Raven? Was that her name? She didn't care anymore. All that mattered was the darkness, the separation, no pain, no joy, simply nothingness. Darkness was her element, and she reveled in it. People were afraid of darkness because they didn't understand it, the beauty of that chilling cold and the emptiness it contained. Darkness was not a toy to be played with, but a substance more powerful that all others. But darkness has one flaw, and that flaw is light.
As Raven pushed all her memories away fleeting images had caught her attention, images of faces, their faces. The ones she had tried most to rid herself of. They didn't understand her need for darkness, for the emotionless void she was part of, they didn't understand but still they accepted. But they had wanted her to be like them, creatures of the light, and so for many years she had obliged to a certain degree. Allowing herself into the light as long as the darkness remained in her mind, comforting her and being used by her. The light was good when she was with them, it didn't burn as it did now, forcing her to take refuge from its glare, just as they could pass through darkness when with her. Without them the light would never have allowed her into its presence, just as darkness would have shunned them, creating mental images to drive them away.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Darkness, Emptiness, Alone, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Darkness, Emptiness, Alone, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos,"…
Hermione twined her fingers through the magic floating around her, it converted and calmed her. She had left the hospital wing shortly after Ron had woken up, being forced out by Madam Pomfrey, but Kory's word's weighed heavily on her mind.
'It's a lie,' She tried to tell herself over and over again, 'Trigon has the power of resurrection, killing herself wouldn't do a thing,' but she knew it was she who was mistaken.
After months of knowing Raven, and betraying her, Hermione knew that Raven wouldn't tell anyone she could get out of something by killing herself unless she could. There had to be some way, something that would stop even Trigon from saving her, something that would destroy her soul all together.
Her head snapped up as all thoughts of Raven flew to the back of her mind, something was missing. Hermione had been subconsciously searching the castle for Harry along the strand of magic held tightly in her grasp, she hadn't realized what she had been doing until she realized he wasn't there.
Closing her eyes, Hermione focused on the magic around her, choosing the strands that stretched the farthest into the world beyond the castle. Taking them in her hands she began to search.
"My Lord," Someone said in a low, shaking voice, "She is no longer at the castle, she seems to have fled, before getting your message."
Harry awoke to screaming, though thankfully not his own. He didn't need to pause to get his baring, he knew exactly what had happened. He had been in the presence of Voldemort on more than one occasion, and he had learned to recognize the coldness in the air accompanied by the rank smell of fear.
He was chained to the wall, his wand lying on the ground a few feet away, and as he opened his eyes he saw the silted eyes of Voldemort looking at him, seeming to bore into his soul. As Harry met his eyes, Voldemort seemed to smile, though it was more leering smirk than anything else.
"Did you hear that Harry? My original plan to obtain the demon has failed, which leaves the other less reliable plan to take its place. Not that I mind in the least bit, this plan it far more satisfying."
Snapping his fingers, a small vile appeared in his hand. The vile could not contain more than a few drops of liquid, but Voldemort was looking at it with something close to reverence. "See this Harry?" He said holding the vile in front of Harry's face.
Harry could just make out a dark substance, swirling in a restless flow. Voldemort pulled out the stopper and forced Harry's head back, laughing darkly as he poured the liquid into Harry's mouth. Harry shuddered, it felt like drinking darkness, a cold, alone feeling, a feeling of despair. He was after all, a creature of the light, and when faced with darkness he tends to recognize it by false traits, traits created by the dark's battle with light. Traits used by those of evil minds to inspire fear and cover up their own greater fear of true darkness.
"The blood of Trigon is powerful indeed, though extremely hard to find, let's test my little plan out shall we Harry?" Raising his wand Voldemort pointed it at Harry, and Harry began to scream.
…"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Darkness, Emptiness, Alone, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Darkness, Emptiness, Alone, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Darkness, Emptiness,-" and then it hit her, a wave of pain carried through blood, intensified by the traces of light intertwined in its core.
