The Face of Evil

The lake at Hogwarts

Harry Potter awoke out of his shocked exhausted sleep. It was however good for him, as his mind cleared and he began to think.

Memory which had been temporarily abandoned due to shock returned to him and he was able to play back the sequence in his mind.

'I was drugged,' he finally came to the conclusion, remembering the red bottle and Ginny's kiss.

His thoughts stopped in their tracks when he remembered Hermione.

'No!' he exclaimed realising what he had done. He had to find her and explain, this was not of his choosing or consent. She was reasonable; she would understand; he tried to convince himself.

What about Ginny?

The though plagued his mind. Either she had be coerced as he himself had been or had orchestrated the entire thing. He preferred to believe and dwell on the former.

Hermione would however need proof, she would not want it perhaps, but her scientific mind would be satisfied only with an absolution of innocence.

He would have to report the incident, it could not be hidden. A raving maniac was in roaming through Hogwarts. Whom to tell? Who would be discreet and able to give sound advice?

Dumbledore of course was the obvious choice in the matter, but Harry was reluctant to seek his help. The situation posed an embarrassing array of questions which he would be very unable to answer in all the details.

The answer hit him in a flash, Sirius.

Harry in a hurried step walked back towards the castle.

Unknown Location

Hermione took quite a while to recover. Mordante however sat patiently.

'Why?' she croaked seeking an explanation for the cruelty.

'To remind you of the consequences of your future actions will weigh heavy on all, especially you,' he said simply, 'also of note is the same treatment for your love sick companion Ron Weasley should you be less than cooperative.'

Mordante had played the friendship card well; it is one thing to endure torment but to thrust it on a friend; that was a different matter.

'You have your point,' said Hermione courage and feeling slowly returning through her body. She would never forget the pain of the Crucio curse.

'How is your boyfriend these days?' Mordante casually inquired.

The second blow was under the belt and an emotional one. Hermione's heart stopped as if seized by a crushing fist. Her mouth opened for immediate reply; no words came out.

'Speechless, I presume?' Mordante said with raised eyebrows, 'oh! How forgetful of me! He was found a new slut to fulfil his physical needs. You were it seems to slow and too conservative for the lustful loving Harry Potter.'

The only two things that kept Hermione form hurling a string of insults at Mordante were the shock of the degree of his knowledge and the seemingly truth in the matter.

'Speechless,' he mocked her again. 'Mr. Weasley, however, was not so, his torture has not been in vain. I would have used the serum, but Crucio is so much more exciting.'

A tear trickled down Hermione's face. Her spirit had been broken. It had taken only a few hours, hours which seemed like years, but she had finally been broken. The physical, emotional and physiological assault on her senses had crippled her.

In another time they would have been comforts and comforters, but her mind spiralling down the dark path of depression could not find debate against the points made. Words turned to truth, truth turned suspicions and fears right, and together they became the reality of Hermione's life.

She was a prisoner in a glorified bird cage, hung up as a trophy, betrayed by her closest significant, stung with the physical pain of Crucio and moved to tears by its use on her friend and at the mercy of a master villain bent on destruction.

Mordante interrupted her spiral; he could not have her go on into a depressive state, not just yet.

'What do you believe in?' he asked gently.

'The good, the victory of the light,' she whispered, her voice echoing through the empty halls.

'What is light? But a reflection of the dark laterally inverted in the mirror of relativity.' Mordante said.

'A reflection nonetheless,' she automatically countered.

'Yes, but they are the same just on opposite ends,' said Mordante.

'But, the dark is evil,' said Hermione.

'Does that make much of a difference?' said Mordante.

'Yes,' said Hermione

'Then Harry Potter is on our side,' Mordante said triumphantly.

'No!' said Hermione a reflex more than a statement.

'What he did to you was not evil?' said Mordante.

To this Hermione had no answer, her once clear mind, was slowly getting confused. She could not reason what Harry Potter had done.

'But he fights you!' exclaimed Hermione.

