Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

In school you're given a lesson to help you with the test. In life you're given the test to teach you a lesson.

-Tom Bodett

Hermione Granger was a logical person by nature. She liked explanations and clear, concrete proof in front of her before she even considered an idea.

It was a safe idea to conclude that she did not like going through a plan without doing research or thoroughly thinking it through.

So one could see why the curly-haired former Gryffindor was in a considerably foul mood as she and Neville Longbottom stood in a magically drawn circle, ready to perform a possibly dangerous (in a soul-destroying kind of way) spell without any sort of research or plan.

But as they were two of the last survivors of what was left of the Resistance, the muggle saying; 'desperate times call for desperate measures' applied to the situation.

That didn't mean she liked it.

The ritual in hand seemed like a relatively simple if not dark one, much to Hermione's suspicion.

There was something wrong with a dark ritual that seemed simple.

Neville didn't seem to think so.

Or maybe he did but was merely desperate for another chance to thwart this bleak future they were in.

She couldn't blame him.

"OK, Hermione. Ready?"

She nodded.

The two friends positioned themselves directly across each-other.

Locking gazes, they began to chant.

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

The mild weather of the open clearing they were in had changed dramatically, large gusts of wind nearly pushing Hermione's small frame into the air.

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

Perhaps it wasn't working.

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

If it didn't work, then she and Neville were as good as dead. There was no way Voldemort's trackers hadn't noticed this much of a magical disruption in Britain.

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

Why wasn't it working?!

"Nunc solutus tempore c, per nomen ignotum virium, ut in me usque ad fluvium."

Suddenly, the fierce, howling winds stopped abruptly the candles they'd lit were still miraculous going.

But Hermione wasn't paying attention to that.

No, she was more preoccupied by the glowing sign that had appeared in the middle of the circle.

Sacrifice.

Slowly Hermione looked up, her horrified gaze landing on Neville's tired yet determined ones.

"No! Absolutely not! I wo-"

"Hermione! I choose to do so. You can't make the choice for me."

"Neville! Do you even hear yourself talking? Do you actually think I'm going to let you kill yourself over some ritual that may not work?"

She looked at him. Her best friend and companion since everyone they'd known had died.

"No. No, we're going to find a different way. This time I'll do a thorough research through the Black library and Hogwarts library books I have with me. There's bound to be a way."

"Hermione."

Neville sounded tired, far more then anyone his age should.

"Deatheaters are bound to have noticed the large amount of magical activity here. They're probably on their way here. Its our only choice."

With that the dark-haired boy threw a quick and silent incarcerous at her.

He looked at her horrified face guiltily.

"I'm sorry Hermione but this needs to be done and I won't allow you to sacrifice yourself."

For the first time since the war had broken out and the light had lost, Hermione Granger cried.

With Neville's sacrifice the winds began their incessant howling again.

Then it was as if the world itself had been ripped apart.

Everything was disappearing and distorting. Like the world was confused and couldn't find what shape it actually was.

Was this, Hermione wondered distantly, time unraveling or was it instead the end of the world?

She had no time to ponder this as she lost consciousness.

In the midst of the world reconstructing itself, a purposely misplaced soul was held tightly in its grasp to begin anew.