Raven forced her mental shields up, pushing the pain away, trying to regain her center and pulse. But it was too late, the light had hit her, bring back all her memories, unwinding everything she had worked to ensure.
Opening a pool of darkness at her feet, Raven sank into its murky depths. Reaching into the darkness it came to her, what she had hidden here so long ago. She wouldn't have the time to re-infuse herself with the darkness, so it came down to the small knife that she held in her hand. Its time would come later however, for now, one of the ones who had shown her the light, and inevitably caused her need to be reemerged herself in it was calling to her. Calling for her to come back into the light, the world that had excepted her however doubtfully, and she would go, she would always go.
Hermione felt it, the wave of pain coming from her quarry, she watched in horror as it traveled along a strand toward another figure, Raven. Hermione hardly recognized this Raven, she no longer shown with darkness intertwined with light, but rather, darkness complete and whole. The darkness too was different, and Hermione saw for the first time what light and darkness really were. They weren't good and evil, rather, the light was both, and the darkness was the absence of it all. The darkness contained the true peace, and while darkness was often used to aid evil, it was only being used as a tool while it was in the light constant battles were fought over its control.
Desperately she reached out, trying in vain to disrupt the flow, but it was too strong, and she to weak. She could only watch as it hit its target, creating a shockwave that forced her back into her physical body. The last thing she saw before her real eyes opened was Raven, the one she had come to know, not the Raven of a few seconds ago, sinking into shadows and she knew it was too late.
Hermione almost ran to the hospital wing, wait, take that back. Hermione did run to the hospital wing. She had to tell him, give him a chance to choose a side. It might be the worst mistake she ever made, but it could also be the best one, and she felt that right now it was the right one to make.
Draco awoke to see a pale looking Hermione shaking him vigorously.
"Christ, Hermione, I was sleeping. What do you want?" Draco tried to call up his usual arrogant tone but failed miserably. Somehow, it was concern that spoke through his lips, 'wonder how that got there?' he mused inside his head.
His concern grew as she tried to tell him something, but her words were so garbled together he didn't understand anything. This was not the Hermione he knew, Hermione was cool and collected, this Hermione was near hysteria.
"Hermione, calm down. I can't understand what you're saying," he said gripping her chin and lifting it so they were eye to eye.
"They got Harry, and Raven's going to help," She said a little calmer.
"Who? Who has Harry?"
"Voldemort."
It was the first time he had ever heard her say the name, and he acted without thinking. Hermione had come to him, and he'd be damned if he was going to let a lie stand in his was any longer. It wasn't Potter who had killed his parents, it was Malfoy, under Voldemort's orders. Or rather under Tom Riddle's orders. He had known for a long time, but it wasn't until now that he was willing to except it.
"Get the other Titans, I'll go ahead," He said slipping out of bed, looking over to where Ron snored loudly he added, "Better wake him up as well."
Draco was starting toward the door when Hermione called after him, "Malfoy wait! How will you get there? How well we get there?"
"You're the smartest witch in school Hermione, think of something, as for me, well just because I don't have a license doesn't mean I don't know how to apperate. Oh, and don't call me Malfoy, my name is Riddle, and I'm not gonna let the dark lord misuse it any longer."
Draco Riddle glanced over his shoulder at her one last time and was surprised not to see shock on her face, but one of respect and trust. This was who he was meant to be, and if he died now his only regret would be not having the chance to thank Raven for keeping the world alive long enough to do so.
The remaining Titans were all in the room of requirement, Beast Boy sitting alone in a cloud of despair, Cyborg updating his laser canon, and Robin and Starfire sitting next to each other staring into the fire.
That's how Hermione and Ron found them several minutes later. Beast Boy didn't pay any attention to what Hermione was saying till a name caught in his mind. 'Raven' that's all he needed.
"Let's go," Everyone looked at him, showing no surprise at his confidant and commanding voice. Things had been changing over the past few hours, people had been changing, it came as no surprise that Beast Boy had been affected as well.
