A/N :I AM REWRITING THIS STORY!

Hello everyone. Its been a mad mad last year with everything in my life changing. The world as I knew it turned on its head and I was left grappling through it all. And all through out, when those I thought friends turned their backs, YOU GUYS stuck around like little soldiers in my corner. I can never thank you guys enough for the little messages and words of hope and encouragement. I had truly considered quitting fanfiction, but I couldn't leave you guys hanging. So when I decided to return, I wanted to rewrite the whole thing. In essence it is the same, but whereas last time I was just going with the flow, now I have some idea as to where I want this to go. So it felt right to properly rewrite the story. I will suggest you read through from beginning or you might miss out some interesting stuff...

Chapter One

Planned and Unplanned

The battle sounds had finally died down. The initial moments of euphoria, the whoops breaking out everywhere had been replaced by the final realization of the bodies lying strewn everywhere – friends, families, foes – they all became the same in death. Now all that remained was a haunting silence, broken only by stifled sobs, or sad murmurs. Those who survived felt guilty to celebrate, and those who lost loved ones felt guilty for surviving.

Filch, the caretaker was making a futile attempt to clean the place.

SHE watched them all from an upstairs window. She had slipped away to grieve in private. She never showed emotion in front of anyone. They thought she was cold and unfeeling… if they only knew how hard she had had to work to keep herself in control. She had tried, done the scariest thing possible to prevent this war. She still believed it had been unnecessary. But she had watched silently as other, more important men took decisions. She assumed she had been fated to follow, not lead – despite her heritage – she was a woman. Men of the world had proclaimed centuries before that no woman would be allowed to take the lead. They had chosen to suffer and wither away rather than letting a woman save them.

A bitter smile appeared on her face. How blind could ego make them! And how ironical it would be if they only knew the truth – if only they had the knowledge that she did.

The night before she had taken a chance – hoping, praying that her courage would yield results. Alas it had not – shocking her, for part of her had always believed they had all been wrong to think that women were too weak, wrong to assume witches were not suitable for taking the reins of the magical world. But her pleas had fallen on deaf ears – and the battle of Hogwarts had happened. And in its wake, destroyed everything she used to call her own.

Her eyes traveled past the familiar terrains on the far side bridge. Three figures stood with their backs towards her. She knew who they were – the entire magical world now knew who they were – the three war heroes – their saviors. As usual she knew the boys would get most of the credit. There would be books written in Harry Potter's name – possibly documenting every single year of his life at Hogwarts – and the side-kick would get a prominent place on the virtue of being a faithful side-kick.

Beside them, who would remember what a simple muggle born swot did to save hundreds of lives? None would care to acknowledge that the brain behind the victory was a seventeen year old school dropout genius of a witch.

Well if she had anything to do it… they would remember. Her stories would become equally famous – little witches needed a role model and Hermione Granger would be perfect of that role. She decided she would see that happen, even if it was the last thing she saw.

She sighed. Her time-away was over. It was time to get back to duties.

Little did she know that her prayers had been accepted after all – and very soon everything was about to be changed…again...

xxx

It felt good to breathe finally, thought Hermione. Even as they were surrounded by the ruins of what once used to be their beloved Hogwarts, muffled cries from near and dear ones floating from the stone interiors, and a future that still looked hazy, it still felt good to breathe in without fearing it could be their last. Standing between her two best friends in the world, looking out at the horizon, it felt good to not want to look over her shoulder constantly.

It was finally over… The terror that had kept coming back to haunt them for seven years was gone… and along with him had taken his vile supporters.

She had not forgotten the lives lost, the friends lying dead within the castle, the bodies still being recovered from under the concrete, she was not someone who would ever forget the price paid for victory... But after everything the three had gone through this past year, even the morally uptight Hermione Granger could agree that they needed a few moments of breather.

Harry had just told them about the truth behind the enigma called Severus Snape, Dumbledore's failed plan, the backfiring of the wand… and the twist of fate that had made Harry Potter the owner of all three of the Deathly Hallows.

