"What are we doing here, McKinley?" Hermione asked furiously.
As soon as her feet landed on steady ground she tried to jerk herself away from him, but he kept a firm hold of her arm.
"I see we're not on a first name basis anymore." McKinley said, faking a hurt expression.
"I don't take kindly to people who kidnap and threaten to torture me." Hermione bit out, glaring at him.
"Oh but I did no such thing. Torture wasn't even mentioned." He said with a fake innocent expression.
"It was implied." She said coldly.
Hearing her reply, McKinley leaned his head back and laughed, this time in earnest. He then pushed her unceremoniously against a tree trunk and with a swish of his wand he pinned her with invisible ropes.
"I see now why he likes you so much. You have spirit, Hermione. It's such a pity that he lied to you."
"Who are you talking about?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Draco Malfoy." McKinley said in confirmation, a wide grin appearing on his face. "It's too bad he choose to steal it from you."
"Steal what?"
"The truth."
"You're insane." Hermione bit out, confusion and desperation suddenly spreading inside her mind. Her back was starting to feel cold against the tree trunk and her hands were hurting from the tight bonds that held her immobilized.
Someone approached them, heading straight for McKinley. Hermione repressed a shudder at the sight of him. He was wearing long black robes and a white mask was covering half his face. He stopped a step away from McKinley and bowed his head in deference.
"Is everything ready?" McKinley asked coldly.
"Yes, Master. They are waiting for you there." The man said with another curt bow.
"Perfect." McKinley said, a satisfied grin flashing across his face. "Let's go, my dear. We shall wait for Malfoy to arrive."
He moved his wand and Hermione's bonds snapped clean. She felt her body free, but a second later McKinley had a firm grip on her shoulders.
"Don't try anything stupid or brave if you want to see his face again." He growled in her ear.
Hermione's body wobbled slightly, and she felt a shiver down her spine. His words and tone made her feel sick to her stomach. This man was no longer the funny, kindhearted, and cheery Robert McKinley she knew. The one holding her was an evil man, a Dark Wizard who sought to destroy everything she cared for. In her eyes, he was a threat to the Wizarding World, just like Voldemort had been.
For a moment, she remembered the war, the fear and terror she felt during those times. She remembered Voldemort and his followers chasing after them, doing everything in their power to enslave the world.
Her mind then moved in a different direction. She thought of her current situation. There she stood, unarmed and vulnerable, at the mercy of someone she thought was a friend. She thought of Draco and the way McKinley had spoken to him. There seemed to be something there, a past between them.
With a heavy push, McKinley aroused Hermione out of her thoughts. He guided her through the trees and they soon reached a pair of tall iron gates. With a jolt of panic, she looked up and realized where they were.
Hogwarts! We are near Hogwarts. This is the path the carriages take to reach the castle. But how can this be? The place should be protected by powerful spells...
Her panicked thoughts were soon interrupted when McKinley barked an order and suddenly four men appeared from behind the trees. Two of them grabbed Hermione, while the other two followed them from behind. McKinley stood in front of this strange procession as they left the pathway and entered the forest.
Will Draco be able to find me here? she asked herself, worry slowly gripping her heart. The place of his worst sin, McKinley named it. But this is Hogwarts, what could he have meant by that? What happened here?
A few minutes later, they reached a clear space between the trees. Five other men waited for them there. They too wore black robes and had their faces half covered by white masks. They bowed deeply at the sight of McKinley, who only moved his head slightly in acknowledgment. He seemed like a Lord in his element.
"What do you think?" McKinley asked, turning to look at Hermione.
She frowned at him but remained quiet and still. Despite being so close to Hogwarts, she could not feel its protective spells and that made her even more nervous than before.
"Doesn't this place bring back memories, Hermione?" McKinley continued to speak. "No?" he asked, seeing how Hermione remained quiet. "That's too bad. No matter, though, I will make sure that gets remedied soon enough." He finished smiling at her.
He was trying to sound pleasant, but Hermione was not fooled. She had seen the darkness in his eyes as he spoke.
Next thing she knew, he grabbed her face with one hand and was forcing her head upward. In the other hand he was holding a phial containing something that looked sickeningly like blood. A dangerous sneer was plastered on his face as he was forcibly trying to make her take the liquid.
"Open wide now." McKinley was saying unkindly.
"Let me go!" Hermione managed to say with difficulty, her neck painfully bent upward.
She made a movement to hit him, but he was quicker. He grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a tree trunk.
"I hoped you would be more understanding." He said in a dissatisfied tone.
