Prologue: Obliviate

September 19, 1980

Granger Residence

It was a beautiful Friday, Robert Granger was at the door in the kitchen, holding a glass of wine and looking at his daughter's first birthday party.

There were balloons and party favours everywhere. The sounds of children shrieking in laughter and parents chatting filled the background as a magician did some tricks at the centre of the living room. The party had been going on for an hour. Joy swelled in his chest as he looked at his only child, so oblivious to what was actually going on around her. He admitted that this party was a bit too much and that his daughter would never recall it but a few years ago he didn't think this was possible.

He could fondly recall the day she was born, exactly a year ago. Hermione Jean Granger was born as the sun set on 19th of September. He remembered the first time she heard her cry. He remembered the way his hand shook when the delivering doctor asked him to cut the umbilical cord. He remembered the very same joy and the pride that warmed up his chest as he had held her in his arms.

He and his wife had been so grateful for the miracle they've received. Hermione's birth was one of the moments that they would never take for granted. The years before Hermione were years of heartache and disappointment. Several miscarriages and dozens of meetings with Fertility doctors. It broke them for a while and were optioning to adopt. Figuring they could love an unwanted baby as their own.

But then one day his wife, Jane, announced albeit in such morose tone that she was pregnant again. The both of them anxiously did the routine of monthly check ups and prenatal vitamins. The first trimester passed. Their anxiety remained and grew back then. They had once lost a baby around the second trimester but Jane made it through the third trimester this time. They both couldn't believe it. Finally, they were going to have a child.

A tear rolled down his cheek as he met eyes with his wife. She was holding baby Hermione. They both had a silent conversation. Things like these are precious and nothing could take it away from them ever.

The magician was nearly done with the show and it was time to sing 'Happy Birthday' to the birthday girl. Robert happily went back in the kitchen to get the cake.

November 2, 1981

It was nearly 9pm when Robert had left his clinic. Jane had gone home ahead hours ago to relieve Hermione's babysitter. It had been quite a busy day considering that the other night was Halloween and Halloween meant that children had flowing access to all kinds of sweets for the whole weekend. It wasn't unusual for several cases of toothaches and etc. to come their way during the season. He stopped at the front of the door putting his hand in one of his coat pockets, trying to to look for his house keys. There were no lights at the window where the living room, Jane must have gone upstairs for an early night. It had been a remarkably dark the entire weekend.

It didn't take him long to find his house keys and when he had opened the door, the entire house was bathed in darkness.

"Odd," He thought as he stepped in. It was as if there were some power outage but he had passed by the neighbours and they all had their lights on.

"Jane? Where are you, love?" He called out for his wife. There was no response.

"Must have dozed off." He told himself as he approached the nearest light switch. He flicked it on but the living room lights hadn't gone on. He flicked it off and on again. Still nothing. He moved to a table lamp, still no light. He scratched his head for a bit. Maybe their fuse might have blown out. He walked to the kitchen and put his things down on the counter. He then went through the cupboards to look for a torch and his tools box. He realised then how eerily silent the house had gone. It didn't feel normal.

As he fussed around opening a random cupboard he felt a bit of a chill and then suddenly, something pointy was pressed on the center of his spine. His insides squirmed as he had a hunch on what it could possibly be.

"Don't move until I say so." An unfamiliar voice spoke. It belonged to a man. Robert put his hands up, it seemed like the most logical thing to do.

"What's he doing?" There was a second person in the room, a woman.

"I said don't move, Muggle." The man pressed harder.

Muggle.

Strange word. He had heard that word spoken by someone many years ago. A strange man he had conversed to. He remembered how that man frightened him. The man had been quite convincing. He remembered that night so vividly that he could feel the dread to the pit of his stomach. The memory came to him so warmly, anyone would thought it great.

It was three years ago. Robert and Jane had gone to the Fertility Doctor again earlier that day. The visit wasn't productive. It left them with more frustration, disappointment, and a dent in their savings. He had let Jane go home ahead and he had decided to go to a small pub downtown. Just so that they could both be alone to let a bit of the steam off without doing or saying things they'd regret.

He ordered a pint from the counter and sat himself in a dark and small corner booth. He had felt that someone was observing him. He looked around but everyone had seemed normal. He thought that maybe he was just too tired. He was at his third pint when a piece of paper appeared on his table. It surprised him a bit. He thought he saw the paper appearing out of thin air.

I know what you want and I can help you. Meet me at the back of the pub in 5 minutes.

Robert drained his beer. He thought he had hallucinated the paper but it was still there. It vanished a few minutes later indicating the time and so he stood up. He's probably drunk but for some reason, maybe it was desperation, he needed to hear this out.

He had arrived at the back of the pub. There was nobody there. Just darkness. Maybe he'd become light weight or maybe someone was having a lark on him.

"I know your desires, Muggle." A voice had spoken. Robert turned around and saw a hooded man.

"I know that you and your wife desire to have a child of your you've just received disappointing news yet again." The hooded man continued and moved closer. Robert blinked his eyes, the man seemed to be holding a twig.