Hermione was too stunned to form coherent words as she went over years of events in her head, connecting dots she had herefore ignored or missed at a speed only she could.

It was amazing how the mind could trick you to miss obvious signs the eyes saw.

So that means...' Ron ventured tentatively.
Yeah,' Harry sighed. 'The Elder Wand is mine now.

'What should we do with it?' Ron had tried and failed to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Hermione turned towards him sporting an incredulous look.

'We?' she asked pointedly.

Ron immediately blushed and mumbled, 'Just saying, it's the Elder Wand, most powerful wand in the world… with that you will be invincible!' he said to Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes and started to lecture Ron on 'limits of friendship and respecting privacy but stopped mid-sentence, her face morphing into pure shock. Because Harry had just snapped the Elder wand in two!

The Elder Wand! Snapped in Two! And thrown down the mountainside!

Hermione's first thought was the utter destruction of a historical artifact… a relic that had witnessed and created history of thousands of years…

Ron's mouth had fallen open. Harry merely shrugged.

And Hermione kind of understood why he did what he had just done. That wand had caused only destruction. It was best gone. And she was left feeling awed and proud of her friend. Only Harry Potter could beat such a huge temptation for limitless power. If she was being honest, she wasn't sure she would do the same. But she kept her thoughts to herself. There was such a thing called too much honesty.

With a smile on her face she went and stood beside her friend clasping his hands in her own. 'You're a great wizard Harry, and I'm honored to be your friend,' she whispered. He smiled at her and then she felt Ron coming up to her other side and she clasped his hands as well.

There was something slightly different about the way Ron held her hand. It was more… intimate. And suddenly Hermione recalled they had finally kissed. But what did that mean for them? She pondered for a moment and then brushed the thoughts aside. There was ample time to worry about that.

They made small talk as they trekked back towards the castle, carefully avoiding heavier topics or mentioning the loved ones they had lost. Hermione noticed Harry had chosen the longer route back, and she knew he was stalling going back in there. She didn't want to either.

Where do we go from here?' she asked aloud, determined to avoid issues for now. But twin expressions of confusion were all she received. She sighed at the idea of having to yet again explain what should've been obvious.

'We have missed out on our final academic year, and we have to start thinking about our future careers, not to mention sort out the mountain of pending tasks…'

Her parents' faces shone in her mind causing a lump in her throat. Had it really been over a year since she had seen them? Since they had been forced to forget her existence… She swallowed and braved on.
'There's a whole new path to be walked, so what are your plans? How do you suppose we go about it?' she asked and waited for at least one of them to come up with something concrete.

She was disappointed.

'Merlin's overworked balls Hermione... where were you when the phrase 'take a break' was invented? We just won an effing war!' Ron said.

Hermione scowled.

'Well if you look around Ron, we do not have the luxury of "taking a break", not if you have any intentions of taking your NEWTS.'

She noticed Harry and Ron exchanging their usual 'she is barking' looks and it annoyed her beyond words. She was the brain that won them that war, one would say at least now they would change their standard first opinions about her absolutely logical 'so-what-if-a-little-strange' ideas.

Apparently not.

'Well,' she said hotly, 'Harry of course has enough money to live off for two lifetimes, but you and I on the other hand...'

But Harry now cut her across, sounding enraged. 'Oh so you think I can live off inherited wealth, without a day of work and be happy about it? Do you take me for bloody Draco Malfoy?'

Hermione spluttered at Harry's anger.

'No no Harry, I did not mean it that way, I was just saying that... I mean well... you see that is the reason why we have to start planning our futures. We are already late by three-fourth of a year. And you do want to be an Auror right?'

'Yes, he does and so do I,' interrupted Ron.

'But I won't plan anything Hermione,' Harry said. 'Hasn't the whole war not proven that plans never work. There are some higher powers making plans...

Hermione frowned at his words.

'Yes, Hermione I know what I am saying,' said Harry noticing her skeptical looks. 'I'm just going to concentrate on the moment. And you're forgetting I already have the responsibility of a child on me. Teddy is my godson.' he said, in what Hermione thought was a helpless tone. The whole idea was terrifying her friend.