'That he does, but why do you?' he asked.

'I love the light, its kind and gentle' she sighed.

'And the dark isn't?' Mordante asked back.

'The dark isn't' said Hermione.

'And we have no respect for life?' added Mordante.

'No, none of you have, you kill for pleasure,' said Hermione.

'Do you like bacon?' he asked casually.

'Yes,' replied Hermione before she could think the reason for the question.

'You would kill animals and beings for taste and enjoyment, to increase the pleasure of your palate, a vegetarian alternative ignore, and you say we have no respect for life,' Mordante calmly shot back.

Hermione did not expect this approach; Mordante had attacked the very basics of her lifestyle.

'Cows, pigs, chicken, duck, sheep and hundreds of other animals are slaughtered merciless by all, for pleasure... don't even leave babies in eggs alone... life is slaughtered for pleasure... life which could not defend itself.... Killed, maimed... mothers and children tortured for their meat...,' said Mordante.

'What would you have us eat?' said Hermione trying to reverse the barrage.

'Eat plants, the lowest of life forms considered by humanity; you can suffice your taste and appetite with them. You kill for pleasure Hermione Granger,' said Mordante.

'I don't, others kill, I just eat,' said the stricken Hermione.

'I just eat! It's your demand that creates the problem, your want that is killing them, you kill them every time your fork pierces the flesh,' said Mordante.

'I'm sorry,' she said, tears accumulating around her eyes.

'No need to be, just understand the light and the dark are the same, just differ in some ways.' elaborated Mordante

'The light and the dark are the same...,' repeated Hermione.

Mordante smiled, the brainwashing was going quite well.

The fields of Hogwarts

Emily Watson ran threw the green surroundings of the castle. The fear of the unprotected area kept her from going too far away. The threat which had brought Quidditch to a grinding halt still lurked.

A smile was on her face and giggle on her lips. Mathew another third year had asked her to be his girlfriend, in front of everyone.

Suddenly she tripped and fell to the ground. Joints hurting slightly she got up checking her self for bruises. Luckily they were none she could see.

She turned around to find the offending object that had caused her such dramatic pause. Her mouth opened to form a scream, the sound following moments after as she observed the body of a girl lying face down on the green grass.

The scream had its effects and the group of third year girls who were following her discreetly behind rushed forth to her aid.

'It's a girl!' finally said a shocked third year.

'What should we do?' asked another.

'Get Professor McGonagall!' exclaimed one as she and another girl ran towards the castle.

A few moments later Professor McGonagall rushed to the scene, the two girls straining behind.

'What happened?' she asked the present crowd.

'Professor, we didn't want to touch her in-case something went wrong,' whimpered a girl.

Professor McGonagall sucked in her breath at the site that lay before her. The red flowing hair gave slight indication of who it was. The inexperience of the surrounding girls was obvious and nothing could be done. Hopefully it was not too late.

McGonagall quickly went into action, summoning a stretcher she glided her way to the hospital wing.

It was only in mid-way that she thought to glance and the student's face. The peaceful smile of Ginny Weasley stared back at her. Rattled for several reasons McGonagall picked up the pace.

The hallways of Hogwarts

Harry had no idea where Sirius Black roamed normally. Their meetings had been infrequent and multi-local. But luck smiled upon Harry Potter as he ran into the man, or better put, the dog in front of Dumbledore's office.

The dog promptly signalled Harry to follow him. The duo unheeded by the surrounding student population headed into a secluded part of the castle.

'Harry!' said Sirius always glad to see his godson. 'I hope you have finished my homework!'

It was then Sirius saw Harry's depressed and serious face.

'I was joking!' he quickly added.

Before he could do anything further, Harry burst into tears. Sirius tried his best to comfort him and the story came spilling out.

After the contents and the details had been done with in the emotional and dramatical manor that suited the situation, Sirius Black began to think.

'Harry, I agree you were drugged,' said Sirius, 'and I believed you, but others will need proof, proof which we must provide.'

