(Take some of the puzzles and premise idea from DaVinci Code, and then put it in the HP world. Severus and Harry are the ones helping Hermione, what will happen when they're put on this quest to find the answers to the Merlin Code.)(HG/HP, SS)
Hermione Granger was the best friend of Harry Potter. As everyone knew she'd spent most of her life looking after her friend once she was introduced to the magical world. And once they graduated following the final destruction of Voldemort, it just seemed to fall into place for them to keep up this protective dynamic.
When the war first ended a lot of people waited to hear the inevitable that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were getting married. It never came though. Instead, an argument that rivaled all arguments in the middle of Hogsmead signaled the end of the possibility of a Weasley/Potter connection through marriage.
It all started when Ginny had gone into one of her tirades of wanting to know when they were going to be officially getting back together. She wanted to be able to start planning their wedding, and knew that to do that before they were officially dating again would set him off into one of his disappearing acts.
"Ginny, I've had enough of this okay? I told you after the funerals, I'm not interested in getting back together with you. I'm a different person now, and if you can't handle that, then maybe we shouldn't hang out anymore." Harry said with a steeling tinge to his voice. The usually sparkling green eyes were now dark with an almost black hint to them.
Ginny's face started to turn a deep red in color, her lips pursing tightly. Her hands at her sides starting to tighten into fists. "You told me. When you broke up with me, it was because you wanted to keep me safe. You /promised/ me, we'd be getting back together and we'd have forever. I put my /life/ on hold for you!" Her voice going from low and dangerous to high and screeching by the end.
Standing there with a rather disinterested look, Harry let his arms cross, a brow lifting faintly in an 'oh really' look. Letting his gaze go to his friend Ron, the red head looked between the two and just sighed. "If ya gotta do it. I'll go warn mom. Better make me a copy real quick." Holding out his hand.
Seeming to understand what Ron wanted, Harry pulled a scroll out of his pocket. Waving his wand over it and making a copy, with the copy going with Ron before before he disapparated to his mothers. Only then did Harry look at Ginny and asked in a low voice, "Do you really want to know how I know that's a bunch of bullshit?" Unrolling the scroll he looked at the woman and then at the scroll again. "One week after we left you were in the Seventh Floor main closet with Dean for 4 hours. " HOlding up a hand before she could say anything, "Your names were over lapped Ginny. It means that you two were doing a whole hell of a lot more than snogging, and since I never did more than kiss you I know just how well you were 'waiting' for me. I have a list here of /everyone/ and how long you were with each of them and in which closet since the day we left to the day we graduated. Including all that time you kept trying to tell me that you were so depressed and waiting for me." Rolling up the scroll again he looked at the girl who seemed to be bouncing back and forth between being ashen colored and rivaling the color of her hair.
Whipping out her wand, Ginny looked like she was about to throw a curse when a wand pressed to just under her left ear. "Mrs. Weasley? I apologize for pulling a wand on your daughter, you know I wouldn't do it if it wasn't necessary. I can't let her hurt Harry though. Besides, she has the whole of Hogsmead who knows what she's been up to now. It's not like she can hide it." Came Hermiones voice from behind her. Dropping her wand, Ginny whipped around, a hand poised and swinging to slap at Hermione only to find her hand caught not by her once friend but by her brother Fred.
The cold blue eyed gaze of her brother forced her to drop her own gaze as he said, "Not one word Ginerva. Not one word. All this time we listened to you about how Harry was supposedly leading you on." This is when Molly grabbed her daughter by the arm, shaking her once and saying in a not so silent voice, "You told me in supposed confidence he'd taken your innocence and was treating you like some kind of doxy. And /this/ is what I find out about you?" Shaking the copy of the scroll in her hand. "You don't get a choice this time Ginerva, you're coming home with me right now and you're packing. I'm sending you to your Aunt Muriels until the time we've decided what to do with you. She'll be in charge of your disciplining, and you better believe that she'll be told about all of this. And she will be in charge of your wand for the time being."
Even Ron was looking rather disgusted at his sister, just shaking his head faintly when she tried to look over at him. "Don't even think of getting me involved Gin. You tried lying to me too remember? I already knew though. And don't even think about getting Hermione into this. Her and my lack of relationship has nothing to do with this or with you or me." Seeing her working into an explosion Ron just rolled his eyes and pulled his wand out, muttering a soft "Silencio." Only then looking at his mother sheepishly, "Sorry mom. Just trying to keep the drama down till we get home. Though there was enough of a display about this." Only then did Molly realize where they were which only gave her another reason to push Ginny at her three oldest brothers, "Take her home, I'll be there in a minute." Seeing them disappear, Molly took a moment to take a breath before leaning in to kiss Hermione's cheek. "Don't worry bout it dear. You did what you had to, just like Ron did. And I understood about you two even if she doesn't." Looking at Harry, Molly for a moment looked rather ashamed till she found his arms wrapping around her in a hug that she returned tightly. "I'm so sorry Harry. I'm really sorry. I didn't know she was lying to all of us, please forgive this stupid old woman."
