Purely theoretically, I just earned myself a lifetime sentence to Azkaban. Not for killing three people - I didn't kill them with Avada Kedavra, and in this situation they might even have acquitted me. But using Imperio illegally is forbidden under any circumstances. And it doesn't matter that it worked for only three seconds once. Stupid laws. I'm hiding in the shadow of a large abstract sculpture in one of the halls of Malfoy Manor, waiting for people to leave the room. Under the Disillusionment Charm in the shadows, it's impossible to see me, but I won't risk just walking past. Charms aren't Potter's cloak. In such a large house it's hard to navigate, I couldn't find a short path to the exit. Outside turned out to be not the deep night I thought, but evening twilight - the hosts and guests weren't asleep yet. Good thing there aren't that many people. Or there are too many rooms, and people are evenly distributed. My skin crawled at the thought that Voldemort might be somewhere here. For some reason I'm sure he would see me even through the charms.
The wizards are chatting relaxedly, while I'm crouching and hating myself. It's maddeningly frustrating that physically I'm still an underage fifth-year student. And I wouldn't have had the strength and skills to transfigure Tonks into a small animal, like Moody did to Malfoy. That's not even O.W.L.S. level. A large wardrobe can be transfigured into a small rabbit. And even a rhinoceros can be transfigured into a small rabbit, though not every wizard can do it. But human consciousness complicates everything by orders of magnitude. If an amateur takes on the task, when the transfiguration is reversed, he'll most likely end up with a corpse or a living vegetable. McGonagall gave a separate lecture on this topic after the ferret incident, knowing that teenagers might want to try it. Now if I had opened the door, I would have cast invisibility charms and lightening charms on Nymph, but I couldn't. And I chose to leave Tonks there...
Finally, the conversationalists leave the room. I wait some more time, listening, and decide to move on. It's very scary to move from room to room - if someone notices an opening door, it will completely blow my cover. I enter a large dining room with French windows reaching to the floor. No one is here. Due to the hot evening, several windows are open - I'm incredibly lucky. I climb out the window and dive into the nearest bushes. Now the main thing is to reach the boundary of the anti-Apparition barrier. I hope that the protective charms, which must surely be several meters beyond the ordinary fence, will simply throw me outside, not smear me. As Amelia told me, both methods can be used. But with the killing variant, there would be corpses of small wildlife all along the charm boundary, and that would be ugly - Narcissa wouldn't like it. At least, I want to believe that. The alarm might go off, but I'll try to leave before they come for me. How fortunate that I already know how to Apparate. If only it doesn't kill me. Though probable death from protective charms is better than certain death from Death Eaters. And after what I did, I certainly shouldn't expect mercy.
I slowly creep along, trying to stay in the shadows. The lighting is dim now, only a careless sound could give me away.
Two wizards turn toward me. I step aside a little and freeze in the branches. They walk past unhurriedly, talking about some completely peaceful nonsense - as if they're not maniacs at all. A quiet breeze rustles the leaves. One of the conversationalists freezes and noisily inhales air through his nose, then says something quietly to the second one. A Finite flies in my direction, and I become visible. I dodge the next ray, and while jumping, Incarcerous catches up with me. Ouch! I think I dislocated my shoulder joint.
"I told you, Fenrir always smells fear," says a big guy, approaching me with satisfaction and speaking to his friend.
Everything is bad, everything is very, very bad.
"Greyback, don't even think about having fun right here, you know it makes the mistress sick."
Greyback responds with what he thinks the mistress can do, and crouches down next to me.
Shit, shit, shit! His face, that is, already a muzzle, begins to slowly transform, the jaw moves forward, teeth sharpen, eyes change, a hoarse growl escapes from his throat. Half-man, half-wolf, he's much scarier than Lupin... And it seems he's about to devour me. Saliva from the open maw drips onto my face. From horror I can't even scream.
I squeeze my eyes shut, I don't want to die with werewolf saliva in my eyes. After a few seconds Greyback collapses on me with his whole body, not even trying to bite. And doesn't move anymore. Doesn't even seem to be breathing. And I'm not breathing either, he's very heavy, and I'm still tied up.
I didn't have time to suffocate, because Greyback's heavy body suddenly turns into something small and light. Snape approaches me and puts the former werewolf in his robe pocket. I've probably never looked at Jesus the way I'm looking at Snape now!
"Not a sound, Miss Granger."
He unties me, casts Disillusionment and drags me into the bushes.
"Wait here. Don't leave, don't move. When I return, take my hand and follow me," and he leaves.
