This is a story of a much darker path. In previous Hogwarts years the rosey glasses of the wizarding world have tinted in the eyes of a once innocent girl. This story begins after reality forces Hermione to face both the light and darkness of magic. In this story puppies are werewolves, kittens are animagus, and rainbows mean the light has been broken. Now rated M for violence, language, and adult situations in future chapters. Unbetaed. I don't own the rights to Harry Potter.

Chapter 1

Dear Harry,

I know you're going to be as disappointed with this letter as you have been with my others, but please do try to be patient. Have you done any of your homework? It's not what you want to know about, but it is something we can discuss freely. And you should know that knowing and preparing make quite the difference. Even if you didn't have to pass end of term exams, you're still required to know it to pass our O.W.L.s this year. A bit of studying should at least help with your boredom problem. You can borrow any of my notes just let me know what you're reviewing. I'm sorry I can't say more but we gave our word not to mention anything that may or may not be happening. Stay safe and do at least try to focus on homework just a little.

Love

Hermione

P.S. Crookshanks' is getting along like cats and dogs with his old friend.

It wasn't hard for Sirius to find Hermione, she was curled up on a sofa in the library where she was often found. In the short time he had known her his respect had only grown, which he didn't think was possible after she traveled through time with his godson to save him from a fate worse than death. Immediately upon arriving at his home she had cornered him and began questioning him about spells, charms, and curses. Pretty much anything and everything to do with magic and the magical world. At first he considered Ron's description of her being barmy about learning that she was taking advantage of having an adult wizard that would answer her questions living in the same house. After several weeks of answering about everything from goblin culture to magical music evolution he began to notice patterns. There seemed to be several lines of questions that would keep resurfacing with varying regularly, the first he noticed were about the marauders map and how it was made. The second consisted of questions about his time as an auror, focused mostly on the training and spells used. The third took much longer to notice she approached this topic with all the care of a mother keezle with newborn kittens, tactics that the death eaters used in the last war. Waiting one afternoon for a private word with her. He came upon her in her usual habitat

"You seem awfully interested in the map." Sirius casually mentioned.

" Well it is a fascinating bit of magic. It's been very useful and if it could be modified with alerts and more security it could be recreated in places other than Hogwarts it seems like it could be just as useful there." Hermione said in a rush. It wasn't her normal rushed speech that he had become very familiar with when she was asking questions. This was a rush of words with an undercurrent of panic.

"Yes, that's all very accurate. But not the truth. You seem specifically interested in the password and the insult features" Sirius kept his casual demeanor, stretching one arm along the couch he sat on and flicking an invisible bit of fluff off. "Planning on sending secret messages to anyone I might know?"

He was completely unprepared for the tear tracks falling down Hermione's cheeks.

"He's all alone again. He's hurting and I can't do anything. He's my best friend, he deserves more than to be locked away like a criminal." She stared straight into his eyes, she never would flinch when it came to Harry "but you wouldn't know anything about being innocent and locked up without love or family would you?" Her stare had transformed into a glare that chilled him to the bone. Only his previous experience with the cold of dementors kept him in his seat. He had thought they had developed something of a friendship in the weeks of constantly answering her questions. What he saw now was nothing of the polite and inquiring girl that had pestered him, this was betrayal and anger.

Without breaking her glare she tapped her chin as if in thought, "no, what would you know about being trapped in a physically and mentally abusive prison by Albus Dumbledore?" She stood and picked up her book " Good night Mr. Black, sleep well, you're safe now and have a full belly, and I have work to do. Someone has to care about Harry, and since nobody else ever has or appears to now, I guess it's just me".

Sirius sat completely stunned and stared at the place where Hermione stood. If any morning light had ever dared to venture so far into a house as black as it's name it would have found Sirius still sitting in the same place the only sign of change were the twin trails of tears on his cheeks.

Albus Dumbledore was upset, despite his orders to the contrary, it had been brought to his attention that Ms Granger had been replying to Harry's letters this summer. He would have to speak with her. It wouldn't do to have a new prefect disobeying him, he would have to subtly mention that badges had not been delivered yet. He stepped through from his opulent office and into the crowded kitchen that served as the meeting place for his Order of the Phoenix. His arrival only gained attention due to who he was, anyone else would have been lost in the chaos that filled the room. A gentle clearing of his throat was all that was required to calm the room and find seats for everyone present. As the meeting went on he noticed some concerning looks coming from Sirius. He hadn't displayed any of his boisterous behavior nor had he even looked at his school days nemesis. In fact he hadn't said a single word or moved from his seat at the back of the room.

He reported that nothing had been heard from Remus but wasn't expecting him to have any progress swaying the affiliation of the packs. He'd spent too long grooming his informant not to place a ready made spy in place. If he thought that he was helping the cause by trying to change hearts and minds of vicious beasts it didn't matter. It was mostly to keep him away from Harry. It wouldn't do to have the boy constantly reminded of what he would never have. That reason went double in regards to limiting the time Sirius would be allowed to spend with Harry. Albus feared that Sirius' time in Azkaban had left him unable to tell the difference between his long dead friend and his godson. Perhaps if there was more time he could have allowed them to get to know each other, but with Tom's resurrection just a few short months ago sealed Harry's fate. The time was drawing near that the boy would have to make the ultimate sacrifice. It would not do to have too many bonds to tie him to a doomed life. He just didn't have the heart to allow anyone to become attached to the boy, it would only dim the sacrifice required if he left a crowd of mourners after his passing. The death of the dark lord should signal the dawn of a new era of peace and stability to the wizarding world, the good witches and wizards needed to approach the future with forgiveness in their hearts not loss. Loss was far too easily turned to hate. It would be the most difficult thing he had ever attempted. Watching as the young boy's friendships fall away and allowing him to face his destiny on his own. No matter how much it hurts him personally he would offer no aid. The best he could do is look after Harry's friends. It may seem cruel now but Harry's isolation would allow him to become use to being alone. it would also serve to lessen the painful impact of his nearing end by providing a bit of space between the boy and his friends. The meeting wound down and Albus called for Molly to ask Ms Granger and the rest of the children to join them, he would reintegrate his orders to not contact Harry for his own safety. He wouldn't mention it was also for their own good as well. As the twins, Ronald and Genivera found seats and were shushed by their mother, he looked to the doorway as Ms Granger chose to stand near the back.

