go on, Hermione."

His fingers fumbled with something around his collar, eventually pulling out a heavy gold locket. The chain curled delectably smooth into his left palm, coiling into itself like a snake. Hermione gazed down at it, knowing immediately what it was; her eyes examined its surface, noticing the graceful 'S' carved into the heart of it. "You knew what it was, Hermione, and you were the one who came across it first. Even though I destroyed it, I feel it still belongs to you."

He held it there patiently, waiting for her to grasp hold of its delicate chain. Her fingertips laid gently on its surface for a moment, then slowly, they wrapped themselves around the heirloom, which once caused her so much hardship in redeeming it. After laying the delicate chain on her lithe neck, Hermione looked out to the grounds, her eyebrows arched in worry. "Are you sure Ron will be all right in Hogsmeade? It seems like an easy place for mass amounts of Death Eaters to gather."

"Trust me, Hermione; Ron won't have any more trouble than we will. Not to mention Ginny and Tonks have his back to make sure he won't get into more than he can handle," Harry replied with a small grin.

Hermione managed a half-laugh at this. It was true, Ron did have a daring streak in order to prove his worth to people, mostly during their Hogwarts years. But her laughter stifled at the same thought; she winced at the notion of his outcome.

"Harry, Hermione. They're here." Both Hermione and Harry turned around, quickly stirring from their lulling trances. Hermione observed Luna keenly; her wistful look had vanished from her eyes. Over the period of the war, Luna Lovegood had gradually awakened from her dreams of Crumple-horned Snorkacks, and gave the Order an obdurate ally.

Her interjection was so simple; it was only four maliciously concealed words. Luna uttered only four words, and it was those same four words, which all three knew would impact their lives perpetually.

"It's time, isn't it?" Hermione muttered breathlessly, looking from once face to the next. They let the words linger for a moment, refusing to answer what they all knew. The cessation of war remained by all grasping for a moments peace, only to desist from raw screams, reaching the heights of the seventh floor.

"It's time," Luna answered, her tone sharp and unflinching. Luna then shot her eyes toward Harry's. He met her vigilant gaze and slowly nodded back. Harry glanced over at Hermione; her mouth trembled, but stopped as his lips formed into a smile of reassurance. Without a word of farewell, Harry swiftly strode towards the shadows of Luna Lovegood, manifested by the stairwell's candlelight.

Wind rushed in her ears, alongside the occasional blast from the outer walls of the castle while Hermione raced down the stone steps. She panted as distance grew between herself and Harry. Her muscles began to scream in protest as she started to sprint. The wand she grasped reassuringly became slippery from the sweat beginning to brood in her palm.

Then she saw them; Harry and Luna at the foot of Hogwarts entrance, their robes waving at Hermione almost blithely as both darted out of the great oak doors. Reaching the entrance, she dashed out into the grounds lacquered in twilight. Her gaze rushed around the trimmed grass, filled with exchanges of spells and curses slowly brightening the once opaque night sky. Hermione's lower lip quivered slightly; Harry and Luna were nowhere to be seen through the legions of the Order and Death Eaters.

"Crucio!"

"Protego!" Hermione warily cried back. The crimson light missed her by inches she took note, now clutching her wand tighter than before.

"So the ickle little Mudblood wants to play, does she?" the voice of a woman called back in sadistic mirth, concealed behind her smooth, ivory mask.

Hermione's eyes widened with reminiscence of her fifth year. "Bellatrix," she muttered cautiously under her breath.

"Come to play with the big boys and girls now, have you?" she cackled. Jets of green light flew at her, forcing Hermione to jump out of their merciless way.

"You can't dodge me forever, Mudblood!" she crowed. Hermione clenched her teeth with tension, aware that Bellatrix was gaining ground on her with each passing curse.

She lessoned in her once hasty reactions, sweat dripping from her brows. Bellatrix, however, laughed with pleasure in seeing Hermione's fatigue, taunting her, "Is the little Mudblood getting tired of playing games?" While she blazoned though, Bellatrix left her right side defenseless.

Stupefy! Hermione thought as her heart pulsated in her ribs. Bellatrix propelled twenty feet into the air, landing in an unsettling crunch as she skidded to the ground. Hermione let out a sharp exhale as sweat beaded across her forehead. Yet within less than a second, she was back on her feet, having heard an unnerving snarl coming somewhere behind her. She turned around, seeing a pair of daunting fangs being licked maliciously by a lashing tongue. Fenrir Greyback's eyes glinted sinisterly back at her, his vindictive smile widening, baring taunting fangs itching to sink into his next prey.

A shiver crept down Hermione's back as Fenrir's smile grew wider. And without warning, he charged at her with full force, howling out at her in a war cry unrecognizable to her ears. Hermione held back her shock and lunged toward the entrance door, sprinting into the entrance hall.

All that seemed distinguishable to her ears at that moment were her shoes patting on the pavement while Hermione attempted to distance herself as much as possible from that monster. Rushing into an empty classroom, she caught her breath in trembling gasps.

"You can't hide forever, girlie!" Fenrir roared down the corridor.

Hermione clutched the locket hanging loosely on her neck. Her ears pricked, listening to Fenrir's footsteps coming closer. She breathed in deeply, still shaking, then slipped the necklace safely into her robes. Fenrir's feet loomed over the door she stood behind; Hermione grasped a hold of her wand firmly, not even daring to draw breath.

"Found you!"

"STUPEFY!" Fenrir fell to the floor, a sickening thump accompanying him while he flopped limply on the ground.

Hermione's stomach fluttered while her heart threatened her with the prospect of bursting from her chest. Sinking to the limestone floor in retreat, she breathed in roughly, listening to the sounds of screams. They seemed so vague right now...so out of reach...

Her eyelids flicked open instantaneously.

Ron...Harry...

Hermione fumbled to brush flicks of brunette hair aside her face, snatching her wand with her free hand. Leaping up restlessly, she felt a lurid feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. The screams and blasts outside seemed to cease, as if someone snuffed them out all at once.

It happened in a blur, she thought. One moment, the door in front of her blasted open. The next, two Death Eaters viciously grabbed her by her forearms. The one holding her right hand twisted her arm while she screamed, dropping her wand, her only way out. They laughed ruthlessly as she winced in their firm grasp.

Her stare dropped to the rough stone surface, avoiding the virulent gaze of her oppressors. They were, however, interrupted by flowing robes of black, elegantly gracing the paved entrance with a slight breeze. Her eyes trailed up the robes, feeling her insides writhe with an ominous sensation spreading up to the tips of her fingers. She was greeted with malevolent, crimson eyes, serpentine slits, and an inscrutable smile spreading on a slender, pale face. Lord Voldemort had arrived.