I stand and try to collect myself. Please, let everything work out! The second Death Eater is nowhere to be seen, possibly he's also in Snape's pocket. I wait probably forty minutes. In my first life I was an atheist, but lately I've been praying so much that it'll last for the next life too. I promise myself that if I get out, I'll give Snape a large piece of basilisk skin - good thing I didn't sell it all.
Finally Snape returns.
I take his hand, and we walk from the house toward the gates. The guard opens for Snape, and we exit. Ten meters later the professor grabs my hand and Apparates us.
I look around a small dark living room - dusty, with a sagging sofa in the center, the room filled with bookcases. The books that didn't fit on the shelves lie on the floor in large stacks. This even gives the room a cozy look, despite furniture that seems about to fall apart.
"Stay in the house and wait for me. I don't have time to deal with you right now."
Snape lights a fire in the fireplace with his wand and throws two wooden figurines into it. In response to my look he explains:
"Selwyn and Greyback. Using Obliviate on the Dark Lord's subordinates is a pointless endeavor, and it doesn't work on werewolves at all. Well then, Miss Granger, nothing to say about double murder?"
Does he really think I could be against it? Given the circumstances, that's unlikely - I'm not cut out to be a Dumbledore. Yes, Professor, if you only killed two today, I definitely outdid you. Gods, what am I thinking about?
"Thank you, Professor! You saved my life! It's scary to think what would have happened if not for you..."
I think I'm crying. Finally broke down. Snape raises an eyebrow in puzzlement. I wonder what's surprising about that?
"I must go, and don't you dare touch anything in the laboratory."
"Professor Snape, Nymphadora Tonks is still there! I couldn't open the cell..."
"If you're hinting that I should rescue her too, I'll have to disappoint you - I have no reason to go down to the dungeons. Extra suspicion is not something I can afford, especially now. Besides, the cell can only be opened by knowing the password."
I remembered my attempts to open the door to Tonks, or rather, the Death Eater sliced by Sectumsempra, and covered my mouth with both hands to avoid vomiting on Snape again.
He looks at me and extends some vial.
"Drink this, Miss Granger."
I drink. Though I should have asked first. It seems to be Dreamless Sleep.
"What if we transfigure Tonks into a small animal, like Moody did to Draco?" I make one last attempt.
"Do you really think they locked a metamorphmagus in a cell without protection from animagic?" Snape answers angrily. "A gifted metamorphmagus can take almost any form. Miss Tonks may control her gift poorly, but instinctive magic is capable of much. The bars won't let a magical core through. However, if you need her corpse..."
I'm swaying. The Professor catches me under the arm and drags me to the sofa.
"When you wake up, sit here and don't do anything."
I was already asleep when he left.
***
By my feelings, I slept for a long time, and now it's around lunchtime. I feel incredibly dirty, so first thing I need to find a bathroom.
Oh gods, now I'll have hot water and soap! My gaze falls on a shelf above the sink. Sorry, Professor, but I'm going to defile your toothbrush. No spell can replace proper teeth cleaning. Yes, using someone else's brush is gross, but not when you haven't had any for a week. And I'll buy the Professor a new one later.
I freeze with hands extended toward the faucet because I hear some sound from the living room. Has Snape returned?
"Severus, are you home?" I hear a familiar voice.
Damn, it's the Headmaster! My robe is lying on the sofa, good thing I took my wand with me. I concentrate and Apparate.
In the park by my favorite tree with the rope swing, I examine myself - no splinching, everything's fine. But Apparition can be traced, and I quickly ran. I stopped when I started encountering other people, and they were looking at me strangely. Right, I'm in torn and dirty school uniform, grimy, my head full of sand after rolling around on the Malfoys' paths. I go to a semi-abandoned trail, put myself in relative order with Reparo and Scourgify. Disillusionment falls off during Apparition, unfortunately. I Apparate to a square I know where it's usually not crowded. Lucky, no one's there. Probably the Headmaster didn't follow me. I want to see him least of all. Though no, second to least - there are still Death Eaters. And third to least - Potter. I move for the third time closer to Justin's house. Our parents agreed that I would live at his place for a week while taking exams. And all the school documents are with them, correspondence went through them too. Pity, the passport I need to leave for another country remained in my backpack.