Reaching a hand into the air, Hermione grabbed a strand of magic and looped it around her, Ron, and the Titans. You couldn't apperate in the school, but Hermione simple bent the magic that sustained that rule and created a tiny hole, just large enough for the six of them to fit. Giving the magic a sharp pull they found themselves standing in the outskirts of a forest, a few feet away Draco nodded to them and pointed in front of them. Standing in a clearing was a rather old house. The paint was peeling off in many places, and while it was nothing like the Riddle Manor, it still had an air of forgotten beauty, a noble past put to shame by the ring of black robed figures standing guard.
"Harry and Raven are in there," Hermione said, feeling their closeness. No one challenged this information, they hadn't questioned her yet, there was no point starting now.
"Well then lets make sure they don't get any distractions," Malfoy said raising his wand. He and Robin let the charge, as the Titans never had a knack for anything but frontal assaults. Hermione paused for a second longer to throw a muting spell around the house before running into the fray. She didn't bother with a wand, it would only hold her back now.
Raven once again entered the world of light, feeling the knife burning through her pocket. The turmoil in her mind was increasing, she would have to finish this quickly.
"Ah Raven, my little demon, welcome to my abode," his voice was chilling, but hardly frightening, he was human after all and he didn't know what he was dealing with. Voldemort was standing several yards away from her and chained to the wall behind him was Harry, looking a little disheveled but otherwise alive.
"I've been waiting for you, and you will do as I say," He paused for a second, watching her immobile mask closely. If she let even a hint of emotion pass over her face, if she dropped her mask for even an instant, he would know he was close.
"And if I don't?"
Voldemort grinned and pointed his wand at Harry, "Cruiso."
He was trying to get her mad, to force her to loose control, but the burning of the knife in her pocket reminded her of her duty. A black shield formed around Harry and the spell was absorbed into it. At the same time the chains around his wrists opened and his wand flew into his hand. Harry scrambled to his feet, eyes warily watching the Dark Lord.
"What! But those chains were magical!" Voldemort screamed, his voice changing from arrogance to furry in an instant.
"You underestimated the power of darkness, you were foolish to believe you could ever control it," Raven said, seeing the fury building in the man, no doubt no one had ever dared to talk to him like that before.
"Control darkness? But I've already done that, haven't I become the greatest source of evil this world has ever seen?" He was spitting now, his eyes glowing a fiery red.
"Evil yes, but not darkness, you belong to the side of the light, darkness would never fully welcome you. If you thought darkness would ever let itself be controlled by one of the light's creatures such as yourself then you owe it an apology for the insult," As Raven finished speaking, a portal, like the one she had come through opened under Voldemort's feet, sucking him in. Voldemort let out a sharp cry as the darkness touched him. He continued to scream until the sound was lost in the dark void.
At this last use of power Raven felt her father howl hungrily, she had waited too long already, the knife was burning with a growing urgency, telling her that her time was up, telling her that it was time to die.
Harry watched in fascination as the portal closed over Voldemort's head, but then his mind went into overdrive as he began to panic, thinking up all sorts of consequences for this breach of events.
"Raven wait! I've got to be the one to kill him, the prophecy says so," he yelled hoping it was no too late.
"No Harry, all it says is that you and Voldemort can't survive long while both of you are alive, and you don't deserve to become a killer. Besides, he's already gone." Raven replied, her normally monotone voice sounding strained and weak.
"But what about you Raven?" Harry asked, his concern changing to that of his friends needs, "What about you becoming a killer?" He didn't like to ask the question but he had to know. He wasn't sure she was right about Voldemort being dead, it seemed logical, but how could he know for sure?
"Don't underestimate the power of darkness Harry, it will led you down a similar path as Voldemort," As Raven spoke she raised her head and looked him in the eye. "And as to becoming a killer, my soul will be obliterated, here and now so my actions don't matter."
