Dark Angel

Part One

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ringed with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls:

He watches from his mountain walls,

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

--Tennyson

Chapter One

Grimmauld Place

Remus found them in an old abandoned house in Blackmoor just a few miles from Land's End. The house reminded Remus of Grimmauld Place with its Victorian influence and neglected appearance. The path leading from the gates to the front door was overgrown with ivy and various vines and weeds that had long taken over the grounds. The house looked dark and empty as Remus stepped onto the porch.

Remus knocked on the door and waited. He glanced to the window and noticed a dark shadow of someone rush through the room out of sight. Shaking his head, he knocked again. Slowly, the door opened. Remus looked down to see a small wary house elf. He smiled warmly at the magical creature.

"Hello." He squatted down to be as level with the house elf as possible. Looking around him as if to make sure no one was near, he looked back at the house elf.

"I really need to speak with Severus," Remus whispered.

The elf's eyes, already as big as saucers, grew even larger. Fear and shock its cause. The house elf shut the door and Remus heard its feet run through the house and then run back. The door swung open.

"Welcome!"

The house elf motioned for Remus to enter. Stepping across the threshold pulled Remus into darkness. No lights were on anywhere to speak of. His eyes looked around, adjusting to the darkness. Ahead of him, he noticed a dark figure standing in a doorway watching him cautiously. Remus nodded in a friendly way. With a sneer, the figure turned swiftly, walking off into another room. Remus followed.

He found Severus sitting at a kitchen table nursing a firewhiskey. Remus watched Severus lift the glass to his mouth, tilt it back, and then pour some more. He noticed how thin Severus had become...thinner than normal. Remus watched him go through the motions again. Taking slow relaxed steps, Remus walked over and took the glass and bottle of firewhiskey from in front of Severus. Severus watched disdainfully as Remus emptied the bottle and sat both bottle and glass in the sink.

"This will not help you, Severus. It will only numb the pain."

Severus peered at the old marauder unable to hide his dislike. Remus turned around, leaning against the sink with his hands in his pocket.

"Sniff me out to turn me into the ministry?"

Remus smiled as if the reference was an old joke they shared.

"On the contrary, Severus. We found a memory remaining in Dumbledore's pensieve."

At the mention of Dumbledore's name Severus closed his eyes seeming to cringe at the reminder. Remus paused for only a moment before continuing.

"We know about the unbreakable vow he made you take."

Remus paused, surveying Severus' reaction.

"We know he asked you to kill him...to save Draco and yourself."

The echoing sound of footsteps brought Remus' attention to the door where Draco now stood looking between the two. He was also thinner and older looking...like a child who had been through more than some adults. His eyes too, though usually a cold grey, looked haunted.

"Hello Draco," Remus said with a polite nod and smile.

"Mr. Lupin," Draco said in response.

"I was just explaining to Severus that some of the Order knows what happened. This is not as safe as headquarters. You would both be safer there...especially Severus." He turned his attention back to Severus. "The ministry is not looking for Draco, they have Harry's statement. They want you Severus. Come to the headquarters where we can keep you safe and hidden until this mess is cleared."

Remus watched Severus' reaction. Severus looked toward Draco who was staring intently at him as if begging him for this...for Severus to make the decision for him. Remus reached in his cloak and pulled out an old beat up kettle.

"A portkey," he said as he sat it in the middle of the table.

Severus looked intently at Remus looking for any sign of betrayal. Still looking for any signs, he summoned Draco forward. Remus reached in his pocket again and pulled out a piece of parchment with the headquarter's location written on it. Severus and Draco took turns reading it and then nodded. The three stood around the table and as one, they reached out placing a finger on the portkey.

They landed right in the foyer of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. At the sound of the landing, the sound of a shrieking voice filled the air alerting Mrs. Weasley to their arrival. She came bustling into the foyer with a scowl on her face. Not looking at either of them, she rushed straight to Mrs. Black's portrait and proceeded to wrestle with its velvet covering. Draco looked at Lupin and Snape before stepping forward offering help in the task. After a moment, Mrs. Black was covered and quiet again. Mrs. Weasley looked at Draco as if she was unsure whether to trust him or not.

"Thank you, Draco," she finally said with a small unsure smile. He nodded his head in response. Then her eyes fell on Severus Snape. Her stern look was not new to Severus, but recent events created doubt as to where the look was coming from. She looked him up and down taking in his thin withered appearance.

"Follow me Severus. I have you set up on the third floor." She began walking up the stairs. Severus followed as Mrs. Weasley continued talking. "The only members who are aware of your presence here are Moody, Kingsley, Arthur, Bill, Charley, and of course myself and Remus." They reached the landing on the third floor and she led him down the hall to the third door on the right. She opened the door. "I believe it is best to not make your presence known to the others just yet."

