Blood Magic - Golden Trio Era

19. Dark Apprentice

The next day they were both tired and, Hermione especially, struggling to stand. When Helena saw them stumbling into the library supporting each other, looking tired but deeply satisfied, she let out a loud cackle. Luckily the castle was still mostly empty so there was no one to see the girls in their current state.

"So that thing you had to do, it kept you busy all night, huh?" She asked coyly.

Hermione blushed and Amy rolled her eyes dramatically with a smile.

"Why, wish you could have joined?" Amy joked back.

"I-I uh... you don-" She stumbled before huffing. Amy quirked an eyebrow at how flustered the joke made her friend. She looked to Hermione to just see the girl biting her lip slightly looking at the ghost girl with a strange look, not jealousy and not lust, or at least not lust for the ghost girl.

Amy laughed at both girls strange reactions before heading to her usual seat, Hermione sitting on her left while Helena was on her right.

The rest of the holiday passed in a blur. Hermione and Amy had opened a new dynamic in their relationship, one that they were keen to explore. They were like rabbits, much to Helena's dismay as they would often, not so subtly, disappear to 'do something' before coming back red and sweaty. During the rest of her waking hours, Hermione was eagerly reading through the notes Amy had given her for Christmas, impressed by the insights they offered.

"Amy," she asked wearily as they were reading towards the end of the holiday. "These pages here, are these what I think they are?"

Amy looked down to what she was referencing. It was the part of her book where she had noted the exact methods of performing the unforgivable curses.

"They are my notes on the unforgivable curses." She hummed, matter of factly.

Hermione looked shocked and leaned in to quietly speak even though the three of them were alone, "what?!" Why do have notes on those? Did you know about this Helena?"

Helena nodded, "Of course, we both have been breaking into the restricted section at night."

"Have you both lost your minds?!"

Amy put a hand on the girls shoulder, "Hermione, please, I want to learn magic. All of it. Why should we ignore a major part of it? Because of morals? What about when your enemy is willing to use any means necessary? Because of laws? The Ministry is a corrupt institution that only stifles us."

The girl just looked at her unsure.

"Hermione, you and Helena know more about my past than any one else here. You know I've killed. Countless times and from a young age. You know I've tortured. You know I've bound ghosts and have human thralls. For better or worse, I will be doing these things until someone is powerful enough to kill me. I am not, no, I cannot be, a good person. What is more humane? For me to kill instantly and painlessly with the killing curse or violently and bloodily with tooth and claw? To torture without permenant disfigurement with the cruciatus curse or to maim and scar? To take control through the blissful dreamstate of the imperius curse or to force submission through violence and coersion?"

"You don't need to do any of those things." Hermione offered weakly.

"I do, Mi. Whether I like it or not, I am expected to lead once my father rests. Sure, I could decline, but I'd be killed all the same. I've already been named heir so will always be a thorn in the side of anyone who takes over. As terrible as it is, I cannot afford to let any weapon pass. I will be surrounded by daggers in the shadows. The number 1 target for hunters. If I can't protect you, my loved ones will be used as weapons against me."