Hell it would terrify her too if she was made responsible for a child, before she was barely adult herself.

'Don't worry Harry, Andromeda and Ted will take care of him good enough,' she said softly, hoping to comfort him.

'Yeah and Mum and Dad will help too. Remus was a friend, and Mum loved Tonks like a daughter,' Ron added.

And just like that the atmosphere became heavy again. They covered the rest of the journey in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The main doors to the great hall loomed in front of them. The magnificent oak doors now stood almost off their hinges. Halfway up the stair however, a familiar voice brought them to a pause.

Percy Weasley came running into view looking extremely agitated. He skidded to a stop in front of them. Hermione couldn't remember ever seeing the most put together Weasley so worse for wear.

'I have been all over looking for you three,' panted Percy Weasley, clutching his side.

'What happened Perce?' Ron asked worried. 'Is it George?'

'No, George is still catatonic,' said Percy shortly. 'No it is... it is actually Bellatrix Lestrange.

'She is dead.' Harry immediately snapped.

'That's the problem. She is not.' Percy grimaced.

'What are you saying Perce? We saw Mum blow her apart. She is dead.'

'No Ron, go inside and see for yourself... Bellatrix fucking Lestrange is Alive... very much alive.

xxx

If Hermione's brilliant mind was working, she would have been able to notice many things as they ran full throttle along the corridors. She would have noted that this was the first ever time she had heard Percy swear, she would have noted Parvati and Prof. Trelawney grieving over Lavender's body and hated herself for not being fast enough to pull the werewolf Greyback away from her last night, she might also have noticed Neville standing in an alcove with Luna, with the latter crying in Neville's chest as the boy tightly wrapped his arms around the heaving girl, she would have noted that she had never seen Luna express any kind of emotion before this.

But from the moment the shocking news had been imparted, Hermione mind had drawn a complete blank, until they came to a halt in front of a heavily guarded pair of doors. But among numerous disadvantages, being Harry Potter had its few benefits and the Aurors parted to make way for them. A range of taps from their wands and the wards placed had been shifted. But as soon as the three quietly filed in, the doors immediately shut behind them again.

Hermione's eyes instantly fixed itself to the center of the sparsely decorated room. The hexagonal chamber had a single beam to which was now chained the most dreaded witch of all times… one who had sworn her allegiance proudly to Voldemort, the witch who had been singlehandedly responsible for more death and destruction than any of the other Death Eaters… the witch who they had blissfully thought was dead and gone for good… one whom Mrs. Molly Weasley had beaten and destroyed in front of hundreds of witnesses…

That same Bellatrix Lestrange now sat in front of their eyes, in flesh, still breathing, still alive.

They all stared. It was impossible. Even Voldemort had taken eleven years to come back from the dead. And yet they couldn't deny their own eyes could they?

Hermione felt cold sweat break out in her arm pits as she watched the familiar black skirt and corset, much worse for wear and tattered in places, but still inimitable, just like its wearer. Bellatrix Lestrange had given Hermione many a night of terrifying dreams ever since their encounter at the Malfoy Manor. Much as she tried to hide, she never could stop a shiver whenever she recalled that night, the woman bent over her… cutting into her arm, her whisper making Hermione want to die. Unconsciously she rubbed her forehand.

As if pulled by Hermione's gaze, Bellatrix briefly looked up from her slumped position and ignoring everyone else met the young witch's eye. Hermione gulped, her left arm suddenly tingled a bit and she took an involuntary step back. She expected Bellatrix to grin that horrible evil grin at the unwanted display of fear, but she didn't. It was a momentary look exchange, but Hermione had a strange feeling about it. She couldn't place exactly what. Bellatrix looked away again, going right back to staring at the empty fireplace.

A clear sharp voice cut into her thoughts and for the first time since arriving in the room, Hermione looked at the others already in there and found a whole crowd of people including members of the Order and most of the Hogwarts teachers. Ron looked as flabbergasted as Hermione felt. He looked around the room, apparently hoping someone would shout 'April Fool' but no one did.

