To you, 30 years from now

Chapter 18 - Watcher

The next day, at around afternoon, Hermione and Bellatrix were on a hill. They were alone, because Hermione had told her, that she wanted to talk with her, that there was something on her mind she wanted to discuss in private. And of course, despite not knowing what it was, Bellatrix had agreed to do so. Because of that, they were now standing on a hill, with Hermione looking at the dark haired witch. 

"Bellatrix, I'm gonna ask you this", she slowly walked up to her, "did you really leave me because of another woman, or was it because of something else?", asked Hermione. "Please, tell me the truth, because I don't think, that it was another woman.", she added. 

"It wasn't", Bellatrix finally decided to start to tell the truth, "we were once going shopping, and there was this... thing, I think it was a wizard who used some kind of spell, but I can't be sure. Anyway, he threatened you, he had people surrounding you, and he said, that if I would leave you, he would keep you safe, or at least not harm you.", she revealed. 

"Oh Bellatrix", Hermione put a hand over her mouth in shock, "I never thought..."

"And so I did it, because it was the only way to keep you safe.", said Bellatrix. 

"What did he do after that?", asked Hermione. 

"He took me here. He sort of copied all my memories, saved them for himself and then left, telling me that I could live however I want now.", answered Bellatrix. "And with that, he was gone.", said Bellatrix. 

"So you really only did it to protect me.", Hermione wiped away a few tears from her eyes. "And how did I repay you?", she was angry at herself. "By marrying your sister.", she pulled herself together. "I'm a terrible person."

"You moved on", Bellatrix lightly caressed Hermione's face, "it was the right thing for you to do."

"I want to get this guy.", Hermione said in a stern voice. "I want to find out, why he needed your memories, and why exactly, he went after you.", she looked into Bellatrix's eyes. 

"But how?", asked Bellatrix. 

"He's still watching us", Hermione said in a quiet tone, "I've felt it since I got up this morning. I never felt such a presence before, but ever since I've woken up this morning, I could see a shadow out of the corner of my eyes. He's watching us, because we've made contact again.", she whispered. 

"Let's get that bastard.", said Bellatrix, she took Hermione's hands with hers. "Like old times."

"Like old times.", repeated Hermione. 

A few hours later

Hermione and Bellatrix were at a nearby forest. They were walking around, hand in hand, as they did in the past. Because they wanted to lure out the shadow, or whatever the person was, that had ruined their chance at a happy life once. It felt good to hold hands, thought Hermione, but she didn't focus on that. Now she was focusing on the fact, that there might be a danger lurking around and watching over them. 

"Do you really think, that this will work?", asked Bellatrix. 

"It already did.", Hermione looked over her shoulder. She saw the shadow again. This time, it wouldn't be able to escape. Without saying anything, Bellatrix turned around, her reflexes as fast as always, she pointed her wand at the shadow and thought stupor, and the shadow, not having been prepared for this, quickly deflected the spell. "It uses a wand.", Hermione smiled. 

"Let's get it.", said Bellatrix. They both attacked. Soon the forest was filled with red and blue lights. Spells flew across the entire forest. And Bellatrix, fast as ever, drew the fire of the shadow towards her. The shadow followed her, he raised his wand and then, knowing he wasn't allowed to kill her, threw a crucius at her. Bellatrix flew to the ground, wincing in pain. 

"Got you!", yelled Hermione and from her came a shock spell. Once that threw the shadow to the ground. Bellatrix got over the pain as fast as she could, and got up. She went over to the shadow that now laid on the ground. 

"Not so tough now, eh?", she mockingly asked, as she pressed her left foot against the shadow's chest. She then nodded at Hermione, who understood the sign. The younger witch quickly removed the shadows mask, revealing a pace faced man underneath. "So you're just a human after all, huh?", asked Bellatrix. 

"Please don't kill me.", begged the pale faced man. 

"Quiet.", Hermione looked at the man with disgust. "You have only one way to escape from here, and that is if you tell us everything, and I want to hear, why you kept her away from me and why you needed her memories.", said the witch angrily. 

"I was ordered to do so. Yes, payed and ordered.", the man nodded. "They wanted to punish you, or so they said. But after I went to go after you, I got a new order: don't kill her, just get her memories. And so I did.", he explained. 

"Who ordered you?", asked Hermione. 

"High animals within the ministry.", he answered. 

"I see.", Hermione swallowed hard. If there were people within the ministry who had wanted this, she didn't dare to ask herself what would happen, if she would make the ministry her enemy. Not after everything that had happened. 

"I believe it was because of the time travel", he finally revealed, "they wanted to know how to do it.", he said. 

"So they could use it for themselves.", Hermione looked at Bellatrix. 

"We need names.", said Bellatrix coldly. 

"Leon Grimhart, he's behind it.", said the man in a pleading voice. 

"I heard about him", Hermione looked at Bellatrix, "we should act now.", she said. 

"Indeed.", Bellatrix then raised at her wand and pointed it at the man's face. "We're going to wipe your memories now. You can count yourself lucky, that you got off so easy.", she then did as she said. 

"So what do we do now?", asked Hermione. 

"Isn't that clear as day?", Bellatrix walked up to her. "We're going to destroy our enemies.", she answered. 

"But this might spark a conflict, between us and the ministry.", replied Hermione. 

"I'd take on the world for you.", said Bellatrix, and with that, she kissed Hermione.