Shaking his head with a sigh, Harry said, "Mrs. Weasley, I love you guys. The Weasley family and Granger family have been the family I've always wanted. I'll always love all of you, Ginny though went too far. She needs to not come back for a while, she tried to spread her lies around and ruin my reputation all because she wasn't getting her way. I can't tell you what to do, but maybe a couple of years having to actually see what her own actions have brought her would be a good idea. I'll let you figure it out just ... keep her away from me for a while. Lemme know if she's gonna be over there on family weekends so I can come on a different weekend okay?" Pulling back to look the woman in the face. "I'm not avoiding all of you. Just her for a while till I can calm down. I don't wanna do anything to make you all hate me." His voice quieting the smallest bit as he admits just how upset he really is.
Reaching up to pat down his as always unruly hair, Molly says, "Harry dear, you're always gonna be one of my kids. And if that's all you need to be comfortable, it's an easy thing to do." Giving him an indulgent smile. "Now, why don't you and Hermione go on your business for the day, don't forget to visit the twins though. You know how they love showing off those nonsensical business ends of theirs they have." Rolling her eyes in obviuous affection before moving out of the way and apparating home.
Giving a sigh, Hermione put her wand back into its wrist holder and moved to step up by Harry, "Well. That went well, I was sure she'd pick a place a lil less public for the final meltdown." Shaking her head and giving a rueful grin when catching Harry's not so serious look of semi-chastising. "Come on you. We're late for lunch with Severus." Tugging on his arm to drag him towards the Leaky Cauldron.
Severus of course had seen the blow up by the Weaslette chit. He was surprised Harry had lasted this long before confronting her with it. Still he had to give the boy credit in having evidence always ready and on hand. Not only that but to show the chit's brother and make sure Molly knew before it could blow up into an all out war? Molly was frightening on normal occassions, but if she felt a child of hers had been wronged out of spite? Nothing would've stopped her want of vengeance.
When door finally opened, Severus could only assume that Molly had finally let go of Harry long enough to let the boy be able to breathe. Watching Harry be tugged in by Hermione and over to his table, he could barely surpress the slight tug that made the corner of his lips twitch in amusement. If Hermione noticed at all she didn't show it, merely pushed Harry into the seat. While Harry's only responce was a wry smirk and eyeroll as he did as he was told without any argument.
"Rose? Could you get Harry and Severus a Firewhiskey please?" Asked Hermione flashing a smile and wave to the woman who happily went about getting their drinks. Only then sitting down by Harry. Blinking at the two men who looked at her with so much amusement she just rolled her eyes in responce, "Oh shut it. After dealing with Ginerva Harry needs it, and you've been dealing with idiot children all week I know you need it Severus so don't argue it. It's my treat."
While the trio sat chatting about various things having to do with work, back in the Ministry down in the deepest hallways that had long since been forgotten about a cloaked figure was running haphazardly. Continuously looking behind him causing his hood to fall back off of his head, making the baldness of the top of his head gleem faintly from the sweat sparkling from the lights. "Go away! I don't know what you want!" Running still as best as he's able towards a smaller hallway. Dodging a spell aimed at his head, the old man just barely managed to dodge it before turning a sharp corner and managing to hit the button of a trap door to keep people out. Falling on his knees not far from the gated door he heard the sound of the footsteps come to a stop on the otherside. Turning around slowly his eyes widened at who he saw. "You... no... it couldn't be." Terror showing on his face.
"You have no right to be keeping this secret, it's blasphemous against the teachings of the wizarding people. You know you're not going to live through tonight. Don't go to Avarathe with this lie on your chest. Confess it to me, tell me what I want to know. Where is the keystone." The shadowed man said in a low careful tone, almost as if he was trying to be soothing, but the coldness behind it said everything.
The old man just stares up at the man on the other side of the grate and says, "I don't know what you're talking-" Stopping when another spell bounces off the floor next to his head and ducks faintly.
"Do not. Lie to me." The man in the shadow hisses. Stepping into the faint hint of light, the white hair comes to view. Cut short in an uncontrolled style, the grey eyes that seemed to have a sightless film over the top staring towards the man on the floor. The ghost like face of the features that used to be smiling, laughing, and usually in tandeum with some sort of explosion. "Seamus?" Gasped the old man and shakes her head, "Alright... alright." Sorrow showing on his face. "Alright... I'll tell you the clue... I.. I don't know anymore than that." His voice dropping down to a whisper that only carried due to the shape and openess of the hallway they were in.
When the old man was finally done, he slumped to the floor. The man behind the bars just stared at him a long moment before saying, "Merlin would be proud of your strength in finally turning away from the blasphemy that has been made in his name." Before whipping his wand to blast a hole through the old man's shoulder, almost severing it from the rest of the body. "Reducto."
It's only when the man with the white hair is gone that the old man dragged himself to his feet. His blood trailing along behind him as he started moving through the hallways of the Ministry, his figure disappearing among the more empty halls. Finally moving through his destination he makes his way down into the Ministry Library and disappears down the myriad of rows.
* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *