Love and Blood

Chapter 8: Love and Blood

See disclaimer in previous chapters.

As this ritual is a celebration of women, it will need to be performed on the night of the full moon...

Excerpt from 'The Blessings of a Witch.'

Hermione thought her stomach might burst from laughing so hard. Over the next few weeks, each of the girls had taken her turn testing her Occlumency. For three weekends in a row they have had a slumber party on Saturday night in order to review their experiences. Ginny had just finished telling her story and all the girls had erupted into fresh bursts of laughter.

Always quick on the uptake, Ginny had gone to Transfiguration class early to find Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall talking. Struck with inspiration, she had walked up to say hello and acted like she was trying to hide something. Dumbledore had silently cast Legilimens on her only to see a romantic daydream between Ginny and McGonagall. The girls were rolling on the floor by the time Ginny described Professor McGonagall pulling her aside the next day to tell her that 'having feelings for a professor isn't wrong, and she shouldn't be ashamed, but please understand that it would never work out.'

'Ginny, you are absolutely brilliant!' Millicent said as she shrieked with laughter. 'I would have given anything to see the look on Dumbledore's face after seeing your daydream!'

'I think he turned purple!' Ginny replied as she tried to imitate the way his usually twinkling eyes had widened and he had opened and closed his mouth three or four times before he quickly gave an excuse and fled the classroom. The girls continued laughing as they all tried to imagine the unflappable headmaster turning purple.

It was Susan who was finally able to break their hilarity.

'Oh my gods,' Susan abruptly said in a serious tone of voice. The laughter died down as the girls sensed that Susan was distressed about something.

'Susan? What's wrong?' Jarilyn asked in a low voice. Susan was staring off into space with a scared look on her face.

'I just realized something. Ginny, you fooled Professor Dumbledore. He believed the Occlumency you projected.'

Ginny shrugged. 'Yeah, so? Lots of us have in the past few weeks.'

'Think about it. Dumbledore. The headmaster, the only wizard that he-who... I mean... Voldemort is afraid of!' Susan's voice was shaky as she tried to imitate Hermione's nonchalant use of the dark Lord's name.

'You fooled someone who is arguably the most powerful wizard in Great Britain!'

The room was silent as the girls mulled over what Susan had said. Until now, they had not thought about the implications of their Occlumency projections. It had almost turned into a game about who could be the most creative when they tried to fool their professors or headmaster.

'I guess we never considered it in those terms,' Millicent stated after the long moment of silence.

'We have come really far since our first meeting here,' Jarilyn said, her voice trembling.

'I guess the book was right.' Hermione's voice was slightly strained.

'Women are more powerful than men. Each one of us could probably fool Dumbledore. That has to mean something.'

'Mean something! It's incredible. For the first time, I am not so worried about going home for Christmas. I can handle Bellatrix Lestrange. If I can fool Dumbledore, I can fool her!' Pansy said excitedly.

Pansy had projected an image of herself working in the greenhouse with Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevey. Dumbledore had later spoken to her about inter-House unity and how it would be okay if she wanted to be friends with some of the Gryffindors.

Hermione took a deep breath.

'Girls, I think its time for us to take the next step,' she said, looking around the room at her friends. She stood up and pulled Morgaine's Journal out of her book bag; she never went anywhere without the book nowadays.

She placed it on the floor, and the girls gathered around the book as Hermione thumbed through, looking for the right part.

'Here.' She pointed to the ritual spell.

I think it's time we did this. We are ready. I trust you girls with my life now, and we have definitely mastered Legilimency and Occlumency.'She was pointing to a complicated blood bonding ritual. It was the first step towards the Aminadverto Femina.

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Snape let out a breath slowly as he let his eyes move over his sixth-year class. It was the first week in December, and the students were already starting to get restless for the holidays. He had gone the easy route and assigned an essay in an effort to keep them quiet.

He felt a now familiar feeling of confusion as his eyes rested briefly on Hermione Granger. He didn't know what to think about her. She was quietly whispering to Pansy Parkinson as the rest of the class quietly wrote their essays. The annoying Gryffindor, who had almost been religious in her zeal to show respect for all of her professors, was whispering with a Slytherin while they were supposed to be working. She had obviously not heeded his warning to stay away from that Parkinson girl, he decided, feeling frustrated.

He didn't want Granger to get involved in this. The information he had uncovered about Voldemort's project talked vaguely about a 'slight variance in power.' He wasn't sure yet what that meant, but Granger was a powerful and intelligent witch. He wouldn't admit this to anyone, but he respected the witch and didn't want her to loose any of that potential.

Something was going on with Granger, he thought as he watched the two girls smile at each other as they continued to whisper. He was going to need to watch her more closely, her behavior was decidedly odd. He wondered if it was due to Parkinson's influence. He briefly considered using Legilimency on the two girls, just to see what they had been discussing so earnestly, but he immediately disregarded that idea. He didn't want a repeat of the last time he had tried using Legilimency on Miss Granger.