"It is of utmost importance that Harry remain safe and undiscovered by those who would wish him harm. I asked each of you to refrain from sending correspondence to Harry for his own protection, and now I implore you for the same reasons to not jeopardize Harry's safety and allow him time to come to terms with the events of last year. As I'm sure you're aware the daily prophet has been less than willing to believe in Voldemort's return, being leaned on heavily by both the ministry, who have yet to change their stance, and the death eaters who between them own a substantial portion of the paper. Harry has had many responsibilities he must bear in the wizarding world, please allow him this time away with his family to free himself of his burdens if only temporarily." Dumbledore was a master at using perceived humbleness and his grandfatherly persona to essentially guilt people into doing what he knew was right with the minimum amount of fuss. Their own guilty conscience would enforce the spirit of his orders more effectively than any magic could enforce the letter. He had been watching Ms Granger's reaction to his heartfelt speech. She had stared at a spot just below his chin, with a completely closed off blank expression. His attention now focused on Ms Granger, causing most to turn in their seats to see who their wise and noble leader had truly been speaking to.

Hermione slowly pushed away from the wall and stood before the gathered order. Her shoulders squared and her fists clenched at her side she took several slow breaths, her expression unchanged from its earlier stony mask. She stared straight into the eyes of the most powerful wizard in several ages…

If there was one word in the English language that nobody would have expected to hear from the brilliant and very prim and proper Ms Granger it would be the one she hissed from between clenched teeth with a hatred that can only be known by those who have known true betrayal.

"Liar" Hermione spat

In the crowded kitchen of a ruined house of magic a new side of the war had just been born and no one realized that the whole world would remember this moment. The absolute silence lasted as long as it took for the shock of such blasphemy coupled with such hatred to sink in. The explosion of noise shook the foundations of the house. Hermione stood still as a statue, her eyes that had always held such warmth and compassion, had turned hard and not strayed from her hard stare.

It took long minutes before even the great Albus Dumbledore could make himself heard, and many more before everyone had returned to their seats. "Perhaps you can enlighten me as to what you are referring" Dumbledore's slightly condescending tone gave the impression that he was well use to exhibiting his famed patience towards unruly children. He hoped he wasn't too late to prevent Ms Granger from developing romantic feelings for young Harry. He had hoped that time spent in Mr Ronald Weasleys company without Harry's influence would allow deeper bonds to develop between the two teens just on the verge of exploring feelings towards the opposite sex. He settled in to educate his student, Ms Granger was an exceptionally bright young girl and she would surely see that his wisdom would guide the wizard world.

Hermione's wand was far from the only one that was raised, a full half of the order stood with their wands aimed at her, she paid them no attention. "I, Hermione Jean Granger, swear on my life and magic that I hold no Ill will, no deceit, and have no plans that will cause harm or death to Harry James Potter so mote it be". Her voice loud and carrying in the silent room seemed shouted at the leader of the light. "Can you make the same vow" she challenged. She was prepared to wait, she was prepared for half truths and outright lies. Movement from the other back corner of the room caught her attention, but she kept her eyes firmly locked on Dumbledores. Sirius reciting the same vow in a hard and gravelly voice only surprised her at the timing. She fully expected Sirius to be on Harry's side, but thought it would take much longer for him to understand what she had spent the last year piecing together. Her extreme hatred had risen in place of her destroyed faith in authority. She had spent most of her time at home going over every year since joining the magical world, and the conclusions she had drawn were worrying at the least, and downright evil at the worst. The final nail in the coffin of her childhood was finding a used copy of the Triwizard tournament rule book at Flourish and Blotts, now that the event had ended someone no longer felt the need to keep their copy of the rule book. She had searched for this particular book extensively last year but none could be found in the fever of excitement surrounding the tournament. Clearly stated was the rule allowing the redrawing of champions if there was any dispute in the drawing. Until the weighing of the wands, the first official event of the tournament, champions could be re-chosen. With physical proof of not only Dumbledore's unwillingness to help Harry, but an actual rule in the binding magical contract that entry into the Triwizard tournament sealed, that would have exempted Harry from having to compete in the deadly tournament she had proof that Dumbledore served up an underage, untrained child in his care on a silver platter. He had done nothing to thwart evil in the school he loudly and widely proclaimed to be the safest place in Britain. She had watched as Harry suffered under the hatred of students and staff alike as he completed in deadly challenges that tested the metal of the best wizards and one witch Europe had to offer. She had been there when he suffered and was broken in body and spirit. Now she waited for the truth.

Albus Dumbledore paled rapidly under the twin glares of Hermione Granger and Sirius Black. He could make no such vow and live. "Ms Granger it's very unwise to make a magical vow of any sort, the exact intricacies of magic at such deep levels is and has been the study of some of the most brilliant minds of the wizarding world…" he was rudely cut off by Ms Granger.

" Yes or no, can you make the vow. If the next words out of your mouth aren't a magical vow then you will have confirmed what I know, that you have nefarious plans, to once again try to kill Harry Potter."

Hermione stood with crossed arms and waited to see what Dumbledore would do.