Harry was calm, calmer than he had been in a long while. He had gone into a dissociate state, where he could be there as an observer rather than an actor, the greatest acts of self escapism.

Numbly he nodded a yes.

'I can only suggest a theory, someone was controlling Ginny either through a curse or potion, and on that person's command she drugged you,' said Sirius rubbing his hands, 'the important part right now is to find where is Ginny.'

Years of fighting against Voldemort kicked in, Harry could almost see the wheels and gears turning in Sirius's mind.

Hospital Wing

'Madame Pomfrey!' shouted Prof. McGonagall as she rushed the limp Ginny into the hospital wing. She had hadn't given first aid due to the cold nature of Ginny's eyes.

They suggested deep torment and pain, possibly a poison, something McGonagall could not deal with.

Madame Pomfrey rushed in. 'Goodness!' she said as she immediately transferred the patient to a bed.

She began immediately applying a series of healing spells designed to be broad spectrum, curing as many diseases and ailments as possible even when not present.

The side effects were brutal, but Ginny was far gone and this seemed the last resort.

'She has no pulse!' exclaimed McGonagall.

Madame Pomfrey gritted her teeth, she was not going to loose her. She pointed her wand at Ginny's heart sending a pulse of energy, shocking it to work.

Several attempts later a gasp indicated response and the healing spells were started again.

'She's going to make it,' said Madame Pomfrey triumphantly the blue area around Ginny's cheeks began to dissipate, 'she's out of danger for now.'

'What happened to her?' McGonagall asked the obvious question.

'Minerva, where have you seen this before?' asked Madame Pomfrey quietly the answer coming to her in a flash.

'It can't be!' exclaimed an open mouthed McGonagall, 'not here, not in Hogwarts!'

'It is,' said Madame Pomfrey as she began the conjuring of the cold towels.

Somewhere in Hogwarts

'So, you have no idea where she is?' asked Sirius

'I already told you, no,' said Harry, 'I ran out of that room.'

'I've been there Harry, there was no one,' said Sirius, 'are you sure it wasn't another illusion?'

'I'm quite sure,' replied Harry.

'The first thing then Harry, is to talk to Dumbledore,' sighed Sirius, 'he has just returned from his long journey.'

'But I can't tell him all this!' said Harry voicing his fears once again, he didn't bother to ask where Dumbledore had gone.

'I'll talk to him, you stay outside,' said Sirius as he led the way to Dumbledore's office.

It was a short walk to Dumbledore's office and a Caramel Shrinket later they were inside. Fortunately for them Dumbledore was inside, and appeared to be free.

'Why don't you come in?' said Dumbledore.

'Sir, I think if best if Harry stays outside and just listens,' said Sirius hesitantly.

'He can listen better, inside,' said Dumbledore with a finality that could not be questioned.

Harry Potter walked in taking a place beside Sirius.

Sirius narrated the entire tail once more in verbatim; Dumbledore remained calm throughout the story and his face did not reveal his true emotions.

Harry expected some kind of reaction at the end of the entire tale, but there was none. Dumbledore took a deep breath and stood, feeling much of his years upon his shoulders.

He walked towards the windows and looked outside onto the field.

'I have sensed much darkness in the past weeks, it grows with each moment,' said Dumbledore, 'Hogwarts is dark from the inside.'

'I have tried, but in vain to seek out this darkness that fills the air with foul smell,' he continued, 'and at last it has started its despicable work.'

'Headmaster, who do you suspect?' asked Sirius.

'The one who I seek is a monster, the Minotaur who prowls the maze of this castle, preying on the souls and minds of innocents, bending them to its will,' said Dumbledore.

'Sir, how can you sense it?' spoke up Harry.

'Years have I been with the light against the dark, one can learn to sense these things in time, the monster has left for now,' Dumbledore replied.

'Left?' asked Harry aloud.

'What do you mean Headmaster?' asked Sirius.

