F O R T Y - T H R E E
Sacrilege

Albus Dumbledore was dead. He has been for three months now. How odd was that? Here I was, perfectly capable of bringing him back, and yet he specifically asked me not to.

So far, everything was playing out similar to how it did in the original timeline. The only major thing I had managed to change was George not losing his ear. A couple of strings pulled by me, and he no longer was earless.

Tom knew I was in this time, it was an hour after Fred, George and I got back to the Burrow that headlines began spreading throughout the Daily Prophet on how Voldemort was making threats to whoever was allowing me to stay with them.

More Death Eaters attacked the Order trying to find me, Tom himself actually going out with them. It was quite interesting, but with struggle, I was usually able to stay one step ahead.

Hermione Granger whom I had met after the trio got back from Hogwarts was keen on knowing everything about my anatomy. In a small way, her cleverness and eagerness to learn sort of reminded of me of how Tom was.

Things weren't looking good, and I knew it was going to be time to go to Tom soon. Dumbledore, before he died, told me it was better that I wait a bit before I go to Tom trying to change him. Sitting with the Order of the Phoenix in the Burrow now, I was zoning out as they spoke about Voldemort's current moves.

"Voldemort has extreme numbers, his army is almost double to the size of us! Not to mention he's almost infiltrated the ministry, how are we suppose to fight that? We've lost our most powerful ally, our double agent has gone to the Death Eaters, it's lost cause!" Mundungus Fletcher cried in exasperation, all the members of the Order of the Phoenix looking simply tired and worn.

Remus Lupin who was holding hands with his wife, Nymphadora shook his head. "We need to keep fighting." He murmured, Sirius, glaring heatedly at everyone.

"Is this the sort of reaction Dumbledore wanted from us? No! We can't let everyone's death be in vain, we need to keep fighting for the ones who've fallen. For Lily and James, Frank and Alice, for Dumbledore, every life that psychopath has taken; no offense, by the way, Pandora..." I waved off Sirius knowing he wasn't lying, Tom was definitely a psychopath. "They weren't for nothing, so what Voldemort has double our followers, I'll tell you something he doesn't have. Someone to fight for..." I was intently listening to Sirius Black until a small voice began tapping at my head.

I was confused for a second, it was almost like someone was knocking on the door. Except this door happened to be inside my head. After a moment the repeated knocking got annoying, and I mentally opened the door allowing whoever was outside a pathway to communicate telepathically.

"Hello?" I questioned apprehensively.

"Bitch! What's good?" I should have known.

Alexius's voice drifted inside my head eagerly, his own thoughts beginning to run through the pathway. Why the hell was he communicating like this? Immediately I scowled remembering Dumbledore's words from a few months ago about Alexius taking Lavender.

"Did you get Lavender from Hogwarts?" I wasn't about to beat around the bush.

"Ummm....." Alexius was laughing nervously. "Maybe?"

"Really, hoe!" I screeched, applauding myself when I felt him cringe from wherever he was. "Without me knowing? How long has Lavender been with you?"

There was a small moment of silence before Alexius decided to answer. "About three months and you're one to talk. You knew Lavender was my soul-bounder this whole time and you didn't say anything!" He screamed in an accusing tone.

"Dude, you had to figure that out on your own. I'm not supposed to tell you who you're soul-bounder is!" I argued, practically seeing Alexius shake his head.

"Wasn't Balthazar the one to tell you that Tom was your soul-bounder?" I was quiet, my cheeks going bright red. I could feel most of the Order's gaze on me seeing as I was blushing from nothing in particular. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Alexius said smugly.

"Shut up," I grumbled, before changing the subject. "What have you guys been up to anyway?"

"Well..." Alexius was thinking. "It's Lavender, so she was pretty eager with time-travel, excited to get away from her stuffy parents. I took her around New York during our current time, caught her up on the events since the forties. She was pretty impressed with the iPhone, she loves the future. Then, I took her on a trip to Vincent Van Gogh, after that was a party with Marilyn Monroe, we spoke with Cleopatra, do you realize King Louis XIV has a picture of you hanging up in his throne room? We'll talk about that later, anyway, right now we're currently being held captive by pirates and they're about to make Lavender walk the plank. Unfortunately, I happened to choose the only pirate ship in history with demonic wards on it, so I'm kind of powerless until I get off. Yeah, the point is... HELP!"

My jaw was practically hitting the ground when I heard what Alexius had been up to the past couple of months. Though I really shouldn't be that surprised, it was Alexius I was talking about. Honestly, I'm more surprised that he didn't take Lavender to Vegas and elope.

Our telepathic connection cut out after that, and I sighed in exasperation. Looks like I need to go find my idiotic brother. However, I smirked when I realized that for once the tables were turned. Oh, Alexius was going to be sorry about all the times he embarrassed me in front of Tom.

It was my turn now.

"Pandora?" It was Harry's voice which broke me out of my train of thought, him along with the rest of the Order looking completely confused. "What's wrong?"

Shrugging, I stood up. "On the contrary, nothing at all. In fact, everything is better than okay. Don't worry all of you, everything is going to be looking up relatively soon." I reassured everyone, the wizards and witches of the Order only looking at each other confused.

With a wink, I teleported to Ginny's room in the Burrow where both Hermione and I had been bunking hearing people panicking downstairs about where I had gone. Opening the backpack I had brought, I smiled pulling out my gleaming angel blade.

Giggling as I remembered the time I turned it into a wand, I shook my head. In a matter of seconds my clothing had changed to something very familiar, and yet it was an outfit that I hadn't worn in two years.

Within a second the normal gear I dressed up in when going on an adventure with Alexius adorned me.

The material of the clothing was stretchy leather that had been pounded until it broke from its stiff form. The thick combat boots covered my feet and the leather jeans were tight around my legs, but not too tight. I wouldn't lie, I always enjoyed the way the gear complimented my body—squeezing enough so that my curves stuck out.

Alike to Alexius, I wore a shiny silver belt. The belt was made from melted Seraph swords, meaning that if any demon came in contact with the belt it would burn them and protect the wearer from said demonic entities. A black tank-top was worn under my leather jacket which alike to Alexius had multiple weapons hiding inside.

Attaching the angel blade to my belt, I swung the backpack over my shoulders. Closing my eyes, I focused on searching all throughout time and space for the version of Alexius I had just spoken to. It was barely a second before my mind caught onto a trail.

Smack in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 1750. The familiar warmth of time-travel engulfed me and I sent myself spiraling through time. Landing on the deck of a huge wooden ship, I took in my surroundings.

The ship was moving at great speeds due to the salt winds blowing around. I pushed my untamable curls out of my eyes, getting a look at the twenty or so pirates shouting in glee at the plank.

A wide grin broke upon my face at the sight of Lavender wearing jeans and a t-shirt, no doubt from the early 2000s, frightfully taking careful steps on the plank. Her hair was pulled back, her blue eyes shining in panic as she glared at Alexius who was being held back by three pirates.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" He was screaming seeing as him and Lavender were both about to be forced to walk the plank.

The wards, like Alexius, had said were painted all across the ship.

"You told me this was completely safe!" Lavender cried at the pirates who were pointing their swords at her, daring her to try and come back.

Alexius looked around nervously, before answering. "Don't worry, sweetheart..." My eyes widened at the pet name he called her. "Help is on the way."

Assuming I was the 'help', I rolled my eyes pointing the angel blade threateningly. "Just so you're aware Lavender, Alexius lied to you when he said this was completely safe!" I smirked when everyone's head snapped to me, Lavender's eyes brightening.

"Pandora!" She yelled eagerly, growling when one pirate turned to her waving his sword.

"Hey!" I waved enthusiastically, taking note on how she looked older than when I last saw her. "It's been awhile." I dodged a pirate who tried coming at me from the left, snapping my wrist sending the pirate overboard with a loud scream.

"Yeah, we really need to catch up!" I smiled at the gleam in her eye, it was obvious she had found her calling in life.

Her and Alexius exploring the world together, that was what she was excited for. With smiled, I leaped in the air, teleporting to Lavender and grabbing her off the plank before teleporting to Alexius. Ripping him out of the shocked pirates grasp, I wasted no time in teleporting us to one of the beams holding the sails.

