Chapter Five: The First Secret: Hermione’s Tale

Making sure that everybody else was asleep, they went to Ron’s room and locked the door. Harry used the muffliato spell on the door (which Hermione had no problem to now) so that they couldn’t be heard.

‘So, tell us everything. Everything you did while you were in Albania,’ said Harry.

‘And how on earth you thought of going there?’ asked Ron.
‘Well, I thought going there as I knew he was in Albania during his downfall,’ began Hermione. ‘so I thought that before coming to your house, I’ll go and check there.’

‘But why didn’t you wait till the wedding?’ asked Ron.

‘because people are dying Ron,’ said Hermione. ‘haven’t you read what happened to the Patil’s family? To Madam Hooch? It was time for desperate measures Ron.’

‘so what did you find there?’ asked Harry.

‘Well, for the first few days I was disappointed. Nobody knew anything. Or maybe they were afraid to say anything. Well, but then I heard about some disappearances. Some people who went to a certain part of the forests. And then I saw Snape. He was there going somewhere. I followed him. He went deep into the forests. There was a hill there at the bottom of the hill was a den. It was closed. He used a spell to open it, ‘Revealis Interium’ he said, and he went inside. I followed him. He couldn’t see me as I was invisible. I –

‘How come you were invisible?’ asked Ron.

‘Well, I learnt a spell that transfigures you to make you merge with your surroundings. Anyways, that is secondary. What I saw inside was more scary. It was full of humans. They were under an enchantment. I recognized it at once. It was the most horrible spell I have seen. Voldemort took many innocent people, around hundred of them, and put a spell on them. That spell transfigures their brain and makes them harmful and evil. And it is permanent. You can never change it. It’s not like the imperious curse that can be lifted. It was horrible. Witches, wizards, kids, muggles, they were all there. About fifty of them. You can’t kill them because you know they are being forced to do it. But if you don’t kill them, they will kill you.

‘Snape was there to set some of them free so that they can go into the open and cause destruction. I came from behind him and stunned him. but he sensed some movement and deflected the curse. We dueled for some time. And then he cornered me. He wanted to use the Avada Ke Davra curse on me – but – but I was quicker. I used his own sectumsempra curse on him. And he – he died.’

At this, silence fell in the room. Harry felt disgusted by the transfiguration Voldemort had done on the brains of those innocent people. And the fact that they can never be cured made him sick. But the Hermione spoke again, ‘but that’s not all. Before we started dueling, he told me something. He thought that I will not stay alive after that day and hence he told me things about Voldemort, about what he is up to.’

‘What?’ said Harry and Ron together.

‘Wand Purification and empowerment’ she said, at which, both Harry and Ron looked clueless. So she continued, ‘He knows that Harry’s and his wand contains the feather of the same phoenix. And that phoenix is Fwakes.’

‘But how does he knows this?’ said Ron.

‘Ollivander,’ said Harry, ‘he was abducted last year, remember?’

‘Yes,’ said Hermione. ‘and Ollivander’s mind is also transformed. ‘he told Voldemort all about your wand. That night when he returned to power, what happened was no ordinary thing Harry. It happened because of your wands, specially your wand Harry. You see, Fwakes was Dumbledore’s pet. And Dumbledore was all in for justice and goodness. And o was Fwakes. Remember the times she helped you? So her inclination and loyalty is more towards you than towards Voldemort. And the same thing goes for the wands. The power of the want comes from Fwakes and is more biased in your favor. It was for this reason that your immature expeliarmus could stand against Voldemort’s mastered avada ke davra. The wand favors you more than it favors Voldemort.’

‘So what is voldemort doing now?’ said Harry.

‘There is a procedure by which this can be changed. And if he does this, his wand will become more powerful,’ said Hermione, fearfully. ‘And he is going to do this tomorrow night. And this procedure is evil. He will have to duel with fifty innocent people and kill them while Ollivander recites incantations to make his wand powerful. And the only people whom you can call innocent, are children. He is going to take Hogwarts students to empower his wand. And all this will happen in twenty-four hours from now. We have to do something Harry, and we can’t do it alone. We need help from the order.’

‘then let’s go to them,’ said Harry.

They went down to Ron’s parents’ room and knocked. When they opened the room, they told them everything. Within one hour, this news was spread amongst all the order members. Mr. and Mrs. Wheasley had decided that Bill and Fleur’s wedding, that was supposed to take place on the second of august, will be postponed as this was more important. Next morning, when Fluer’s parents arrived, they were informed about all this. They decided that they will help the order in fighting. Hermione even contacted some of the DA members for fighting. By the time it was evening, there were about hundred people ready to fight.