'Left! Either fleeing in the face of adversity or walking successful in its mission,' said Dumbledore, 'I wondered which one, now I know.'

The silence that followed the moment was interrupted with the fireplace lighting up with a shadow of a face.

'Headmaster!' said the visage of McGonagall, 'we need you in the hospital wing; it is an emergency.'

'Wait here,' Dumbledore called to Sirius and Harry as he walked in to the flames.

Harry had a strong feeling what the reason was.

The Hospital Wing

Dumbledore arrived through the emergency private network that had been installed between his office and the fireplace. It was becoming a necessity as proven this time.

'What has happened?' asked Dumbledore his voice betraying urgency.

McGonagall pointed to Ginny's face.

It was raining when Dumbledore arrived on the scene. The ministry wizards were entering and leaving the building with great haste.

'When is the shuttle coming!' exclaimed one in anguish as he spoke into the portable fire station.

Dumbledore had no idea what to expect. It was all over, the war had been finished.

'Headmaster,' said a ministry wizard with reverence. Dumbledore stared into the eyes of the young bright face. The innocence had been snatched from those eyes years earlier by the shadow of the dark monster's work.

The team made way for Dumbledore to advance, most shook their heads. Dumbledore began to prepare himself for the worst.

There he had seen the faces of the Longbottoms, calm and peaceful. But their eyes and bodies told a completely different story.

Dumbledore could feel the pain and torture, the rage and screams emerging from the pupils.

'Headmaster,' said another voice softly. This time however Dumbledore turned to find McGonagall and he snapped out of his reverie.

'She has been...,' he trailed off.

Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall simply nodded.

'Merlin,' said Dumbledore as a tear went down his cheek. The horror of the deed sank into the room and its occupants were overwhelmed.

'How, how?' McGonagall shook her head.

It was obvious how, but McGonagall referred to the inhumanity of it.

'How far is she gone?' asked Madame Pomfrey, clearly asking for Dumbledore's expert opinion.

'Too far,' said Dumbledore, 'even St. Mungos can not do anything.'

The two ladies gasped.

'If am correct she has not only lost most of her mind, but the damage extends to her physical abilities,' said Dumbledore gravely.

'She is the daughter of the Minister of Magic,' said Madame Pomfrey, 'what will we tell him?'

'That unfortunately is my sad duty,' said Dumbledore, 'please inform me of any developments.'

Dumbledore exited the hospital wing through the normal passage to his room.

Dumbledore's Office

Harry and Sirius turned to find Dumbledore at the door.

His grave face gave of a thousand signals, each untranslatable.

'We have located Miss Weasley,' he said.

Harry and Sirius both perked up, this was good news.

'She was put under the Crucio until she collapsed,' Dumbledore added.

It was as if a bomb had gone off in the room. Harry and Sirius stood there open mouthed their minds unable to grasp or speak of the situation.

'You two better leave for now,' said Dumbledore, 'please, visit her in the hospital wing; I have to inform her parents.'

Harry and Sirius nodded both still numb from shock they slowly walked out of the room and sped their way to the hospital wing.

Dumbledore stood before the fireplace in his office and sighed.

There is no use putting off the inevitable he thought to himself as he spoke, 'Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic's Office.'

Unknown Location

Hermione awoke shivering. At first she thought it was cold, but then realised the shivers were from within. A plate of food lay in front of her vegetables and some broth with a side slice of bread. Hungrily she ate what lay before her not even thinking of the malicious contents that could be inside; the truth she revealed to herself was that she was beyond caring.

'I'm glad you are at least nourishing yourself,' said Mordante appearing from the shadows of the room.

'Thank you,' Hermione murmured.

'No need,' he said Mordante back at her. 'Let us continue our earlier conversation.'

Hermione could barely remember the details, but they had sunk in deep into her subconscious meddling with her mind in more ways than one.

'We were discussing upon the matter that evil and good are the same,' said Mordante.

'They are?' Hermione asked not even attempting to answer back, merely accepting the obvious.