Severus stepped into the room and looked around. It would suffice. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes with his back to Mrs. Weasley.

"And what of Potter?"

She was quiet as if debating what to say and how much to say. When the silence could not be drug out any longer, she finally answered.

"He doesn't know. He will be arriving with Hermione and Ron this evening."

His laugh startled Mrs. Weasley.

"So, the golden trio is uninformed?"

Mrs. Weasley huffed in indignation.

"I really wish you would not call them that, Severus. Honestly, they are only children."

Slowly Severus turned around. His eyebrow quirked up in surprise and thought.

"Molly, they have never been children."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Hermione, you can open your eyes now."

Ron stood just outside Grimmauld place holding his broom laughing. Hermione rode with Harry to Grimmauld Place. Her arms were wrapped tightly around Harry with her face turned to the side and smashed into his back with her eyes closed tightly. They had landed, but she still held on tightly refusing to open her eyes. She felt Harry patting her hands to get her attention and begging her to let go. Slowly, she opened one eye and then the other.

Land!

Harry helped Hermione off his broom with a small smile as Hermione stumbled a bit as if off balance. Ron looked around them. The mist was still present. The dementors were still breeding. Hermione turned her nose up in disgust as she too observed the eerie mist.

"Get inside. You never know what could be lurking out here."

Moody's gruff voice pulled everyone to attention. Moody led the way toward the house. Ron and Harry followed him, but Hermione took another look around. Something felt strange...odd, as if she were being watched. Noticing nothing, her eyes moved to the house. In the drawing room window, something caught her eye. Someone stood there looking down at them, but she couldn't tell who. The window was dark though. As she drew closer to the house, whoever was in the window swiftly moved away.

The strange image in the window was forgotten when Hermione entered the house. Tonks, who was walking behind Hermione, scooted around Hermione in the foyer and ran into the troll leg table...again. The crashing sound set Mrs. Black off.

"Oh...I'm sorry! Really, I am."

Harry and Ron fought with the insufferable, insulting painting.

"...Mudblood!"

They finally shut her up and covered her up. Looking toward Hermione, both boys had an apologetic look on their faces. Hermione simply shrugged. She was aware who use to own the house and what his family's line of thought was. It couldn't be helped.

"I'm going to find out how to get that portrait down if it's the last thing I do," Harry whispered. Hermione smiled appreciatively as Mrs. Weasley rushed into the room quietly ushering them into the kitchen.

"Come along and tuck in. You are just in time."

The boys rushed ahead into the kitchen leaving Hermione to follow rolling her eyes. It didn't matter what was going on in the world--their stomachs were always a first priority. Stepping into the kitchen, she noticed the tension immediately. They were aware that Draco would be there. Harry had told her and Ron what happened and that Remus would be collecting him. That did not mean they were friends.

Hermione looked around the table deciding where to sit. She did not have the slightest desire to sit anywhere near Draco, but it seemed the fates had other plans. Ginny reached out a hand pulling Hermione down in the seat next to her, right across from Draco. Slowly the table eased into friendly conversation and eventually laughter. Hermione sighed contentedly. Even with Draco there, it was like old times and right now, that was what they all needed. She looked up in time to see Tonks change her nose yet again causing her and Ginny to laugh.

"Do you mind," Hermione asked Remus, pointing at the Daily Prophet he had folded by his arm. He nodded his head and handed it over with a smile. Taking a quick swallow of pumpkin juice, Hermione unfurled the paper and took a quick look at the front page. Slowly her eyes shifted up to Draco and then back to the front page.

Lucius Malfoy was on the front page. She began to hungrily read the article. Ginny, noticing what Hermione was reading leaned closer to speak in her ear.

"The Order is in an uproar about it. That's where Kingsley is...he's heading a search party for him."

Hermione's eyes widened and looked at Ginny. According to the article, Lucius was released from Azkaban the day before, but no one has seen him since. And now the Order was searching for Lucius? Clearing her throat rather uncomfortably, Hermione handed the paper back to Remus. Draco watched her through narrow eyes. Hermione had no doubt that he knew what she was reading. Picking up her glass again, she leaned just slightly toward him and spoke low so only he could hear.

"They'll find him."