After a moment he released her, leaving Hermione gasping for air. She almost collapsed at the base of the tree, glaring at McKinley between raspy breaths of air. With trembling hands she touched her neck, feeling the skin protest.
This is surely going to leave an ugly bruise. She thought angrily.
Before she could think of anything else, a searing pain suddenly rose through her body. She could hear herself scream, while her vision slowly became hazy. Her bones felt like they were melting, her blood running like molten lava through her veins. For a few seconds, she wasn't aware of anything except for the excruciating pain that was crashing into her like waves. Then, the pain subsided, and she could feel the cool air around her shaking body.
Hermione took a deep breath and shuddered. Looking up, she saw McKinley staring down, slowly putting his wand away. Without a word, he stooped in front of Hermione and forced the red liquid down her throat.
Hermione gasped and chocked, feeling a hot sensation in her stomach. She coughed furiously, clenching at her sides, her entire body quivering. The potion did not taste bad, in fact Hermione couldn't determine if it had any taste at all.
She wanted to ask McKinley what it was, but before she could open her mouth, something happened in the glade that made him look away from her. A jet of red light shot from behind a tree and hit one of McKinley's followers. A second later, another one took down a second follower.
"Touch her again McKinley, and you will lose more than a couple of goons." A voice drawled from nearby, startling everyone. Everyone except McKinley.
"Typical Malfoy. You just had to make a flashy entrance." McKinley sneered in the direction from which the spells came.
"Draco?" Hermione breathed out, squinting her eyes, trying to see past the trees.
Sure enough, a moment later, Draco dropped the disillusionment charm he was wearing and stepped into the glade. The second they saw him, the other Death Eaters tried to take him down, but he managed to duck in time and deflect their curses.
"Stop it you fools!" McKinley bellowed at his followers. "I want him alive and well. There is much to talk about, after all." He sneered again at Draco.
"I have nothing to talk to you about." Draco said through gritted teeth. "Let her go and perhaps I might indulge you with a duel."
There was nothing showing on his face, but Hermione knew Draco was raging on the inside. She could see his clenched jaw and the strained grip with which he was holding his wand.
"How very brave of you, Malfoy. I never knew Slytherins were brave." McKinley said pensively. "Wasn't that a Griffindor trait? Or being with one makes you become more like them?"
"Stop talking nonsense and let her go." Draco spat, his temper rising.
"Oh fine, you drama queen!" McKinley exclaimed impatiently, rolling his eyes at Draco theatrically. "You can go to her for now, but you two aren't allowed to leave just yet."
He waved his hand dismissively and the Death Eaters that had come to surround Hermione edged away slowly. The rest too backed away, creating a bigger circle between their Master, Draco, and Hermione.
Draco advanced through the clearing, wand held high at shoulder level, never once losing sight of McKinley. When he reached Hermione, she was slumped onto the ground, her body leaned against a tree.
"Hermione are you alright?" he whispered urgently into her ear.
"I'm... I'm fine. Just a bit shaky." She said quietly, still feeling her body trembling from the earlier Cruciatus curse that McKinley had placed on her.
"Hold on a little longer. Harry and the others are close by, they should be here in no time." He told her reassuringly.
He gently touched her cheeks, brushing his fingers softly across her skin. She bent her head slightly, looking straight into his eyes. The grey in them looked intense, proof of the storm that was raging behind them. There was something familiar in his eyes, something she knew, something she had seen before.
"Draco..." Hermione started but stopped suddenly.
Hermione immediately felt a hot sensation inside her head, as if her brain was lit on fire. Her eyes went wide, at first in shock, but slowly her expression changed into a painful one. She pressed both hands on each side of her head and stifled a shriek. Not being able to hold herself, she collapsed into Draco's arms. After a second, the pain retreated, feeling now more like a pulsing sensation.
"Hermione!" Draco shouted, shock and fear gripping at his heart. "Hermione what's wrong?"
"My guess is that the 'Awakening' potion is starting to take effect." McKinley's voice sounded from behind Draco. He was holding a vial in his hand, just a drop of red liquid remaining on the bottom of it.
"What is that?" Draco growled at McKinley, while clutching Hermione's body tighter.
"Don't worry, it's not poison." McKinley said curtly. "It's just a little something of my own making. It is meant to help guide her mind in finding the truth." He finished with a smirk.
Draco blanched. A sickening feeling started in his stomach, slowly rising to his throat.
A potion to help her find the truth? But that is impossible. Nothing could revert the effects of the Obliviate spell. There is no potion that can do that. He thought frantically.
Thank you all for reading this story! Are you curious whether the potion works or not? If so, stay tuned for the next chapter. Until then, have a wonderful day! ^_^ <333