It was however the look on Harry's face that scared Hermione. She had never seen such pure unadulterated hate gracing Harry's features. But then this woman had destroyed the only family Harry had ever had – Sirius. And then helped take away the other most important person from them – Dumbledore...

For the moment however Hermione's own hate was overcome by curiosity. She was burning to know how the witch had managed to defeat death.

'Okay now, Lestrange, for the last time, tell us exactly how you did it? Answer or we will be forced to resort to unpleasant methods,' snarled McGonagall. That stern tone made most people jump, but Bellatrix did not flinch. In fact she gave no sign she had even heard the question.

'Excuse me Professor, what exactly is going on here?' Hermione asked quietly, after another glance at Harry's murderous expression.

'Well as you can see Ms. Granger, Bellatrix Lestrange here is alive,' McGonagall sighed. 'And she is refusing to tell us how that has been possible. In fact she is yet to speak at all since we found her in the grounds.' McGonagall concluded grimly.

'But Mum,' Ron asked bewildered, 'you killed her. You blew her to pieces...' he was almost pleading to his mother for any kind of reassurance.

But none came. Mrs. Weasley looked more broken than Hermione had ever seen her. Losing a child, and seeing her family on verge of destruction and now this… Molly Weasley now held a great semblance to a tree after braving a cyclone.

'How did you find her?' Harry asked to nobody in particular.

Bill spoke up. 'We, that is, Prof. McGonagall, Fleur and I, were building more wards around the school grounds, just to be safe. We also wanted to see if there were (he hesitated and glanced at his parents)... anymore bodies... well anyway Fleur screamed and I went rushing and saw this... Her... sitting on the edge of the forbidden forest under a tree.

'Where is Fleur? Did she hurt her?' said Ron.

'No, she did not hurt anyone. She did not have a wand on her,' Bill replied. 'Fleur was terrified. And I stunned her almost immediately. Then Professor McGonagall came and we brought her up here and informed Kingsley and his team.

Harry suddenly moved forward, wand in hand. Hermione tried to catch his sleeve, but he jerked her away and went to stand in front of Bellatrix.

The dark witch still did not look up.

'Are you really Bellatrix Lestrange or are you someone else pretending to be her?' Harry spat out the question.

Bellatrix slowly turned her face and met the boy's gaze, her brows scrunched in a small frown… more annoyed than angry. Her lips however remained sealed.

'Because if you are not her,' Harry continued, 'then immediately start telling your story, and if you are really that monster, then I see absolutely no reason to keep you alive.'

Hermione saw a pained look cross the dark witch's eyes. It was for a fraction of a second, then the mask of indifference fell back in place. Hermione frowned inwardly. Of course for all she knew, it might have been a trick of the light.

'We all saw it happen,' Mr. Weasley said in a troubled voice. 'There's no way she could have survived Molly's attack. I just can't believe she is still here. Unless of course there are two or three Bellatrix(s) out there… and that's impossible!'

But Hermione's attention snapped towards him, her eyes widening in fear, at the unwitting implication. They had not told anyone about the horcruxes, and how exactly the three of them had finally managed to take down Voldemort. A quick glance exchange between the three of proved to Hermione that the exact thought had struck Harry and Ron too. emWhat if… after all Bellatrix had been Voldemort's favorite… did she too…

'Very well,' Kingsley finally spoke in his deep voice. 'You leave us with no other choice.' He turned towards Prof. Slughorn. 'Sir, do you have any Veritaserum in your stock?'

'What umm... ah no Shacklebolt,' Slughorn shook his head. 'Those two Carrow parasites took it all away, you know, to administer it on students... to extract information about Harry's whereabouts.'

Kingsley nodded. 'Never mind Sir, the Auror headquarters have their own private stash. Comes in handy. I'll send over people to get it.'

'What happens to her meanwhile?' McGonagall asked pointing at the bound witch.