'Yes, my dear they are,' said Mordante.

'Then why do I fight for the good,' asked Hermione.

'A mistake perhaps?' suggested Mordante. The entire game was about suggestion, commands are fought against, but suggestions cause doubt thought Mordante.

'A mistake...' said Hermione aloud.

Mordante wondered why he wasted so much of his precious time on the mud-blood. It's fun to toy with her mind he thought. It's fun to extract the revenge I waited for so long.

Hospital Wing Hogwarts

Sirius and Harry knocked on the door and were let in by a not too happy Madame Pomfrey.

She murmured something about hassled patients and eccentric headmasters as she went of to fetch more cold towels.

What immediately struck Harry and Sirius were Ginny's eyes, both felt as if their stomachs had fallen out of their bodies onto the ground bellow. Dark, tortured, enraged, the pain and suffering glared out at them screaming in contrast to the calm face that lay still.

'How?' the question escaped Harry's lips.

Sirius however had gone into his own world. Those eyes transported him back to the old days, which was not a very happy journey.

The ministry guards were escorting Sirius Black to his new home, the dreaded Azkaban. There were two of them, their staunch and bodied figures turned into a slump as they battled the fear of the presence of the Dementors that would soon surround the group.

As the group passed, Sirius's mind subdued with potions and impediments looked forth at a single figure being taken on a stretcher. The figure must have sensed Sirius stare, he lifted his head and looked at Sirius straight in the eyes. The mere contact threw Sirius back in horror; his eyes were two deep pools of pain, exemplified by the condition of his body.

Later Sirius found out the story. The man had been an Auror, retired at the end of Voldemort's reign. A small band of death eaters had caught hold of him, accusing him of concealing information about the whereabouts of the dark lord, and wanting revenge for his deeds to their kind. They had first used Crucio as a tool of interrogation and then as one for fun and torture.

The Auror had managed to fight off the group which then proceeded on to their next target, the Longbottoms. He was given an award, the Ministry's Award for Citizen Bravery, a civilian award since the Auror had been retired. He received it the next day, posthumously.

He was snapped back into the room by Prof. McGonagall.

'You have seen this, before haven't you Sirius Black,' she said to him.

He nodded his head unable to speak.

'I've seen countless victims,' she added, 'always after a death eater attack.'

Harry unable to contain it whispered, 'What's the condition?'

McGonagall took them to a side as she didn't want to risk letting Ginny hear anything in her sub conscious.

'Harry, she has been under the Crucio curse too long. Unlike normal pain which the brain shuts off to avoid the threshold, the Crucio attacks the nerve centres themselves, and prevents the brain from locking out. This creates brain damage as the neuron activity peaks to unbearable levels,' said McGonagall trying to sound as detached as possible.

'Will she go mad?' Harry asked almost adding, like the Longbottoms.

'Not quite Harry. The brain is a complex organ. We do not the full effects of the Crucio curse. She may regain some of her memory, she may lose it all.' said McGonagall.

'What, what does that mean?' asked Harry

'It means Harry that Ginny will continue to dip in and out of a mind paralysis condition. When she will be able to communicate, we have no idea what she will remember or be able to do. Which senses of her work and which don't,' said Sirius his head in his hands.

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. This cannot be happening, he told himself again. This cannot be happening. It's all a dream, a nightmare; I'll just pinch myself and will awake. The pinch was given, but nothing happened. Harry did not wake up from his dream.

Tears began to pour from his eyes. The sight of Ginny filled him with grief and guilt, both for her and for Hermione. Hermione, where was she? Harry walked up to Ginny and squeezed her hand, she squeezed back.

'Professor!' he exclaimed

The two turned to face him.

'She's awake!' he said elated.

The two hardly believing him rushed onto the bedside.

'What happened?' cried Madam Pomfrey joining the group.

'She squeezed my hand!' said Harry triumphantly.

The group sighed.