When Raven raised her head, Harry saw lines of pain cross her face, as he looked closer, flickers of other emotions swept across the normally vacant surface. And her eyes, while not yet like the red he had seen all that time ago in the DADA lesson were still glowing with an inner red light.
"By coming here to save me you lost all chance of saving yourself didn't you?" his voice sounded shaky as the truth hit him. Raven didn't answer, but she reached into the pocket of her cape and pulled out a small knife. The knife seemed to be made of pure light, shining with a fiery brilliance.
Harry made no move to stop her, he, like her, knew this had to be done. Raven raised the knife and plunged it toward her heart, her eyes changing to four red glowing eyes for the briefest slip of time but then the knife sunk into her body and her eyes changed once again the purple of her true self.
Raven screamed as her soul was torn apart, she was dimly aware of falling, and of someone catching her, but just barely. It didn't matter that the green Titan was holding her screaming body, tears leaking down his face, or that other familiar faces were bending over her. The only thing that mattered was that little knife made of light and that it was getting smaller and smaller. She just wanted it to be gone already, for only then would the pain stop and she could cease to exist. But the light seemed to want to make her suffer because she was born into and of the darkness, slowly ripping her soul into smaller and smaller parts each cut causing her an agony of pain. And then it stopped, and when the pain stopped existing, so did Raven.
Hermione felt slightly pleased at herself as she surveyed the scene around her, they had managed to take out the entire group of Death Eaters without killing a single one. Most lay unconscious or in the full body bind and a few just lay there moaning softly.
As she undid the muting spell she had put around the house her emotions changes abruptly. Coming from the house, and most likely from Raven was a scream, a scream that sounded as if she was being tortured in all the worst ways all at once, a scream as if her soul was being cut to pieces, just as Hermione had predicted.
Beast Boy was the first in the house, he was holding the screaming Raven as tears ran down his cheeks. Harry was standing ashen faced watching the scene, and Hermione knew he would blame himself later, unless…
She turned to look at Raven again, though a slowly shrinking knife was protruding from her chest, it seemed to be made of only of light, and with the absence of blood Hermione could see no physical damage.
"Beast Boy! Move away from Raven, I might be able to save her!" Hermione yelled over the screaming. The Beast Boy of the past might have asked why, but now he lay her down and backed away without question, knowing if anything was to be done, it was a matter of seconds, not minutes.
All eyes were flittering back and forth from her to Raven. Closing her eyes she focused on the threads of magic flowing around Raven, tangled in their strands were small glowing black and red pieces of soul, the black being Raven, and the red her father.
Hoping against hope that this would work, Hermione shut out the screaming and plunged into the magic. She grabbed at the pieces of soul, making sure only to take the one's belonging to Raven and leave those of Trigon, trying to get them all before the screaming stopped. The last piece of soul was a little way off, separated from the others by a few feet.
Hermione lunged for it just as Raven stopped screaming, the knife completely gone. Though she still breathed and her body lived, it was an empty shell without meaning or purpose.
The red pieces of Trigon's soul had disappeared, leaving no trace. Hermione had sensed other souls flowing through the strands the moment she had discovered how to connect to this power. The souls of those who had died lived on forever in the tide of magic. But Trigon's soul was completely gone, obliterated all together, it seemed that to survive a soul had to be whole.
Looking down at her clasped hand, Hermione opened it to see that, with relief, the last tiny piece of soul rested there, though it was no longer glowing. As long as it was in her grasp it was protected from the same fate at Trigon's soul. Hermione opened her other hand to see a round black ball sitting there, a ball with only one tiny missing section. As she slid the last piece into place it fused together like the others had done, and the sphere began to glow with life again.
Carefully, so as to not lose it, Hermione plunged the glowing orb into Raven's chest exactly where the knife had been and felt it liquefy instantly, flowing to occupy all of Raven's being. Hermione slid back into her own body as Raven rolled over and wretched unto the floor, not a pretty awaking, but no one seemed to care.
