Carnival of Rust

Chapter One: War is Coming

Their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had finally come to an end. Hermione knew that times where changing. It had been verified that Lord Voldemort had returned and Harry had stubbornly tried to push both her and Ron away. It had taken some convincing but Hermione had managed to get Harry to agree not to leave them behind, no matter the cost.

She had been home all of one day before she slowly started to think of what all needed to be done for the upcoming war. The first was that she needed to get started on several potions which meant she had to visit an apothecary and soon. From there she knew she needed to start her own garden because it would be a lot cheaper than attempting to buy everything from the apothecary but it was a matter of how could she convince her parents to put in a greenhouse.

Shaking herself from her thoughts Hermione made her way from her room down the stairs and into her mother's kitchen where her mother sat, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper.

"Mum, I have to do a major project for Herbology and Potions to graduate that I have to start on this year but it requires me growing my own plants and the school simply doesn't have enough greenhouse space for everyone to use. Do you think if I started my own garden that if I showed you what to do with the magical plants you could take care of them for me if I start the seedlings?" Hermione asked, hoping and praying that her mother would agree.

"I'm sure I could manage but I'm sure if you ask nicely Ms. Weasley wouldn't mind coming over and taking care of the ones that I wouldn't know what to do with." Jane said, rising to fix another cup of coffee before pouring a cup for her daughter and setting it in front of her.

"Well they could do with the money and she'd be able to apparate over once a week to do a look over and pull what needs to be pulled." Hermione said, liking the idea more and more as she mulled it over. "I also have to do a major project in Potions but I don't really have the room in my bedroom to brew; it just wouldn't be safe." She said this more to herself than her mother but her mother answered her none the less.

"We have that spare bedroom that's next to your office. We could turn that into a brewing room if you like." She said smiling at how diligent her daughter was over her school work. "It's not like we have company over that often and I wouldn't want you to give up your office just so you have room to brew."

"That sounds wonderful. If you don't mind can I floo to the Leaky Cauldron? I need to get supplies to get stated on my projects so I don't have to wait to long." She asked, knowing her mother wouldn't tell her only child no.

"That sounds fine. Do you have any specifications on the greenhouse and brewing room for your end-of-year projects? I can get someone out here today to get started on putting the greenhouse up but if you need anything for your brewing room I need to know now so I know who I need to bring in." her mother said, pulling a notebook and a pen from the side of the table to in front of her.

"I'll at least need a cupboard or two for my brewing room if not shelves. I'll also need a workspace to prepare ingredients I'm working on a Mastery in both Herbology and Potions so the larger the cupboard the better actually and as far as the greenhouses go several cupboards should suffice as long as I have one for the pots, fertilizer and soil, and the seeds themselves." Hermione said, throwing that out there so she'd have enough room for as many ingredients as she could get her hands on. "I'll have to stock my cupboards from scratch as well as getting the books from my Book Lists. It doesn't bother you that I want to do two masteries; it will be rather expensive and today will be the first trip of many." Hermione said, hoping to prepare her mother for just how much money she had planned on spending.

"We'll manage. If you don't mind let me run to the bank first before you go and then you'll be set." Her mother said, heading towards the foyer with a promise to return shortly.

When her mother returned she handed Hermione a rather thick envelope smiling at her like a Cheshire cat.

"Don't complain about the amount. I'm sure you did wonderful on your OWLs and you are top of your year every year. You have more than earned this." She said, watching as her daughter pulled the pounds out of the envelope and start counting.

"Mum! That's five thousand pounds! I can't take this." She said, as her mind started running a mental conversion. If her math was right that was $8, 421.50 US Dollars and 1,000 Galleons.

"Take it Hermione. A Mastery isn't going to come cheap. You'll probably go through a thousand pounds just today getting cauldron's, potions ingredients, seeds, pots, dirt and your course books. Now go, I have phone calls to make if you want your greenhouse up in time for you to be able to use it this summer." Her mother said, turning and placing her daughter in front of the fire place when she looked at her mother in shock. "Just add it to your Gringots account. We've kept up the usual transfers into the account over the years. There should be plenty more where that came from."

Coming out of the floo network always disoriented Hermione but she shook it off. She had a lot to do today and not enough time to do it in. Her first stop was Gringots so she could convert the money she had been given by her mother. A statement from her account showed that there was close to 593 Galleons, 10 Sickles, and 5 Knuts within her account. Once she transferred the money her mother had given her the total came to 1,593 Galleons, 10 Sickles, and 5 Knuts in her account.

