The Dark Lady (Blamione)

Making Plans

A /N Welcome to the first real part of my story.

A/N - I can't believe the overwhelming response I had to the prologue. Thank you all, I really appreciate the support. Anyway, enjoy the first real chapter of the story.

Hermione bounded into the house, excited to be home. The last week of school had dragged and with practically the whole school in mourning it had been a pretty depressing atmosphere to be around. Hermione hadn't been too affected by events, she hadn't known Cedric personally and while it was regrettable he'd gotten in the way casualties of war were to be expected now Voldemort was back. Hermione's main struggle had been to make sure Harry or Ron didn't see her bubbling excitement every time they mentioned Voldemort, but she was very good at hiding her true feelings and her friends didn't notice anything amiss about her behaviour.

"Where is he?" Hermione asked her mother as she followed her into the large entrance hall.

"Try the front room, sweetie." Hermione's mother, Kathleen, suggested with a smile.

Hermione went flying into the front room before coming to a stop in the centre of the room. Sitting on the sofa was a tall, pale man with dark brown, almost black, hair and menacing red eyes. Hermione knew the red eyes were a result of the magic that had been used to restore her father to full strength and return his magic. Spotting Hermione the man smiled and stood up quickly, holding his arms out for her.

"Daddy." Hermione cried happily, flying into the arms of the wizard known as Lord Voldemort.

Hermione took a minute to enjoy being in her father's arms. All her life her father had been a sick man, with barely the energy to move around their large house, but now he was the strong wizard she'd known was inside him all along. As she was growing up her father would tell her about the day he would be strong again and he'd promised her that from that day onwards he would gain control of the wizarding world and she would have everything her heart desired.

"The plan didn't work properly." Hermione said as she looked up at her father. "Harry's still alive."

A dark shadow passed over her father's face. "I know, but one day he'll meet his downfall. Sometimes in life we have to be patient."

Hermione nodded, knowing all too well her father's view on patience. Years ago he'd went to destroy Harry because of a prophecy he'd heard, but the entire thing backfired on him and he was left weak and defenceless. Without his magic and with a severely weakened body he knew he wouldn't be taken seriously by the wizarding world, so along with his wife and daughter he'd gone into hiding. For years he'd lived confined in the large house they owned, searching for a way to regain his strength and magic. Through the years he never got impatient, claiming that when the time was right he was find the answer to his problem. He'd tried a few different things over the years, like trying to get hold of the Philosopher's Stone in Hermione's first year, but eventually he found what he was looking for. What he was looking for was a spell designed to restore his magic and strength and it looked as though it had worked perfectly, his patience had finally paid off.

"Why don't you tell me about school, before dinner." Voldemort suggested. "Then your mother and I have something very important to discuss with you."

Hermione nodded and sitting down next to her father she began telling him about school.

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Nagozi Zabini was sitting with his wife, Ellen, and son, Blaise, when he felt his dark mark begin to burn. Since The Dark Lord's return nearly a fortnight ago his mark had been tingling more than normal, but this was the first time it had burnt since the night of his return.