To The Dark Side

Black hooded figures surrounded him.

"You want this," the tallest said, "you have come to us willingly, you will obey the Dark Lord and act as he wishes. Understood?"

He nodded, his face grim, but he had a gleam in his eye no one detected.

After the initiation process, the Dark Lord asked him why he wanted to join his circle of Death Eaters. It was inevitable; he had a whole future in front of him on the side of good.

"Why I join, you ask?"

The Death Eaters listened, wanting to find out more about this man.

"I want something I will never have if I do not join," he said, "Power, it is what I crave..."

***

The sun shines through the window. It´s a hot day, no clouds at all. The blasted weather, it´s never what you want it to be. Ginny and I always used to love sun; we´d go to the beach with Harry, Ron and Colin ...

Those were happier days.

I hate Tom Marvolo Riddle. I hate Harry Potter. I hate them all! I tell myself, landing another punch on my pillow, furious.

How can I think of him when he betrayed us? I´m over him now! I try to convince myself, but deep in my heart, I knew, Harry Potter will never be truly forgotten by me. He will not be forgiven either, for the things he did to hurt everyone that used to love him and care for him.

Tears well up in my eyes as I recall the images at the happening four years ago in Diagon Alley...

***

Ginny was going to pick up her wedding dress in Diagon Alley. She didn´t want to go by herself so she dragged me along with her too.

We were at Madame Milian´s Dresses for All Occasions trying out all the clothes there and giggling when Nigel Thorn was thrown in from the window, bloodied.

Ginny and I rushed over to him. Being a natural healer, Ginny put her hand over Nigel´s head and tried to heal him of his wounds, but it was too late. The brutal blow to his head was fatal; Nigel fell limp in my arms, dead.

I dropped Nigel on the ground as the floor shook and a powerful force knocked me off my feet. As I struggled to get up, unbalanced, I heard an evil crackle outside, and then the killing curse, "Avada Kedavra!"

I shivered. I knew who it was.

Voldemort.

Ginny and I ran outside as fast as we could, what we saw was horrible.

Wizards and witches were down everywhere; the stone pavement of the Alley was covered with blood. Black hooded figures crowed around someone, walking in circles and chanting in Latin.

Ginny and I join some of the witches still standing, and sent out curses to the circle of death eaters.

One down... another one fled... the death eaters slowly clear out, revealing the person they where crowding around.

I gasp and shuddered involuntarily. Beside me, Ginny let out a strangled cry.

"COLIN!"

Before Ginny managed to move, maniacal laughter rose up from the circle of black. A death eater stepped out from them, pointed his wand at Ginny and whispered, " Avada Kedavra."

There was a brilliant flash of green light. And as if in slow motion, Ginny fell backwards, her red hair was frazzled, and as she hit the pavement, one word left her mouth with her last breath of air.

"Colin..."

Emotions rushed over me as I looked at Ginny´s unmoving form: this was my best friend, she was the one always there for me, no matter what I did. She would always treat me as a friend, a sister, a soul mate...

I turned to look at the black hooded figure. I never felt so much hatred, so much anger in my life.

With a cry, I ponced on the death eater, and hit him with all my might...

"Hermione."

I nearly screamed. I jumped off him, the words he utter so casually sounded so hideous, they swirled around in my head, played themselves over and over again, like a chant, "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione..."

The words were like a straitjacket, binding me tighter and tighter, until I couldn´t breath, because from the mouth of the death eater, I heard the voice of my husband.

Harry Potter.

What I did next was cowardly, but I couldn´t help it, it was just too horrible.

I ran. I ran with all my might. Tears spilled down my cheeks and into my mouth. They tasted bitter. Why? I asked myself, why does this have to happen to me? Why is the culprit my husband? Why? Why? Why?

I slammed into a man with a silver beard as I ran out of the Leaky Cauldron. "Professor Dumbledore..." I realised with a jolt.

Dumbledore patted me on my head like I was still 11. He sighed and signalled to the three hundred or so aurors behind him, they all nodded as one and apparated into Diagon Alley.

I watched as this all happened. Surprising myself, I wiped my tears away and straightened up.

"It was Harry." I said, "I´m sorry, I didn´t know that he..."

Dumbledore held up his hand, silencing me.

I stopped. I noticed that for the first time, the twinkles in Dumbledore´s eyes were gone. Staring at his face, I realised that Dumbledore had aged. He is truly old now.

Dumbledore sighed again. "Every man has his destiny," he said, "they create it themselves, my destiny was to become an old man with a peculiar liking for Sherbet Lemons, and maybe Harry´s destiny was this."

I was silent.

~~~

Three days later, Harry appeared in court.

Voldemort was killed in an attempt to escape. They killed him, knowing that he wouldn´t be in need of a fair trial; he´s murdered too many people for that.

The loss on our side was dear, 87 witches and wizards were killed during battle, 88 families were torn apart, including mine.

***

"Hermione." Ron calls from downstairs, cutting into my memories.

"Yes?" I call back.

"It´s Sunday, time to visit Harry." His voice is grim, and I know why.

I get up silently and pull on my skirt.

"Let´s go." I say to him as I come downstairs.

Ron nods. "I´ll lock up."

I walk outside and stick out my wand hand.

The Knight Bus screeches to a stop in front of the house.

" `Ay, `ermione." Ernie nods at Ron as he comes up beside me. "`Ay, Ronald. Where to?"

I shield my eyes from the sun, with a small smile, I hop on the bus with Ron be side me.

"To Azkaban, Stan, to Azkaban."