Once her business was finished at Gringots she made her way to Flourish and Blotts knowing that the bookstore would take up most of her time. Books on Healing, Herbology and Potions where all added to her cauldron at an alarming rate. From there it was onto Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Defense Against Magical Creatures as well as Gardening and Herbal Gardening books.

Titles such as Herbal Healing for the Novice, Herbology Beyond Hogwarts, Herbology Beyond Dumstrung, Herbology Beyond Beuxbanks, Herbal Healing Gardens: What to Grow With Limited Space, Mandrake or Matagorda, Wolfsbane or Aconite: A Rose By Any Other Name, the book she really wanted was entitled Herbology Masters Reference Manual and knowing that her mother wouldn't begrudge her if she spent money on books it was swiftly added to the cauldron.

From there it was onto Charms textbooks that went beyond your standard Hogwarts curriculum but where listed as Optional Reading, which only she and a few Ravenclaws ever really did. The entire optional reading text list was pulled, including the optional readings in comparison to the book they had to read this year entitled Quintessence: A Quest, which had to be read by Christmas. From there it was books that where related to Quintessence: A Quest or along the same subject matter, for which there where at least twentythat got added to her cauldron along the names of The Elements of Ether: Unhidden and The Masters Guide to the Elements: A Companion to Quintessence: A Quest and The Workbook for Quintessence: A Quest. From there it was time for Transfiguration and Charms two of her favorite subjects. The Year Seven and Year Six books were added to her cauldron of The Standard Book of Spells Grade Six & Seven before it became apparent that just those wouldn't do as she had heard rumors that the amounts of papers written in Year Six and Year Seven where astronomical so she set out to find three more Transfiguration and Charms books. The first Transfiguration book she found was entitled Everything You Need to Know About Inanimate Transfiguration while the second was entitled Theories of Transsubstainal Transfiguration and The Young Wizard's Guide to Appartaion. The Charms books were selected with the help of the sales witch who recommended Charms Defensive Usage , The Theory of Charms Creation and The Magic Behind the Charms before she moved onto the Potions section.

As she was attempting to get a potions book, The Moste Potent Potions, down from the shelf she bumped into none other than Professor Dumbledore who was reaching for a book high above her head.

"Ms. Granger, I would ask what brings you here but your love of knowledge is well known." He said, giving her a smile as he glanced at the titles that were piling up in her cauldron. "Would you join me for tea? I would like to discuss some things with you." He said, taking her cauldron from her as they made their way further into the shop as he added even more titles to her shopping cauldron on topics she hadn't even considered buying. Mind-Healing, Soul Magic, and a few books she didn't catch the titles on where quickly added to the cauldron in quick succession.

When he added a few Astrology, Numerology and Arithmancy books she raised her eyebrow in question at the Astrology books but the negative shake of his head told her to hold her questions until later.

Once he paid for her books at his instance they made their way to the apothecary where he once again placed a rather large order for her, ignoring her protests that she could pay for it herself as he handed the young woman close to one hundred galleons before telling her they would be back to pick up the order within the hour, which let Hermione know that he had overpaid for the purchases intentionally.

"Now, you will need an expandable trunk, as well as a mole-skin pouch for your money. From there we'll go see Ollivander's; if he asks your old wand broke." He said, leaving no room for argument as they made their way to the trunk shop.

Once inside the trunk shop Dumbledore began talking to the owner in quick succession.

"We'll need an expandable trunk with at least three compartments and a never-ending mole skin pouch." He said, watching as the man quickly went to retrieve the trunk and pouch coming back with a trunk that was slightly larger than the Hogwarts standard issue trunk that was a dark red color with latches that would shine against the sun and a small mole skin pouch.

"This trunk is a true work of genius. It is meant for a Mastery-level apprentice. The first compartment is for books; all you have to do is point your wand, or wave your hand if you place a retrieval charm on it, and think of the subject, title, or author that you would require a book from. The second compartment is meant for your clothing, toiletries, and things of that nature. The third compartment is meant for potions ingredients, cauldrons, parchment, ink and things of that sort. All three compartments are extendable and if you find yourself needing more room and don't know the spell work behind it I can show you how to expand them when it is time." He said, as he took the money from Professor Dumbledore for their purchases before Hermione was an owner of a brand-new trunk and mole-skin pouch.