Snape shifted in his seat as he remembered Hermione Granger's fantasy and grimaced. He needed to stop thinking of that, he thought as he remembered the way she had looked in her fantasy; on top of the desk with her blouse unbuttoned and her skirt bunched up around her hips. He felt his body reacting to the memory before he could stop his line of thinking. He was not used to being the object of any woman's fantasy.

He looked back at Miss Granger and Miss Parkinson; they had stopped whispering but were staring straight into each others eyes and Miss Granger put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. Why are they staring into each other eyes?

Since he had watched Miss Granger's fantasy, he had taken more notice of her in class, and this was not the first time he had seen the girls looking at each other that way. Whatever it meant, he wagered that it had to do with Miss Parkinson's work for the Dark Lord. He decided that it was time to have another talk with Miss Granger.

'Miss Granger, I have asked you to write an essay; that does not involve speaking with your classmates,' he snapped out, startling a few students by breaking the silence in the room.

Miss Granger and Miss Parkinson looked up at him guiltily before bending their heads over their essays.

**

Hermione had almost made it out of the classroom before she heard his voice.

'Miss Granger, a word before you go,' he said silkily. She smiled reassuringly at Harry, who was scowling at the professor.

'I'll catch up. See you,' she said before turning back towards Professor Snape.

'Yes, sir.' Hermione said, moving to stand in front of his desk where he was sitting.

'I apologize for today, sir. I shouldn't have been talking in class,' she started before he could speak, deciding that it was better to get it over with.

This last weekend, the girls had agreed with Hermione about doing the blood bonding ritual. They were all feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement; this was very powerful magic from the time of Avalon, and it needed to be done just right. Both Pansy and Hermione had not been able to resist talking about it, even though they were in class. Pansy had used Legilimency to tell Hermione that Snape was watching them, making Hermione laugh when she urged Hermione to craft another fantasy for 'Snape's viewing pleasure.' When Snape had spoken, Hermione had felt immediately guilty. She couldn't believe she had let Pansy distract her from her work, and she knew she deserved whatever Snape said.

He looked at her for a minute before standing up and moving around his desk. He came to stand in front of her before flicking his wand towards the door, startling her when it was shut and locked.

He leaned forward and grasped her arm above her elbow as she tilted her head back to look at him.

'Miss Granger, I have already warned you about Miss Parkinson,' he said, keeping his voice low.

'There is more at stake here than just inter-house unity. You can not afford to be taken in by her.'

Hermione had to hold back a smile as Professor Snape warned her about Pansy. Pansy had just received a letter from her father, congratulating her on the good job she was doing. One of her fellow Slytherins had seen her speaking with Hermione in the hall and had reported back to their parents. Voldemort had gotten word and assumed that Pansy was working hard to befriend Hermione and complete her assignment.

After reading the letter, the girls decided that they should act more friendly towards Pansy from now on in public. Voldemort would think that Pansy was making progress on her project for him, and they didn't want to risk her getting into trouble when she was home for the holidays.

'Professor, I know what I am doing,' she replied, thinking about her words carefully. She didn't want to make him worry, but she couldn't reveal any of her secrets.

'You are being naive if you think you can handle this. Miss Parkinson is only befriending you in order to use you.' He took a deep breath as if gearing up for something.

'Miss Granger, Miss Parkinson is working for the Dark Lord. What she is working on will directly affect you, and you need to be on guard.

Despite what you think, I do realize that you have enormous potential, Miss Granger. I don't want to see that go to waste.'

'What is she working on?' Hermione asked, wondering how much information he would trust her with.

He looked away from her for a minute before turning back to her, his face blank.

'You know the nature of my work. I cannot say anymore,' he answered, his voice so low she had to lean forward to hear him clearly.

Their faces were close, and she felt his breath on her face. His hand, still on her arm above her elbow, had softened, and his thumb was moving up and down in a soft caress. She idly noticed that, if possible, he was looking even more gaunt and thin than he had at the beginning of the year.

She felt a small pang of worry for him; Voldemort had been very active lately, and it was probably an added stress for the spy.

She heard a noise outside of the classroom door, and the moment was broken. He blinked once and immediately let go of her arm as if she had burned him. She took a step back as well and gave him a small smile.

'I guess I should get to my next class.'

He flicked his wand towards the door, unlocking it.

'Indeed. Miss Granger, remember what I have said; you need to be careful of Miss Parkinson. She is deeply involved in the Dark Lord's plans, and you are no match for her.'

Hermione scowled at that. How dare he imply that she couldn't handle Pansy; he probably only thought that way because Pansy was a Slytherin. Well, I am capable of handling any Slytherin, she thought angrily.