Mrs. Bennett opened the door for me, the Finch-Fletchleys' housekeeper or steward - I don't understand such subtleties. She was clearly surprised that I was without things and by my disheveled appearance, but said nothing, showed me to a room already prepared for me in the guest wing. First thing I called my parents in France. Mom cried and scolded, Dad also scolded and spoke unusually much - this is nervous, they lost me long ago. Amelia didn't tell them anything specific, said there was some force majeure at Hogwarts and they were detaining us, and I wasn't answering through parchment. Sirius couldn't write anything coherent at all, and when he heard Amelia's version from my parents, he immediately joyfully agreed and strengthened suspicions even more that something was fishy. But Lady Finch-Fletchley honestly admitted that Justin had been home for several days, and according to him there was some fight at the Ministry. I barely calmed my parents and gave the least scary explanation: there was a fight at the Ministry, I didn't participate, but knew about it, everyone who was aware was detained at Hogwarts until circumstances were clarified. And the parchment simply spoiled. I asked them not to tell Sirius where I am, and generally not to write anything about me, or he'll drag me into something again.
God, what happiness it is - brushing teeth with a new toothbrush. And taking a bath - I lay there for an hour and a half, warming up after a week in the dungeons. I had to dress again in my life-battered school uniform, because the choice was it, a robe and pajamas. When I came downstairs, Justin had already returned home - he had an exam today, at my school they'll start a couple days later.
He even hugged me.
"Hermione, you're alive! Potter said..."
"Potter is an imbecile! It's because of him everyone suffered. Because he couldn't think for five minutes and rushed into a trap!"
Justin listens with grim satisfaction as I curse Potter in every way. He suspected him of all sins since second year. And later too, you couldn't say their relationship became friendly.
My classmate refrained from the phrase: "I told you so!" I appreciate that. Instead he told me about his successes and how the year ended at Hogwarts. His successes aren't bad, he has another year to study at school and he transferred from correspondence to standard education - he and Professor Sprout discussed everything before exams. The Dean promised she would tell Dumbledore herself at the beginning of the next school year, he's unlikely to object. Justin won't return to the castle. If only everything was so simple for me too.
The Ministry finally acknowledged Voldemort's existence. Justin knew little about the battle.
My escape will surely become known to everyone soon, but they might not guess immediately that I'm at Justin's, since we're just friends, not close friends. And Dumbledore is unlikely to be up for searching for me with rituals right now. So I won't write to anyone from here myself. I ask Justin to order a small supply of Calming Draught at the apothecary - my own is better, but my supplies are inaccessible. Good thing a Gringotts purse can always be summoned, but all my other things remained at Hogwarts and with the Death Eaters. I also ask Justin to write a letter to Luna, to find out about the battle at the Ministry.
At dinner I briefly told Justin's parents about the situation. Lord Finch-Fletchley listened attentively but wasn't very alarmed - overall, he was already aware. According to him, a bullet stops any wizard, and two or three bullets stop any wizard with a magical shield. And they fly faster than spells. And Justin will have to tolerate Squib bodyguards nearby for some time. My friend's father is a good man, he also assigned me a bodyguard for the few days I'm taking exams.
In the evening an owl returned with a letter to Justin from Luna. There was a trap at the Ministry. The Order of the Phoenix managed to come to the schoolchildren's aid, and all the children are alive. Neville and Ginny were seriously injured and are now in St. Mungo's with some unknown curse - apparently someone's family curse. Alastor Moody and two Aurors who were on duty at the Ministry that day were killed. Pomona Sprout was severely wounded, she didn't regain consciousness for several days in St. Mungo's, but now she's fine. Though how fine she is, Luna only knows from Harry's words, and Harry from Dumbledore's words. So it's hard to say for sure. Sirius wasn't at the Ministry.
On the other side there are also losses: Jugson and Crabbe were killed, many were arrested and sent to Azkaban. Voldemort, the Lestranges, Dolohov and Nott escaped with hostages - that is, with Tonks, Shacklebolt and me.
Eh... Well, at least Sirius is alive. He doesn't even know what he avoided, probably worrying now that he wasn't there and didn't prevent these murders.
I take my final exams and in a few days receive my certificate. Besides attending school, during this time I only left Justin's house once - to buy myself the necessary minimum of things at the nearest store. Lady Finch-Fletchley bought me a new wig and colored contact lenses when she learned I was hiding from magical terrorists. Each time it was scary to go outside, even with a bodyguard, and I flinched at any sudden movement nearby. I came to France by train, had to use Confundus for the first time because they asked for my passport, which remained in my backpack.
At the French Ministry of Magic they understood my situation and very quickly processed all my documents as a person who suffered from Death Eaters. They don't like Voldemort here. Not like Dumbledore, but also strongly. And since I also don't like both, am a rather strong witch and speak French well, I'm welcome here. Now I have to take the BAC - a sort of French analogue of standardized exams. They reviewed my application to medical school and responded positively, provided I score high enough on the exams. I bought myself another wand, and buried the Death Eater's wand in one of the parks far from home.