'Yes,' Molly Weasley finally spoke up, though her voice betrayed the bewildered state. 'The children and the other people are still around. It's too dangerous to leave her here. Take her with you. Take her away.'

Bellatrix now turned to look at the Weasley matriarch. That brief glance held equal amount if not more of the distaste with which Molly Weasley had spoken about her.

'NO WAIT!' Harry suddenly shouted. 'We can't be done with her yet. We need to figure out if she is Bellatrix Lestrange really... this might be someone else under polyjuice... or it might be a horrible plot.'

He exchanged another uncomfortable glance with Hermione, who nodded slightly to show she knew what was in his mind.

'The Veritaserum should solve that problem Harry,' said Kingsley. 'Meanwhile...'

'Meanwhile I need to talk to her, privately,' Harry declared.

Multiple voices of protest arose but Harry repeated his words loudly over everyone else's. Hermione couldn't remember seeing him so assertive before… stubborn yes, but authoritative, no. These were what wars did to people.

'I need to talk to her. I need answers,' Harry said again.

Parental figures, ministry representatives and teachers remained silent. The wishes of the Chosen One were to be obeyed. Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable.

'But she isn't giving any answers mate,' said Ron, shooting Hermione a glance that showed he had noticed the change in Harry's attitude as well.

'She will,' Harry said with a steely determination in his voice. Professor McGonagall tried to speak but Harry interrupted her.

'No Professor, the war was meant to end today and it will end today. This witch here killed the only true family I have ever known. And destroyed that of my dear friend's. She almost killed Hermione last time and Ginny today. And Merlin knows how many of those lying dead has met their end at her wand. Just leave me alone with her.'

'How alone is alone Harry?' asked Hermione pointedly. Sure she would rather be anywhere else, but she be damned if she let her best friend alone with this woman. Even tied, and defeated, this was Bellatrix Lestrange.

'You two can stay," Harry told her, catching on the warning in her tone.

'Are you mad? We cannot leave you with this crazy woman... she is downright dangerous and you are barely of age,' Mrs. Weasley said in dismay and anger.

'Yeah Mum, little babies who won the war for you,' said Ron bitterly.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes welled and Ron looked stricken.

'Mum I didn't mean to...' he trailed looking desperately at his brothers. Percy shook his head in disapproval, Bill shrugged, but it was Mr. Weasley who came to his rescue.

'Molly dear, they are of age, and have faced Bellatrix more times than us. They're perfectly capable, as they have proven time and again. And after everything Harry, Ron and Hermione have done for us, they deserve our trust.'

He said the last bit to the room at large.

'I cannot lose anymore of my babies Arthur,' said Mrs. Weasley as the tears so long held back with iron will power finally released. The Weasley family gathered around her. Hermione looked away to give them some privacy and caught Bellatrix rolling her eyes. She felt red hot anger surge through her at that callous gesture. Strangling her suddenly seemed like a very good idea.

And yet again as if reading her mind, Bellatrix met her eyes. Another inexplicable moment passed between the two witches. Hermione felt there was something different about Bellatrix – those eyes, that body language, something did not feel right, but she couldn't place what it was.

After long moments of arguing and convincing, finally McGonagall ushered the other teachers out. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to the hospital wing to see George, and relieve Ginny for a while. The girl had not left her brother's side, trying in vain to get him out of his catatonic state. And Bill followed them to see whether Fleur was alright. Kingsley then assured Harry that his team would be stationed outside and if needed to call for help. He then instructed Percy to gather people and try to contact the families of the wounded and the dead. They finally left and the three were left alone with the unrelenting bane of their lives.

The heavy door fell shut and they could hear the enchantments fall into place as they were all locked in. Kingsley had however assured them his Aurors was only one red spark away from the three youngsters' wands.

With the others gone, Hermione suddenly found Bellatrix sitting Indian style on the floor, alert and giving them her full attention. This abrupt change of manner had not gone unnoticed by either of her friends who exchanged raised eyebrows with her.

Without preamble, Harry pointed his wand at Bellatrix and snarled, 'Start talking or I will make you do it under the Imperius Curse.'

