Mudblood No More

A Broken Promise II

"They want to take Hermione," he whispered brokenly, showing her the parchment that he was holding. "Bella and Rodolphus have been arrested, and their trial is in two days."

"No, no.." Narcissa murmured. "You can't take Hermione! I'm her godmother, and the will states that if anything were to happen to them, Hermione was to come live with us!"

"Well, I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy, but she is the daughter of two of the most infamous Death Eaters, and the Minister for Magic has declared her a threat to our society."

"So what? You're going to get rid of a two year old? You're no better than the Dark Lord himself, then! You're going to murder an innocent child! What could she have done?" Narcissa cried, wiping at her tears furiously.

Meanwhile, Hermione had no idea what was going on. As bright as she was, she wasn't able to understand what the loud man was saying. However, she did know that he had made her aunt cry, and in her mind, no one got away with that.

"Leave Auntie Cissa 'lone!" she cried, stepping out from behind the adults.

The man in front of her chuckled darkly. "She looks just like her mother. I wonder... do the similarities end there?"

"You can't take her. She is my niece, and I refuse to allow this," Lucius said coldly, putting an arm around his wife. 

"You have no authority, Malfoy. I have an order from the Minister herself, saying that she is to be removed from your home immediately. You can try, but there isn't anything that you can do. Just say your 'goodbyes', and leave it be."

At this, Narcissa made no attempt to hold back her cries. She pulled Hermione to her, letting her tears fall in the child's hair, and told her between sobs, "Hermione, dear, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that we couldn't protect you, but you'll be okay. You will be okay. Never forget that we love you."

"Hermione, know that your parents love you, too. We all do. Draco loves you, Auntie Cissa loves you, and I love you, too." Lucius said, not knowing precisely what to say. He had never been openly emotional, but Hermione had become much like a daughter to him and Narcissa, and a sister to Draco. He knew that he had to push his discomfort aside, because she was his family, and this could be the last time he ever saw her.

"Alright, that's enough." the man spoke, stepping into the house, uninvited, and pulling Hermione away from her relatives.

Hermione still wasn't sure what was actually happening, but she did know that it wasn't a good thing. She began to kick and scream, until one of the other men pulled a vial out of his robe, and forced her mouth open, shoving the contents down her throat. Within moments, the struggling girl ceased her efforts as her fear melted away.

"Calming Draught." the man holding her said casually.

That explained it. Hermione had heard her daddy tell her mummy to take one when she was stressed, or vice versa, but she had never experienced it herself.

Narcissa and Lucius had now stopped trying to fight it, and had accepted defeat. Their hearts filled with sorrow, they looked at the little girl one last time, and attempted to keep their tears at bay. 

The men began to head back down the pathway, leading Hermione. She was following obediently, and when they reached the gate, she felt as if someone was trying to squeeze her into a rubber tube. The sensation made her want to cry, but she seemed unable to do so. She supposed it was because of the funny tasting potion.

The group arrived in a quiet street, where the street lamps were the only source of light.

"What was the house number again?"

"It was 124, I think. Ironic, isn't it? It's Bellatrix Lestrange's birthday."

At this, Hermione couldn't stop herself before the words came out her mouth. "I want Mummy."

One of the men, one she hadn't seen earlier, gave his fellows a signal to halt, before crouching down in front of her. "Sweetheart, tonight, your mother and father were caught doing some very bad things to good people. Your parents can't come home to take care of you, so we have to take you somewhere safe."

Hermione didn't understand any of this; instead, she repeated her request and the man in front of her sighed. He stood up, clutched her arm (far more gently than the previous man had), and began leading her down the street again. 

A minute later, they arrived at the house. Before heading up the pathway, one of the strange men pulled out his wand, pointing it directly at her. "This won't hurt. Obliviate."

Within moments, Hermione Bellatrix Lestrange was no longer.