'I'm sorry Harry,' said Professor McGonagall, 'that was just a side effect, Mrs. Weasley is still quite unable to control her senses.'

Sirius tapped her nose. Ginny immediately put up her hands and waved them in little circles and then put them down.

'When will she wake?' said Harry after a moment of pause.

It was then the reality hit Harry right between the eyes.

'She's already awake,' said Madame Pomfrey slowly.

Understanding dawned on Harry Potter when he finally heard those words. Virginia Weasley was awake, in her senses, and she was unable to do anything with them. Did she even remember anyone? Did she remember him? Did she remember what happened?

'Can she hear me?' asked Harry softly.

'No,' answered Madam Pomfrey, 'not yet. Her hearing has not opened itself again to the outside world.'

'Harry I have strict orders from Dumbledore that no one is to know about this, Miss. Weasley's family is being informed of this as we speak, they have a right to keep this anonymous, more for her sake than their own,' said McGonagall trying to distract Harry from the train of thoughts she was sure he was going through.

The second reality hit him harder than the first one. He had totally forgotten about the Weasleys in his plans and thoughts, what would they say? What could he say? Dumbledore would reveal what had happened to them and then.

Sirius watched as Harry's mood sunk to rock bottom, it was quite visible from his face. Sirius understood, after all he had been a teenager, a rather popular one at that, meeting the girl's parents. Sirius's thoughts were interrupted by the knocking of his mind reminding him about Hermione. Merlin's beard! He knew Harry was in a lot of trouble.

Madame Pomfrey kept quiet during this very visual disclosure, she hadn't mentioned to anyone what Ginny had been wearing under the school uniform.

'Sirius, could I speak to you?' finally Harry said.

'Sure,' said Sirius leading him off out of visual sight and ear shot.

'Sirius, I am dead, what should I do?' said Harry, 'the Weasleys have always been so kind to me.'

'Harry you were not in conscious state, you were drugged!' said Sirius.

'Even then! How will I ever face them again,' said Harry as he put his head into his arms.

Sirius sighed; he knew this would be long and hard.

'Look Harry, what has occurred has occurred. Yes, it is a disaster what happened, and one of the effects is that your life will never be the same again. You have to accept that, hiding and worrying won't solve anything,' said Sirius

'But, Sirius, what am I to tell them?' said Harry

'Let me and Dumbledore handle that,' said Sirius putting a protective arm around Harry.

Sirius led Harry back to Ginny. They sat by her bedside trying to comfort her and themselves.

Unknown Location

It had been half an hour since Mordante had left, or what seemed like half an hour to Hermione. She sat down her mind turmoil the new thoughts and ideas trying to brainwash her old.

She tried to shut out his voice, but it wouldn't work. Taunting her, teasing her, telling her truths she wished not to hear. Harry Potter seemed to be a distant memory to her, one her mind said best forgotten. At least that would dull the pain in her heart.

From the depths of her mind a slow tune began to play, one she had heard countless times with her mother. It had been her mother's favourite tune, she used to hum it everywhere and sing her to sleep with it.

I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style.

And so I came to see him to listen for a while.

And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes.

Strumming my pain with his fingers,

Singing my life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song,

Killing me softly with his song,

Telling my whole life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song...

I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd,

I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.

I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on...

Strumming my pain with his fingers,

Singing my life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song,

Killing me softly with his song,

Telling my whole life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song...

He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair.

And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there.

But he just came to singing, singing clear and strong.

Strumming my pain with his fingers,

Singing my life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song,

Killing me softly with his song,

Telling my whole life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song...

He was strumming, oh, he was singing my song.

Killing me softly with his song,

Killing me softly with his song,

Telling my whole life with his words,

Killing me softly with his song...

With his song...

(Originally by Roberta Flack)

Tears flowed once again unchecked as she remembered the old carefree days, free of magic, free of witchcraft, free of dark and light, free of Harry Potter. For the first time in her life Hermione wished she had never got the Hogwarts letter.