“You think you’re strong, don’t you?” the reflection said, its voice a distorted echo of her own. “You think you can resist them. But you’re fooling yourself. You’ve always been weak, Hermione. Always desperate to prove yourself, to be something more than you are.”
“Everyone you’ve ever cared about is dead because of you,” it said, its tone laced with venom. “You were supposed to protect them, but you failed. You let them die. And now you’re here, alone, because you weren’t strong enough to save them.”
“Stop it!” Hermione screamed, finally wrenching herself away from the mirror. She stumbled back, her legs giving out beneath her as she collapsed to the floor, her body wracked with sobs. The darkness closed in around her, suffocating, overwhelming, as the twisted reflection’s words echoed in her mind, louder and louder, until they drowned out everything else.
Content Set to Go Live: Oct 7th, 2024 on Ao3
Hermione is dragged into a dark room where she faces a twisted version of herself in a magical mirror, its cruel reflection pushing her to the edge of despair. Just as she begins to break, Dolores Umbridge arrives, whispering poison into Hermione’s ear, tempting her to surrender to the darkness.
Chapter Preview:
“Hush now, my dear,” came the sickly sweet voice of Dolores Umbridge, soft and syrupy in her ear. “There’s no need to fight it. Let it all go. You’ll feel so much better once you stop resisting.” Hermione trembled beneath her touch, the warmth of Umbridge’s breath on her skin making her stomach churn. The twisted reflection’s words were still pounding in her head, but now they were joined by the cloying voice of Umbridge, weaving itself into her thoughts, soothing and insidious. “You’ve been so brave, haven’t you?” Umbridge cooed, her tone dripping with false affection. “So determined to hold onto that little spark of hope. But look where it’s gotten you, my dear. All alone in the dark, with nothing but your own fears to keep you company.”
Ready to Dive In?
As the mirror exposes her darkest fears and Umbridge whispers temptations, will Hermione surrender to despair, or hold on to the last flicker of hope?
$0.99