Lavender grinned wildly, waving at the pirates while Alexius cat-called them obnoxiously.

"Kiss my ass, you mangy dogs!" He mocked them in a voice alike to Captain Hook from the movie Peter Pan.

I suddenly wondered if Alexius had shown Lavender Peter Pan.

With that, the warmth of my grace ran through our bodies, a gold hue covering my vision as we dived into the never-ending ocean of time.

I wasn't exactly sure where we had landed at first, only that it was in a random living room. All three of us looked around in confusion, me more than the others. Where the hell had my instincts take us?

The living room was themed extremely dark, looking like something out of a goth horror film. Tall bookshelves lined the dark walls, a fireplace burning eerily in the center of it. The huge couch was obviously black, reading chairs on either side.

Listening intently, I shifted hearing the wooden floor creak from beneath me. Alexius was motioning to Lavender to be quiet, we could all feel it in the air. Dark magic, very, very dark magic.

Looking closer, my breath hitched when I saw a certain painting hanging on the wall. I swore I was looking at Tom at first, but then I noticed subtle differences. The man in the painting had green eyes instead of blue, and his hair was a lighter shade.

Everything in me froze, then it was the voices that caught my attention. And it wasn't only my attention they caught, Lavender and Alexius heard it too.

An archway leading to what I was presuming to be was some sort of dining room was flooded with different voices. A cool sharp voice, a voice that no one would ever be able to forget it.

Sure, it was a bit deeper than I remeber but it was the same voice. Swallowing, I listened intently to Tom's voice speaking.

"Lucius, what of my followers in the northern regions?" I wasn't sure what he was talking about, only wanting to listen to the sound of his voice. "Have they caught any sight of her?"

Everything in me longed to walk into that room, grab Tom Riddle, and never let him go. But I definitely couldn't do that, he was in a freaking Death Eater meeting!

Alexius and Lavender sensing this, both sucked in breaths. Alexius grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around to face with wild eyes.

"You took us to a motherfucking Death Eater meeting!?" He yelled in a whispered tone. "What the hell is wrong with you!" He was now shaking me in a terrified manner before he smirked. "Oh, never mind, I get it." He waggled his brows, making me hit him upside the head.

"No, it's not like that. It was an accident, I wasn't thinking of a direct place to go. My grace must've followed the pull, that's why I'm here." I groaned Lavender, looking back and forth between us with wide eyes.

Slowly, she took out her wand from her back pocket. "Well, what do we do? Can we leave?"

I nodded slowly, giving one last look toward the archway before grabbing their hands. Closing my eyes, I waited for my grace to engulf us taking us back to the Burrow. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort happened.

I tried forcing my grace up, but it was a lost cause. I couldn't teleport, it felt like I was chained to a wall. My eyes burst open in panic, Alexius seeing my expression looking anxious.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, all three us subconsciously huddling further toward the wall in case anyone were to walk in and see us.

"I don't know, I think..." I stuttered, sweat forming on my head, anxiety clawing at my chest. "I think Tom's figured out a spell to trap me. Oh my god," My eyes widened in horror, Alexius looking panicked, and Lavender seeming about ready to faint. "He's managed to make this house a Nephilim jail. I can't leave unless I can get out the front door and past whatever barrier he has." My breathing was picking up. "Tom's been planning this since he found out I was in his time. As soon as he got me into this house, he was planning on never letting me leave."

Alexius quickly, rubbed my head pulling me into a hug. "It's okay, he hasn't done anything to keep me from teleporting. I'll just teleport us out." I shook my head, biting my lip.

"No, it won't work. You and Lavender will go to the destination, but I'll only stay. You can't take me with you." Lavender had tears in her eyes, pulling me into a comforting hug.

"Then, let's just get out front. C'mon, while they're still distracted." Alexius urged, directing Lavender and me through the house.

It was only after we took a few steps, that a wave of exhaustion hit me. The wave was strong that it made me stumble a few steps before I collapsed into Alexius's arms out of breath.