Bellatrix smiled and leaned back again the pillar to which she was shackled.

'Oh, so you've finally learned to use The Big Three... Good, good! Do I get a Thank You card for helping you with the Cruciatus?' she asked conversationally.

'SHUT UP,' Harry roared. 'Shut Up! How dare you? You sit here and dare to make jokes out of people's pain, you MURDERER!'

'Who did I murder?'

And Hermione could almost laugh at the genuine surprise in Bellatrix's voice.

'Oh... let me think,' said Harry, pretending to think even as his eyes flashed. 'Oh yes… Sirius Black!' Harry shouted. 'Your cousin remember? Remember how you murdered him in the department of mysteries right in front of me?'

Bellatrix grimaced.

'I try not to remember. That he was my cousin is not a pleasant reminder. And I defeated him in a duel, it is different from murder,' she said irritably.

'And Dobby?' said Hermione quietly staring intently at the dark witch. 'You killed someone as pure and innocent and selfless as Dobby. How do you justify that?'

Bellatrix met her eyes.

'Oh, the elf died did he? I did wonder who finally got the knife,' she said musingly. 'It had been meant for you,' she added in a matter-of-fact tone.

Hermione froze for a moment but quickly recovered.

'What have you done with it? It was rather a favorite one of mine. Made from dragon bone and silver, a cherished gift actually...' continued Bellatrix either missing or ignoring a look of realization dawning on Hermione's face.

'Look at you,' interrupted Ron in disgust. 'You can't seem to stop talking now. Why were you pretending to be dumb for so long?'

'Are you stupid? No, don't answer that. I know you're stupid so I'll spell it out for you,' snapped Bellatrix. She straightened her back and looked imperiously at them, reminding Harry of the first time he had seen this witch in Dumbledore's memory. Broken but never bent…

'Queens do not talk to minions,' said Bellatrix. 'When a war is lost and the losing side's queen is captured it is the responsibility of the winning side's royalty to directly deal with her.

'I'm the Queen of the Dark, you're the King of the Light. Your minions captured me. So put forth your questions and I'll think whether or not to answer them.'

Harry and Ron looked dumbfounded. Hermione narrowed her eyes, because it had finally hit her… why she was finding Bellatrix odd…

'You're being sane,' she stated.

Bellatrix startled, but did not reply. She looked almost uncomfortable. Hermione decided to seize this opportunity.

'Unless of course, you're not Bellatrix Lestrange at all... tell us are you an imposter? Have you taken polyjuice?' demanded Hermione. She had no idea where the sudden burst of courage and confidence had come from, but then that's what happened with her. Hermione was never one to show false bravado, but when she meant business... she meant business!

Now she crossed her arms and waited for Bellatrix to answer. Bellatrix looked silently at her for a long moment, again with an unreadable expression. Finally she sighed.

'No, I'm me alright,' she said, reluctance tracing every syllable.

'How did you save yourself?' asked Harry. 'A room full of people saw you dying.'

'They thought they saw... it was an illusion. I created an illusion. Happy?'

'Far from it,' snapped Hermione. 'Don't give us that nonsense. Mrs. Weasley is a skilled witch, and many more highly skilled wizards and witches saw you being blown into smitherins.'

'No one saw any damn thing. Everyone was busy fighting their own battles,' retorted Bellatrix.

'And pray how would you know that if you were also busy fighting your own?' asked Hermione after a pause.

Bellatrix's head snapped up and her eyes widened for a second, before she quickly looked away.

'You know of all things I thought of you, I did not take you for a liar,' Hermione continued in a slow mocking tone.

Ron worriedly reached out to stop her as she slowly inched towards the captive witch. But she ignored him. Harry gripped his wand in alertness.

'Lying is for cowards Bella,' whispered Hermione. The dark witch's eyes flashed as Hermione used her nickname.

Now there was a thin line between courageous actions and suicidal actions, and Hermione knew she had just crossed it. So why not go all out. She had her two friends to protect her if it came to it.

