Chapter 36: The Unrest of The Wicked

Unknown Location, Wizarding World...

Black clouds loomed in the sky above giving warning to the ominous plans that seemed to be coming into fruition. In the darkness Rodolphus LeStrange stood before a cauldron. He wore clothing that appeared to be in tatters, black in color, and loose fitted. Around his right hand had been a strip of what appeared to be his shirt. On his feet were worn black boots that had been stained with both blood and dried mud. His pale and rugged face wet with what appeared to be tears. His hair messy and wild graying in some places and white in others. He had been quite dirty and disheveled in appearance as well.

"Yesss." he hissed as he stood over the bubbling cauldron. "It is finally ready."

The tears continued to fall down his pale face. He had seemed to be wallowing in the depths of his sorrow as finished stirring what contents he added to his mixture. The color had been a fine red, as slick and as dark as blood but murky like the waters of a swamp. It bubbled and frothed as he smiled a joyless smile.

At that moment Bart Crouch Jr. arrived with a grim expression on his face.

"Have you found him?" asked Rodolphus with his back to him.

"N-No Rodolphus." replied Bart Jr. "I believe he has returned to Hogwarts."

Rodolphus growled at this. He lunged forward and seized Bart Jr. by the collar. Murder had been behind his dark eyes. As he glared at the younger wizard. Bart Jr. felt that he had been treading on thin ice and scrambled for a way to appease his very angry boss.

"W-We could still get to him." he said trying to reason with the enraged older wizard. "H-His son attends Hogwarts."

Rodolphus released Bart Jr. collar and smiled wickedly.

"A son?" asked Rodolphus chuckling wickedly. "Snape with a child?"

Bart Jr. nodded.

"I've seen them both myself." he replied. "He's protective of the brat...Sebastian is what they called him...he was always fond of Potter's Mudblood."

Rodolphus seemed to be in a very good mood upon hearing this.

"Mudblood you say?" he asked to no one in particular. "This is just too good."

Bart Jr. had been confused for a moment. As he watched Rodolphus return to his cauldron. The older wizard pulled a book from a stand that sat in front of the cauldron and scanned the pages. He stood over the cauldron and waved his wand. The contents shot up and splashed over the book.

"Tome of Darkness accept my offering...I beg you to grant me my vengeance on the one called Snape." said Rodolphus. "Grant me the power to avenge my wife...and my soul is yours."

The book seemed to swallow the mixture from the cauldron. There had not been a single trace of it left. It dropped from the hands of Rodolphus and began to flip madly until it came to a stop. The deranged wizard picked-up the tome and cast another wicked smile in Bart Jr.'s direction.

"This will do nicely." he said.

He had been hoping that he would get the right to use this cure. It had been so fitting.

"Why kill Snape when I have the very key to destroying his heart." he said.

Bart Jr. watched as the deranged wizard invoked the incantation from the dark tome. Tears still streamed down his pale cheeks but now with a very dark purpose.

"Lacrimas in anima contrita." said Rodolphus.

Bart Jr. stared in awe as the tears Rodolphus shed infused themselves with the dark magic from the tome. Then suddenly, they had disappeared as if they had a mind of their own.

"At last Severus Snape." said Rodolphus with a triumphant smile. "You will pay for your treachery."

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The Grounds, Hogwarts...

Hermione Granger had been in good spirits ever since The Cupid's Ball. She had taken in the warm sunny afternoon air and decided that she would do a bit of reading. The young Gryffindor witch pulled out her newly acquired charms book and opened it fondly. She took one look at the message Sebastian had sent to her and smiled. Then she proceeded to read the first chapter.

It had been a very pleasant afternoon for Hermione on the whole. She had completed her homework and various side projects. She hung out with her friends and helped them with their work as well, discussed Sebastian with Ginny who would not let up on asking for details, Draco and Pansy talked her into visiting the Slytherin dungeons, Snape had been civil to her and agreed to continue giving Sebastian her letters, and Ron was on his best behavior.

Everything had been fine until Hermione felt something strike her while she was reading. It seemed to be nothing at first just a minor ache. The ache had been like a cold pain as if she had let her body get numb in the elements and paid for it. The it started to heat up and throbbed at the same time. Hermione scrambled to her feet thinking of making her way to the infirmary when she felt she could not move. Her body became heavy as the pain progressed to searing and the level had been like having white-hot pokers prodding her at once.

The young witch lied on the ground gasping as the pain shot to the center point of her body. Tears burst from her amber eyes and she began to pale. Her mind was racing a mile a minute as her last conscious thoughts faded to images of Sebastian Prince. Her heart had been in agony as the young wizard began to disappear from her mind. She fought with all her strength to hold on to him making the pain worse as she did.

Harry Potter had been making his way across the grounds. When he caught sight of Hermione. The green eyed wizard had a terrible feeling as he took in the downed witch and ran toward her frantic in his breathing. He had not understood what had happened to her but she appeared to be frozen in agony with black veins trailing along her newly paled flesh.

"Mione?" said Harry in disbelief. "What's happened to you?"

Hermione could not reply as more images flashed through her mind.

"Mione." said Harry helpless.

He wanted to get the witch help but he didn't want to leave her.

Ron Weasley had been just finished a class and caught sight of Harry and Hermione by the lake. He made his way over to talk to them unaware of the dire situation that had been taking place.

"Hey Harry." said Ron. "Mione?"

The redhead boy had been filled with panic upon the sight of his friend.

"Harry what happened?" he asked.

"S-She's been cursed Ron." replied Harry. "I-I need you to go find Professor Lupin."

Ron took one last look at Hermione and took off toward the DADA classroom. He knew that if he didn't hurry they could lose Hermione. The image of her pale flesh with black veins seemed to burn in his mind as he sought help. The red head young wizard ran as fast as his legs could carry him he passed none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Where you off to in such a hurry Weasley?" asked Draco.

Ron had not stopped.

"I-It's Hermione...she's been cursed... no time to talk Malfoy... have to find Lupin." he called back as he passed the sleek blond wizard.

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Hermione Granger cursed. If this was true then they would need all the help that they could get. Draco thought of how Sebastian would take it if his girlfriend had been killed on his watch. Reaching the conclusion that he could not let his God-Brother down, the junior Malfoy took off toward the Slytherin dungeons in search of his Uncle Severus.

If there was anyone who could help Hermione Granger, it was Severus Snape.