"What's wrong?" Lavender asked, Alexius quickly hoisting me up, myself leaning against him heavily.

"It's the warding, it's draining me," I mumbled sleepily, for once not knwoing what to do. "It'll take my body a few days to get used to this. I've never been this powerless before, whatever spell Tom's cast on the place is blocking a good portion of my grace. I've never felt this weak." Alexius cussed, shaking his head.

"But when you were at Hogwarts, you're grace was dormant and it didn't affect you like this-" Alexius shook his head, cutting Lavender off answering her question.

"But it was still there. Even if it was asleep, it was still there. Whatever spell Voldemort's managed to conjure is powerful and it's attacking Pandora's grace. Completely blocking it off, her body will need a few days to get used to this. Or we need to get her off this property, right now." Alexius was carrying me bridal style now, Lavender following him as he slowly snuck through the threshold of the house.

I whimpered when I realized all of my abilities were being blocked. Even my senses were gone, I was deemed with mortal vision, hearing, and even smelling. Everything in me felt sick, I wanted to throw up.

It was only when we got out the front door and through the gate that something horrible happened. All of the sudden I was no longer in Alexius's arms, but instead back on the couch in the huge living room once more.

Whatever house I was in was enormous, it wasn't Malfoy Manor, I'd remember it, it was another mansion. Probably Riddle manor. My eyes filled with tears, how could I underestimate Tom so much.

Of course, I couldn't just walk out, he's put a spell so anytime I left the gate I'd appear right back in the house. There was only one way I could leave, but there was no way I would do that way. It wasn't worth it.

I could leave my body, and go possess someone else, but I would never leave my body for the dead like that. I suppose it was time I begin to change Tom anyway, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

All I had to do was start on changing his thoughts, show him a better way. And if that didn't work, then I'd force a better way. And the rare moments he didn't have his eyes on me, I could be finding a way to break whatever spell he had on the house.

At that same moment, Alexius teleported himself and Lavender back by my side. Lavender was looking to me sadly, Alexius now in a full-blown panic.

"I'll kill him-" I glared at Alexius, shaking my head.

"No," I mumbled tiredly, looking through the archway where the meeting was still taking place. "I had to come soon anyway, it's time for me to start making a change in Tom. He won't hurt me, he's only going to keep me here as long as he can, but he knows he'll never be able to hold me forever. Three things are either going to happen, I find a way to break the spell, the spell will eventually run thin and my grace will overpower it, or I manage to convince Tom not to do this. I want you two to go back to the Order and tell them what' I'm doing, and don't let Tom know you've been here." My eyes were beginning to close on their own accord, myself fighting to stay awake.

Alexius nodded, giving a small kiss to my head. With a smile that he tried to make as believable as he could, he gripped Lavender's hand. "You be careful, sister. I'll visit when I can, don't do anything stupid." I rolled my eyes, turning on my side ready to fall asleep.

Tom would probably find me here whenever the meeting between the Death Eaters was over. "I can't, you're taking all the stupid with you, brother." I breathed deeply, hearing him laughing before muttering a 'good-bye'.

Alexius knew Tom would never hurt me, and even if my grace was blocked I still couldn't die. In an instant, Alexius was gone leaving me by myself, and the murmurs coming from the meeting that I now make out. Having mortal senses sucked.

Sucking in a deep breath, I forced myself off the couch and to my feet. I think I was delirious, I wasn't sure anymore, I couldn't tell. All I knew was my overbearing weight to sleep and cuddle against my soul-bounder. Being near my soul-bounder would make me heal faster.

Stumbling toward the archway, I murmured to myself incoherently. I was within feet of the arch leading to where my soul-bounder was before I was unable to keep myself standing. Falling to the floor with a loud smack, my breathing began to even out as I heard the conversation from inside come to a stop.

"Wormtail, see what that was." Tom barked the order, my ears picking up on footsteps making their way toward me quickly.

A blurred image of a short man who twitched insistently, with beady eyes stared down at me.

"My lord..." He swallowed as he watched me, my eyes finally closing. "We have a situation." I allowed sleep to overcome me, I needed rest.