'Tell us Bella, did you use the same evil way to immortalize yourself like your so-called-Lord had done?' she continued is a mocking whisper.

Bellatrix's knuckles had turned white. A vein throbbing in her temple.

'Where is your wand Bella? To which illusion did you lose your magic stick... Madame Lestrange?'

Bellatrix kept her eyes fixed on the manacles but there was a visible tick in her jaw.

'Did you lose it while running away from the fighting? Did you make some other person take Polyjuice and become you?'

Bellatrix ground her teeth, eyes still fixated on the iron bounds.

'At the end of the day that's what you really are aren't you? Bellatrix Lestrange... a coward!'

Before Hermione could blink, with the agility of a panther, Bellatrix had sprung up and lunged at her, chains and all. It had been so smooth and sudden that Hermione felt Bellatrix clawing at her face before she even saw the woman coming. It took Harry and Ron only a moment's delay to jump into action, shocked as they too had been with the witch lightning attach, but it was time enough for Bellatrix's nails to create to a gash across Hermione's cheek.

Ron dragged her away to safety.

'Impedimenta,' screamed Harry at the dark witch.

Bellatrix fell back and crashed into the beam, falling in a heap.

The two wizards forgot all about Bellatrix for the moment as they tended to their injured friend. They tried to heal her wound. Neither boy being as apt, the scratches partially remained. Hermione managed to close the wound by applying the last of her stock of dittany. The skin burned and hissed for a few moments, causing her eyes to water before the skin smoothned over.

Hermione shut her eyes and took a deep breath trying to cut out Ron's grumblings about recklessness. At last she opened her eyes and they at once fell upon Bellatrix, who had in that time elapsed also composed herself best she could. But she was seething.

'How dare you Mudblood!' she sneered. 'You saplings think you know everything? Just because luck played on your team, and just because this filthy little magic thief here can devour books like casseroles, you convince yourself you truly understand magic?

'You have not even scratched the surface. And you want truth? I will give you truth. Your mother did not kill me Weasley. She thought she did. She did not even fight me or you would have been crying over her body now. You all thought it was me.'

Bellatrix paused to ensure she had the three teenagers' complete attention… then spoke in her trademark chilling whisper.

'Imagine a person you have not seen in over sixteen years... and suddenly you're duelling with that person... A mad battle going on, people dying left-right-center, castle lying in ruins, the whole place filled up in smoke and dust and flying spells... and then Molly Weasley's blood traitor family being attacked...

'Think about it... dear Boy Who Lived... is it impossible to mistake someone else for me under such conditions?'

'But who would we possibly mistake for you?' Ron asked furiously.

Harry and Hermione said nothing. Both had frozen.

Hermione had suddenly remembered a long ago photograph Tonks had shown her. Of a mother and aunt that looked so, so similar that they could almost be twins.

And Harry recalled the night he had left the Dursleys' house for the final time. The seven Potters with their seven guards… how Voldemort had attacked them, how Hagrid and Harry had fled and reached the Tonks' house… And how when he had seen Tonk's mother for the first time, and mistaken her for her infamous sister... almost attacking her.

'You could… and you did because the said person looks almost exactly like me. Except maybe for a difference in eye color, hair color… But who notices eye colors or hair colors during a war?'

Even in her anger, a profound sadness settled upon Bellatrix. And for the first ever time Hermione noticed something she had never seen in Bellatrix before… Defeat.

'Andromeda?' Hermione said in a strangled whisper.

Bellatrix nodded.

'Dead,' she said in an ice-cold voice. 'Andy is dead.'

A/N 2 : Much of it is same with the added mystery figure at the very beginning. There will be more mystery this time. And I have incorporated all your constructive criticisms and tried to improve my writing. And yet again, thank you for not abandoning me and my little scribbles.

I am tightening the plot, so all of the 14 chapters of last time will be tied up in 4/5 with added plots. From there on, it will be all new.

A/N 3 : I have taken down 'My Dear Imperfect Love' because I am re-working that too. Don't worry, not going abandon that one either. I will upload that once its taken a solid shape, but it might take a little while.