Trigon had been defeated, and Raven was still alive.
To Draco the events of the next few weeks went by in a blur. The Death Eaters had been arrested and the news that Voldemort was dead spread everywhere. He hardly cared about any of that, as he say under a tree looking out at the lake reliving the memories that hadn't been swept into the vast corners of his mind…
The nine of them sitting in the hospital wing as Hermione told them how she had saved Raven. Within the hour Ron was telling anyone who came within earshot how his girlfriend had single-handedly battled with bits of Trigon's soul and rescued Raven from his evil clutches. Ron and Hermione were officially together now, though Malfoy knew they had been shooting each other looks for the better part of a year. How Ron finally got up the courage to ask was beyond his comprehension…
Hermione was joking with him about him hanging around a mudblood, and Star started panicking thinking Hermione had some terrible disease. Their attempts to explain to Star what was going on ended up with one totally confused alien, and two exasperated teens. Robin, seeing what was going on rushed to the rescue with a bottle of mustard…
Beast Boy was attempting to make Raven to show some emotion, as with the death of her father she no longer had to worry about losing control. He had done anything and everything- including trying on makeup and dancing the cancan, something the others found very amusing (yup- back to his old self). Old habits die-hard however as they found out when he was suddenly flung through the window, Raven's face as impassive as ever…
The Titans left the school to return home a week after the incident. Beast Boy and Starfire hugging everyone, Raven just nodding, her hood pulled up obscuring her face, and Cyborg and Robin shaking all their hands. When Robin shook Draco's hand, he made sure to ask to come to his and Star's wedding, Draco was rewarded with a muttered reply and a very red faced Robin…
He was sitting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the library studying for the final exams. Or rather Hermione was studying, he, Harry, and Ron were having a very heated debate over the best Quiddich teams and their players. They ended up getting thrown out for the making too much noise…
Draco sighed as his thoughts returned to the present. The final exams had just finished that morning, leaving him with nothing to do until the train came to take them home in a weak. 'Home' he wondered, where was that now? He couldn't, and wouldn't return to the Malfoy's, Ron had offered to let him stay over at his house but he had polity refused. He wanted to start his own life, be his own person, and bleeding goodwilled people dry was defiantly not how he wanted to start off.
Hearing someone calling his name, Draco looked up and grinned at the three figures approaching him. He could worry about the situation later, right now it was time to seriously whoop some Gryfindor arse in Exploding Snaps, which Ron was waving widely in his hand. 'Mental note- don't sit next to Ron.'
The End
YAY! The last chapter done. I'll be going away for a few weeks and I wanted to get this out before I left. Thanks to all the people who stuck with me through my writer's block, I really appreciate that. Also I apologize again for the long time I left this story unfinished.
I was thinking of writing a sequel to this story, so please tell me what you think. And any of you who like HP crossovers, when I get back from my trip I'll be posting my next story, a x-men evolution HP crossover, featuring Rogue as the main character.
GS Dragono- Thanks for your continued support throughout my story, and thanks for sticking with me through my writers block. I hope you liked how it turned out in the end
CHACO TACO- Thanks for the ah… interesting review. No really, thanks for supporting my idea of making Hermione temporally evil, I wasn't sure how well that would be received so thanks a lot.
juzblue- Glad you like your new found hate of Hermione, and thanks a lot for supporting my evil Hermione idea, I wasn't sure if people would like that twist or not.
Raven of The Shadows Azerath- Sorry it's not the parings you asked for, and sorry I made Hermione an OOC. I took a risk with the evil Hermione thing knowing that some people wouldn't like it. But thanks for reading the story anyway and for giving me a suggestion.
raven77- Thanks for your kind review, and sorry about the time it took me to update, I've been really busy.
The Last- Your Maelstrom story is my all time favorite, I really appreciate that you took to review my story. I hope your happy it's not a M/H fic, I don't really like those to much myself, but I just put it as an option. Again, thanks for reviewing.