"How'd you know?" Robert shivered as he said.

"Your minds are simple, Muggle...so easy to dive into..."

There was a moment of silence. The man was in front of him now. Robert saw the man perform movements with his twig and then produced a vial with some unfamiliar liquid inside. His eyes grew wide when he had realised that the vial was floating towards him.

"Should you take it, you only need one drop per day in her daily tea. The effects should be immediate." The man instructed.

"And if I don't?"

"Then it'd be such a pity. I do not help Muggles like you but in this case, I am in dire need of a back up plan."

Robert stared at the floating vial. Perspiration covered his entire body. He hesitated at first but he then quickly took the vial and kept it inside his coat.

"What do you want in return?"

He felt the man smile under his hood. "You'll find out one day..."

And then he was gone.

Robert remained stiff for a moment. He closed his eyes and cleared his head. He wanted to make sure if it was real. He wondered if maybe that strange man was lying. He had that weird twig and things were appearing and disappearing. It was like magic, if magic were real.

He dug his and in his pocket and felt the vial. He took it out and stared at it for a while. Was this safe? His brain brimmed with questions. The uncertainty wasn't gone.

"It doesn't hurt to try." A voice spoke in his head. It had convinced him so easily.

With that, Robert returned the vial in his pocket and headed home.

"Turn around," The man spoke again. Robert followed and turned to see the man and a both had dark hair. The woman was significantly beautiful. The both of them were holding a twig just like the strange man from years ago. The man's twig has a bit of light coming out of it.

"Kneel!" The woman had shrieked out. He didn't want to but something had compelled him to so.

"Now," The woman walked closer to him. "You have something of the Dark Lord's." The woman's voice was commanding but Robert thought he heard a short sob when she mentioned the Dark Lord.

"What are you talking about?" Robert replied. He was confused. Why does she keep on saying 'the Dark Lord'? Is she part of those demonic or satanic cults?

He suddenly felt something invisible restraining him. The woman stuck her twig at him and moved closer. She was looking down at him. "The child."

He held his breath and felt his heart speed up. Robert wanted to cry out for Jane and Hermione but he couldn't. All those years ago, he had made a deal with the devil. Now it's come back to haunt him.

"You want my d-daughter..." His voice broke.

"Nobody wants your filthy blooded daughter," She snorted. "but the Dark Lord has use of her."

"No," He shook his head. "Don't take her, please. Take me instead. Please " He closed his eyes and felt the tears.

The woman laughed maniacally. She moved closer to him, her mouth near his ears. "We have no use of you. You're better off dead, Muggle." Her whispers felt like a cold sharp pain all over his body.

"We're here to take the baby, Bella, and we're running out of time." The man spoke up. She faced the man and stuck her tongue out.

"Killjoy," She muttered.

Robert remained in his position, helpless. Time seemed to drag on.

"Please, not my Hermione." He begged. "Not my little girl."

They both had ignored them now. Another man had joined them and he carried a bundle. He was carrying his sleeping daughter. His beautiful Hermione.

"Have you taken care of the mother?" The man spoke to the other man.

"No...no...what have you done to Jane?" Robert wanted to scream but he couldn't.

"She'll have a bit of a headache tomorrow. She'll not remember a thing."

"Time to take care of him," The woman had poked his cheek with her twig. "Can we just kill this one please?" Her tone at that question made him sick, like she actually enjoyed killing. Robert shuddered in his position. She glanced back at the two men.

"You know we can't. The Dark Lord had tasked us with this. No one else knows but us. We can't kill the muggles, it'll alert the Ministry. We need to follow the Dark Lord's final orders." One of the men answered.

The woman pouted at the two men and put her attention back to Robert. She positioned and pointed her twig at him. She smiled. It was a smile of pure evil and insanity.

"This is the end," Robert thought as he brought his eyes to the bundle the man was carrying. The child he and his wife have always wanted. The child that brought them immense joy and love. It's cruel how happiness took so long for them to gain but was easily so taken.

He only wished he could've said a proper goodbye. He continued to look at Hermione, as if trying to memorise her innocent face, as the woman spoke some words he'd never heard. Slowly, he felt memories of Hermione go over him. He closed his eyes and savoured them.

Everything went dark.

A week later

It was a very normal Friday, Robert Granger was at the door in the kitchen, holding a glass of wine and looking at his watch.

The kitchen was spotless and so is everything else in the house. He and his wife were going on a long holiday starting today. He kept on looking around. He's been having this weird nagging feeling since last week.

"Anything wrong, Robert?" Jane had come in the kitchen, getting her own glass of wine.

"Something just feels missing..."

"Are you sure? We've both double-checked everything." Jane looked at her husband with slight concern. Robert looked like he spaced out for a bit.

"I'm sure it's nothing, darling."

A/N: I've been wanting to write fanfiction [again] for a long time. Really hope you've liked it. I'm sort of writing this to distract myself. Reviews are very much appreciated for encouragement.