'Sir, I can handle Pansy Parkinson. I know what I am doing!' she retorted before turning and walking out the classroom. She stopped just at the door when he called her name.

'Oh, Miss Granger, before I forget, twenty points from Gryffindor for talking in class.'

She let out a breath in frustration.

'Fine. Thank you, Professor,' she ground out before leaving the classroom.

**

The girls had decided to perform their ritual on the last day of school before they left for the holidays. It would be the night of Slughorn's Christmas party. The ritual needed to be performed during a full moon, which was a greater source of power than any other stage of the moon. They would meet in their classroom at eleven and be ready to perform the ritual by midnight.

One week before the night of the ritual, Hermione came into Defense class and sat near Pansy. Ron and Harry were in deep conversation across the room, and she didn't bother saying hi. She only ever saw Harry when he decided to study with her in the library. She sighed; things were so different this year. Her time was almost all used up between classes, the Slug Club and her time with the girls. She wondered how Ginny managed to do all of that and Quidditch.

Pansy turned to Hermione after hearing her sigh.'What's wrong?'

Snape hadn't entered the classroom yet so it was still safe to talk.

'I was just thinking about how things have changed this year. I barely see Harry anymore and Ron... well, you know.'

Pansy looked over at Harry and Ron and narrowed her eyes at the boy with the ginger hair.

'I wish you would let me hex him. Him and that slag, Lavender Brown. Even her name is ridiculous.'

Hermione let out a short laugh.

'I'm mostly over it. I just feel like he humiliated me, leading me on... I mean, he said he would be going to Slug's Christmas party with me. I thought we understood each other.'

'You could do so much better than him. Besides, you heard what Padma said the other day. He's a lousy date,' Pansy said, still scowling in his direction.

'You know, Pansy, I agree with you. I deserve better than him,' Hermione acknowledged, trying to bolster herself up.

'Oh... I have an idea,' Pansy said in an excited voice. 'You should make him jealous, Hermione. Go to the party with someone who would make him jealous!' Pansy exclaimed; she was wearing her Slytherin smile.

Hermione mimicked her smile, looking just a bit Slytherin herself.

'You know, Cormac McLaggen would make him really jealous. Cormac was his competition for keeper on the Quidditch team. In fact, if it weren't for me, Ron wouldn't even be on the Quidditch team. Cormac would.'

Pansy didn't get a chance to reply, as Snape took that moment to slam into the classroom. She tapped Hermione on the arm and they met each others' eyes. Pansy silently cast Legilimens; I still can't believe you used the Confundus to affect the Quidditch tryouts! I'll make a Slytherin out of you yet... That is a perfectly brilliant idea, take Cormac to the party!'

Hermione stifled her giggle before resolutely looking back up at Snape so she could take notes like the know-it-all she was.

**

The day of the party had arrived cold and dry. The girls had spent the last few weeks reading Morgaine's journal and practicing all the different aspects of the blood ritual. The ritual itself seemed simple enough, but everything had to be done exactly right. They also needed to wear the right clothes, bathe thoroughly prior to the ritual, and Hermione was given the task of finding the proper ritual knife, necessary for blood ceremonies.

Getting Cormac to come to the party had been surprisingly easy for Hermione. A little make-up and an adoring stare and he had leapt at the chance to come with her to the party. After two hours, she decided it really hadn't been worth it. After ducking Cormac McLaggen and avoiding anything resembling mistletoe, Hermione decided she was done with the party. She saw Luna standing in the corner with Professor Trelawney.'Luna, I'm going to go up to my dorm now... Where is Harry?' she asked, noticing that he wasn't anywhere near his date.

Luna shrugged but leaned in to whisper.

'He left, said he had something to do. Malfoy was caught gate crashing and Snape left with him. I think Harry was following them.'

Hermione sighed. Pansy had said that Draco was working for Voldemort. Harry wasn't wrong in his suspicions, but Hermione couldn't help but wish he would keep his nose out of it. She was worried it might eventually lead to Pansy. Nobody seemed to know what Draco's assignment was, but the girls decided to be as cautious as possible around him.'Well, I'm going to head up and start getting ready. I'll see you at eleven.'

Luna smiled at her, her excitement for tonight evident in her eyes. She grasped Hermione's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. 'See you then.'

**

Stepping out into the cold, dark night, Hermione shivered as she walked quietly along with the other girls. They were all dressed in white silk lounge pants and a matching white silk tank top procured by the wealthier Slytherins of their ranks. They were barefoot, devoid of all makeup and jewelry and had all recently taken baths to cleanse themselves in preparation. They were all pink from a combination of their recent scrubbing and the cold of the December night.

