Harry Potter and the Desideratum Crusade [Harmione]

53. Sending an Invitation

Hermione shifted slightly and winced as fresh pain shot down her arms and seemed to explode in her shoulders. She wasn't sure how long they had been there, but she vaguely wondered is she would ever be able to lower her arms again. Voldemort seemed to be waiting for something, and she could see he was getting impatient. She heard a commotion by the doors and turned to see Greyback push through a group of Death Eaters and make his way to where Voldemort was sitting. He approached the Dark Lord, but did not bow and simper like so many others.

"Fernir, my friend. How did the raid go?" Voldemort asked.

Greyback gave a feral grin that made Hermione's blood run cold.

"Successful," he replied. "Scrimgeour lives for now, a puppet at your command. I left one of my associates, Silvertongue, to help him remember his place."

"And this Silvertongue, he knows not to kill him yet?" Voldemort asked.

Greyback narrowed his eyes at him. "He answers to me," he growled.

Voldemort gave him a tight smile. "Of course," he said.

There was a moment of silence, which was broken by two Death Eaters arguing as they dragged a student through the doors of the Great Hall.

"My story to tell, Alecto," the shorter one wheezed.

"I just don't want my part left out, Amycus. You tend to do that," Alecto said.

Hermione couldn't see who it was, as the hood of the school robe was covering the student's head. From the way the person was staggering though, the two Death Eaters hadn't been too kind. As they approached the Dark Lord, they pushed the student, who fell to the ground in front of the small crowd.

"Found 'er in the library," Amycus said. "All by ourselves, we did."

"I saw her first," whined Alecto.

The student sat up and pulled the hood off of her head.

Hermione gasped.

It was Luna.

Hermione glanced over at Ron, who was straining against the chains, a tortured look on his face. She could tell he was battling with himself, trying not to make the situation worse by calling out. Voldemort briefly glanced at the girl before glaring at the brother and sister. The silence in the hall became deafening, and the two backed up fearfully, not too sure what they had done wrong. The lopsided leer fell from Amycus' face.

"You interrupted our meeting," Voldemort said quietly.

"Apologies, my Lord," Alecto said, bobbing her head and bowing low.

Amycus watched for a moment before mimicking his sister's moves. Voldemort glared at them for a moment longer, and the two Death Eaters flinched, realizing their mistake.

Greyback cleared his throat.

"As for the other matter," he began, as the brother and sister slinked off to avoid the Dark Lord's wrath, all thoughts of a reward being dropped.

Voldemort smiled and held out his hand. "You have it?" he asked.

"I do not fail in my missions," Greyback said as he pulled out the chain.

Hermione could see a red pendant spinning on the end.

Voldemort eagerly reached forward, but Greyback curled his hand around it.

"My payment?" he asked.

Voldemort sat back in annoyance.

Greyback nodded to where Luna had been trying to sit unobtrusively.