Once inside Ollivander's Hermione allowed Professor Dumbledore to do the talking before he had her trying out wands at quick succession rates. Finally they came to a 9 inch Beechwood wand with a Phoenix Feather core which worked wonderfully for her.

"Beechwood has strong ties to ancient runes as well as spells regarding information, invocation of ancient guardians and research into old writings. From what I've heard about you Miss Granger this wand is perfectly suited for you." Mr. Ollivander said, handing her the wand before passing her two wand holsters with a wink saying "As far as I know your original wand was broken," before ushering them out of the shop, waving off their attempts to pay for the wand with a broad smile.

"Mr. Ollivander, I was wondering if you had any books on wand crafting or wand lore or know where I could get some." Hermione asked, just as they were about to leave.

"You won't find any books on wand crafting in a bookstore in the United Kingdom I'm afraid. They're all Ministry regulated and wand lore isn't as popular a topic as it used to be although you may find a few books at Tomes and Scrolls in Hogsmeade. Give me a few minutes; I have several books that I have several versions of as well as some duplicates I can give you." He said as he started walking towards a side door. "Actually, come with me. It will go faster this way." He said after a moment's thought as the young girl followed him through a door that she had never entered in the wand maker's shop.

As it turned out that door lead to Mr. Ollivander's work space where there where countless boxes upon boxes of wood that had been carved down but yet to be turned into wands and jars upon jars of items that could be used for wand cores.

"Here is a crate. Start with the boxes of wood. I'd say take thirty of each. From there move onto the cores. Do forty of each because you'll burn up a few cores more than likely trying to create your first few wands. You can use magic on the wood but not on the cores but the cores are easier as they're in glass jars and each jar equals out to thirty pieces. The crate I gave you will shrink down with a tap of your wand and not harm the products inside." He said as he moved to the vast book collection as Hermione started packing the crate as instructed.

"It's been forever since I've taken on an apprentice. Would you be interested? I realize that you probably won't be taking over the shop with helping Harry attempt to defeat You-Know-Who but the knowledge could come in handy should you all ever need to create new wands. Your original wands are tapped to you, meaning the Ministry knows you have them. Your second wand is not registered with the Ministry but considering the trouble the three of you keep getting into it would be useful to know how to make your own." Ollivander said, talking as cheerfully as ever, as if they were not talking about what could be the end of the world.

"That sounds wonderful Mr. Ollivander. I would gladly accept." She said grinning from ear to ear as he turned to her with a smile.

"Well then, you'll need more books than I thought and you just got us around the Ministry regulation about the books on wand creation. Rumor has it that your school week is going to be pretty busy from what Professor Dumbledore has told me. We'll do Saturday's and by December if we need to we'll ramp it up and do Saturday's and half or all of Sunday if your study schedule permits." Here the old man paused to wink at Hermione, which made her think he knew something she didn't as books started flying to her at an alarming rate before they took a sharp turn and started filling themselves in the crate at her feet which kept expanding as more books where added.

"You might want to tell Harry that the Apothecary is looking for an apprentice. It'd basically be a double apprenticeship because he'd be learning potions ingredients as well as the herbology behind it all. If he wants it though, he'll need to talk to her soon but I'll talk to Miss Matthews and see if she'll hold it for him. Before you leave I'll set up a port key for you so you don't have to drive all the way in every weekend until you start school." He sat back with a sigh and admired the number of books that where in the crate.

"Now these are yours to keep no matter how this war goes down. They are a gift to you weather you finish your apprentice term or not." He said, before waving his wand over a piece of parchment which transferred the writing to another parchment which he handed to her. "This is your study schedule. Which books to read when and what papers need to be finished by what week. If Ronald is interested in an apprentice term talk to Flourish and Blotts and Tomes and Scrolls although it's a dying art it would help you get more books as your love of knowledge is well known." He said with a smile as they started to exit the shop.

Just as they passed the threshold Hermione heard the shop keeper say in a cheery tone.

"Let me know when I can expect Ron and Harry again. I'm sure we'll find them something. Such a tragedy their original wands broke. Oh, Hermione this Saturday and Sunday we'll just have lunch and probably an afternoon tea so I can get you adjusted to the shop."

Hermione laughed slightly to herself as Professor Dumbledore turned to her once again.

"Would it be alright if we apparated? It is a rather long walk and we really do need to talk." He said, taking her arm when she nodded her consent.