What they were doing would have been considered madness to an outside observer. Eleven girls entered the forbidden forest under the light of a full moon in December, they were lucky it hadn't snowed yet this year. When they reached the clearing in the forest, scouted earlier by Pansy and Millicent, they assembled themselves into a circle without speaking. They had talked at length about this ritual beforehand and knew exactly what needed to happen. There was no need to speak now, and Hermione suspected they were all a little too nervous and overwhelmed.

Hermione looked at Pansy, standing directly opposite her in the circle. Pansy would start the ritual when she felt ready.

They had decided to represent each of their Houses in the four points of the circle. Hermione and Pansy represented Gryffindor and Slytherin while Susan and Luna stood for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Pansy took a deep breath, meeting Hermione's eyes for a moment before closing her own.

'I stand here in a circle of my sisters. I stand for my values and my house of the snake, I come in love.'

Hermione spoke next, 'I stand here in a circle of my sisters. I stand for my values and my house of the lion. I come in love.'

'I stand here in a circle of my sisters. I stand for my values and my house of the badger. I come in love.'

'I stand here in a circle of my sisters. I stand for my values and my house of the raven. I come in love.'

After they had each spoken for their houses, all four girls raised their arms above their heads.'We call upon the goddess to protect us and to accept our supplication. Goddess, Mother, Sister, Friend. We call upon you, we ask for your love. We ask for your protection. We ask for your wisdom. We ask for your peace.'

The four girls said this together once before the other girls joined in, their eyes closed and arms outstretched. They repeated the words three times before opening their eyes.

There were small gasps of surprise when they opened their eyes. Their circle was surrounded by a large shimmering violet bubble of light. Once the ritual was begun, the casters were supposed to be protected from outside harm or interference. Hermione supposed that their violet bubble served as protection. She felt a small flash of relief; it was a full moon after all, and she had had a healthy fear of werewolves after her third year.

Pansy held her arms out front with her palms up. An Athame Ritual knife was lying across her palms. Hermione smiled when she saw the knife, remembering that in the end, after hours of endless research and searching, she had simply asked her mom to order it for her on eBay of all places.

When Pansy spoke, her voice vibrated with emotion and her eyes seemed to be lit from within.'I come into the circle with my sisters. Closer than any family. I denounce the Lord of my parents and forsake their ways. Instead I give it all to my sisters. My love, my faith, my support. I come here in love with my sisters, from now and evermore, they have my body, soul, and mind.'

Hermione felt her heart swell with excitement. Each girl was required to make a vow to her sisters; up until now they had not revealed what their vows would be. After Pansy said her vow, she used the knife to cut an 'X' across the palm of her wand hand, making sure that some of her blood remained on the knife. She then passed the knife to Daphne who stood on her left. Daphne laid the knife across her palms and stretched her arms out in front of her.

'I come into the circle with my sisters. Closer than any family. I denounce the loves of my past and turn away from my days of old. I am a new person, alive and pure in the love of my sisters. I give my heart and my devotion to my sisters whom I will fully support to the end of my life. From now and evermore, my sisters have my body, soul, and mind.' Daphne mimicked Pansy by cutting her hand with the knife before passing it to Padma, who denounced her relationship with her twin sister before passing the knife on. The knife went from Padma to Luna and to Ginny, who denounced her brothers for her new family of sisters, before it was passed along to Hermione.

Hermione held the knife out on her palms. 'I come into the circle of my sisters. Closer than any family. I denounce the love of two men. Friends forged in battle, bonds never broken by conflict. I give the battle and the bonds to my sisters. I place my protection and my power in the hands and hearts of my sisters. I give them my faith and my confidence. From now and evermore, my sisters have my body, soul, and mind.'

She barely felt the sting as she cut the 'X' shape on her palm. The knife was red with the blood of her sisters, and she added hers before passing it along to Anjali.

From Anjali, the knife went to Jarilyn, Susan, Tracey, and Millicent. After Millicent had cut her palm, she handed the knife back to Pansy.

When she looked at Pansy, Hermione noticed that her eyes were shining with moisture. She realized then, that every other girl in the circle, including herself, had wet cheeks and eyes. Pansy threw the knife forward. It floated to the direct center of the circle where it landed and stuck into the ground. The girls clasped their hands and held them up. Speaking in unison, 'We come before the goddess, bonded by blood. We are sisters in our hearts, in our bodies and in our souls. Goddess, we ask that you bless our bond. Forged in secret and in power. Maintained by trust, faith, and love.'

They repeated themselves three times and Hermione felt the wind pick up her hair, whipping it around her face. She felt overcome by emotion. She had the urge to laugh and weep at the same time, but also felt a strange peace come over her. It was indescribable. Hermione thought of what Dumbledore had always said, and she wondered if they were feeling love in its truest and most raw form. It was truly powerful, and she could understand what Dumbledore had meant.

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A/N: Well that's it; the first part of the spell, what do you think?

A/N: I also want to thank you for your reviews so far.