He said nothing in response, choosing instead to look away and pretend she never said a word. Hermione didn't expect him to say anything and if he did she expected an insult. Taking another glance around the table, she noticed Mrs. Weasley leaving the kitchen with a loaded tray in hand.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione stood at the window in the drawing room looking out into the street just as someone else had done earlier. Everyone was in the kitchen when they arrived so she could not fathom who it could be. Perhaps the stress was getting to her. The mist swirled in the night. Hermione reached up and pulled the drapes shut. Seeing the mist through the window at night in the drawing room was like a reminder of what was happening out there. Right now, she wanted the little time they had to be kids...but they were never truly able to be kids she realized. Turning around she faced the drawing room and all its occupants.

Ron sat at the chessboard playing a game with his sister. Ginny's face was scrunched up in concentration and determination. Draco sat at a table with a deck of Exploding Snap cards. He had an elaborate card castle built before him and was very carefully placing another card. Harry sat before the fire...staring into it. Hermione knew what he was thinking. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. His goal was no longer to simply survive Voldemort...to vanquish him, no, it was to destroy the horcruxes and avenge Dumbledore's death in the process. It was a plan Hermione was unsure of.

She felt the familiar softness of Crookshanks intertwining himself around Hermione's legs, purring. With a smile, Hermione picked up her cat and cuddled it in her arms.

"What is it Crookshanks?"

She walked across the room to a chair she previously occupied. Picking up her book, she snuggled in the chair with her cat.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione couldn't sleep anymore. After perhaps a few hours of troubled sleep, she woke up. Ginny was in the bed next to hers, sound asleep. Hermione's mind wouldn't stop working itself into overdrive. Her mind kept running over the events at Hogwarts and one Severus Snape. It all seemed so surreal--Severus betraying Dumbledore. There had to be something missing, something they did not know.

The sound of rain spluttering on the floor brought Hermione out of her thoughts for a moment. Ginny had left the window open. A summer down pour clouded the sky, shooting through the mist. The wind pushed the rain in through the window, where it now puddles on the floor.

"Bloody hell!"

Getting out of bed, she stepped toward the window to close it. The feel of the water trickling around her feet, between her toes was soon forgotten. Her window looked out over a portion of the small yard. A figure in a black cloak, with its hood up hiding their identity stood out in the rain. For a moment, she thought perhaps she was still asleep, but the cool water at her feet told her no way. The dark figure shifted down below and seemed to look up at her...she could feel their eyes on her, even if she could not see them.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

He stood in the rain, not caring about the cool water pouring down on him. He could have placed a charm to keep himself dry, but why bother. To be wet and cold was to suffer and he wanted to suffer...he deserved to suffer. His mind replayed the events over and over like a broken record created to torture him. Anger coursed through his veins as he clenched his fists.

A strange smile formed on his lips. Potter. Potter wanted revenge...Potter wanted to find him and kill him. The mere thought was hysterical. The boy couldn't keep his mind shut enough to accomplish even the simplest spell without his opponent knowing. It was laughable at best. His eyes turned up to the window of the room The-Boy-Who-Lived slept in with Mister Weasley. His eyes darkened when he noticed a figure in the window of the next room.

Turning toward this figure, he recognized her immediately. The Insufferable-Know-It-All. She stood in the window looking down at him. He was not trying to hide his presence and was well aware that she was looking at him. He knew she was trying to figure out who it was. That is what she does. When she quickly turned from the window and he saw the window light up as if someone lighting candelabra, he swiftly headed for the house.

What was she up to at this time of night?

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

She tiptoed out of the room. She wanted to know who this was. Hermione looked down the hallway. It was dark and quiet...too quiet. Corners and niches in the hall were shadowed into pure blackness. Looking around her nervously, she started down the hallway toward the stairs. Despite her bare feet, her walk was not in total silence. Every now and then, a floorboard would squeak causing Hermione to stop momentarily.

She was drawing close to the drawing room when she heard it. A door downstairs opened. She heard it close softly and heard the light clicking of a lock. Someone had come in and locked the door behind. She could hear the heavy footsteps...a familiar rhythm in their walk. Looking over the landing, she hoped to see who it was. Her heart pounded heavily. A shadow grew and became distorted against the floorboards and wall downstairs.

Just when she thought she would see who it was, her candelabra blew out leaving her in total darkness. Her instant blindness from her sudden lack of light gave him the advantage he needed. Swiftly and quietly, he shot up the stairs. Hermione felt someone suddenly tightly grab her arms and push her back against the wall in the blackened corner. The candelabra clattered on the floor.

She felt a much taller man hold her pinned to the wall. She tried to get away...to squirm out of his grip, but he only held on tighter. Her breath began to come in quick short successions as fear covered her as the darkness had. She felt her captor lean forward. She felt his breath caress her ear as he leaned in and whispered menacingly.

"Looking for something Miss Granger?"