MCLBLUE- Thanks for the idea, and sorry I didn't use it. Hope you like the update (:
Chromedragozoid- Glade you hate my Hermione (that was what I was going for after all), and thanks for reviewing.
PrincessofDiamonds- Sorry about no evil revenge ): but Hermione did save Raven's life in this one so I hope you can forgive me. Thanks for the reviews.
Crazygal965- Sorry about not getting Hermione punished, but thanks for reviewing.
Sillymail- Thanks for voting, sorry about the H/M though. Also thanks for the review.
Made in heaven- sorry there was no love triangle, but I wanted it to end on a good note for Draco, otherwise great idea and thanks for putting this story on your favs.
Blue Flamed Phoenix- Sorry I didn't make it a H/H but I hope you like the story anyway. And I finished it- hope that makes you happy. I have a rule where I always finish my stories, so even if it takes awhile they will get done.
Dea Lunae- Glad you like the story and thanks for the review.
gothic kid 13- Thanks for the review.
otakualways- Thanks for the review, and also thanks for no pressure (: I hope you like the final chapter.
shadow929- Thanks for voting, and for the extensive ! marks.
minastargirl- Thanks for your review, and your praise of my story
tEENtITANS4EVA- Ya I do watch Charmed, (though not anymore cause the I don't think the new ones are that good). Were you talking about Cole?
technogirl- Thanks for your story idea, and sorry I didn't use it.
bluepegasus- Wow, thanks for the extensive idea, and sorry I didn't use it. I hope you like the final chapter of this story.
KnightingGale- Thanks for the review, glad you like the story.
Silvery-veritas- Sorry I ended up making it a B/R fic and didn't have much intermingling. I didn't want to spent to much time on romance, I felt it would take the story too far away from the story line. I hope you liked how it turned out and thanks for the review.
K.C. Raven- Thanks for the story idea, and sorry I didn't use it, but thanks also for the all caps review, it was very amusing
Kit- Sorry about the long time it took to update, and thanks for your idea. Sorry I didn't use it though.
FallingDarkAngel- Hides behind door sorry about making them so mean to Raven, but everyone's happy now so I hope that makes you happy. Thanks for the review.
Wolfgirl211- Sorry about not putting there real names after the code ones, I thought that it might get a little annoying for people who know who they are. I have their code names and real names listed at the beginning of the first chapter if you have trouble. Thanks for your really nice reviews, I love reviews
silverwingedraven- Thanks for supporting my evil Hermione thing, and sorry about the one sided R/B paring. Otherwise, I'm glad you like it, thanks for reviewing.
soaring-bright-flame- Thanks for the review, and sorry that I made Robin's character a little off.
Nightstarling- Thanks fo rthe story sugestion, and sorry I didn't use it. I hope you like the way I did it.
craziwierdo- Thanks for the review, I love reviews (:
hiei kai koji- Thanks for your support, hope you like it.
Darkest Raven- Thanks for your review, it really made my day, hope you're happy about the parings and the story ending.
Inujoey20- Thanks for the review, and I was wondering if you could tell me the names of the Inuyasha HP crossovers if its not to much trouble. I'm having a hard time finding any good ones (I'm really bad at searching for stories sob)
Yuki3x3- Thanks for the long review (I love long reviews), and thanks for the input. I hope you like how it turned out Oh one more thing- is the Yuki in your name from Fruits Basket? I love that manga.
Sarah Lean Impey- Thanks for the review, I actually had the next chapter written before you reviewed, but my computer was screwed up and wouldn't let me print so I couldn't get it checked over for errors. Anyway, I hope you like the way things turned out.
Joey- Thanks for your review, I love it when people use caps (:
Desiree L. Wallen- Thanks for the review. This last chapter wasn't actually delayed by writer's block, but by my evil computer being very very messed up. Thanks also for the idea, but I had already finished the last chapter so sorry I didn't use it.