I am by no means receiving any monetary gain from these characters and stories, whose characters belong to C.S Lewis and J.K. Rowling respectively. I am only using them for my, and others, enjoyment! Thank you and enjoy!
"Mrs. Weasley?"
Nothing. Hermione had been volunteered to find Mrs. Weasley to figure out what to do with one of the shelves in the sitting room on the second floor. They'd been dusting the entire room for hours and she'd come in once or twice, to Ron's chagrin, to instruct them on what to do. Fred and George had left some time ago and Hermione had been sent to not only find them, but their mother.
Hermione wandered up the stairs calling the woman's name. She didn't think it would be that difficult to find the plucky woman in Grimmauld Place but the house was larger than it appeared and she'd seemingly disappeared. Hermione arrived at the top of the stairs to find a door. It appeared stranger than most in the house and she frowned, running her hand over the old wood. The paint was cracked and peeled off where it had collected on the ground with the dust. She looked at the floor and found a thin layer of white. When she turned around, she found the only footsteps were her own.
She pouted. So Mrs. Weasley was surely not here. But she looked at the door and frowned again. She was curious… and what was the harm; if the door was locked than it wouldn't make a difference anyway. Hermione slowly turned the iron handle and when she heard the satisfying click of the door it squeaked open. She let out a breath she did not know she had been holding and pushed it open. It swung back and landed with a soft thud on the back wall and the only thing standing in the spare room was a large wooden wardrobe. Grey light from the outside entered from the left and Hermione is struck by the image.
She never heard Sirius mention an empty room at the top of the stairs, but she doesn't even question it as she takes short steps toward the wardrobe. The dust around her feet is finally stirred and plumes of it filter through the grey afternoon light. A sheet that had probably been on the wardrobe is lying on the floor around it, having been pulled off almost a century ago. Hermione smiled at it and wondered if perhaps Sirius had simply forgotten about the old wardrobe. She touched wood and immediately felt the magic. But it felt like the magic at Hogwarts: warm and comforting and like a small fire burning on a rainy day. It was good magic. It felt electric.
She pushed her whole palm against it and the wardrobe tingled. Slowly, she grasped one of the handles and pulled open. There were a bunch of muggle coats, which Hermione found extremely out of place. But the strangest most peculiar thing was that she felt heat. And the wardrobe appeared to go back forever. She stepped in and, not quite realizing the pull of the magic, moved the large coats out of the way. The heat intensified and Hermione, some part of her not affected but the lull of the wardrobes magic, pulled out her wand. But then she is suddenly falling and then she lands on the ground by a lamppost.
She looked up and found trees. It's summer and she's outside. Hermione jumped up, holding out her wand.
"Excuse me, are you alright?"
Hermione whirled around and found a girl slightly older than her with long gold hair and lavish red gown. She's holding the reigns of a horse, and behind her are three more people. They look like the pictures of people in books about kings and queens from ancient Britain. Hermione gripped her wand tighter.
"Where am I?"
"Why, Narnia of course," the girl laughed. "Surely you cannot be that lost."
Hermione blanched. "Narnia?"
"Yes. Do you need help?" the older boy, or man, said. He looks down at Hermione from his horse but immediately he slid off the beast and put a hand on the girls shoulder. "I'll help her Lucy."
The girl receded and the man walked forward. "My name is King Peter. Do you need assistance?"
Hermione looked around, the magic suddenly telling her that it is fine. She shook her head. "I… I don't know. I was just… in a room. And then I was here."
The king looked back sharply at the group. The other woman and the other boy had said nothing. But the girl that greeted Hermione, Lucy, is biting her lip. He frowned. "Aslan?"
The woman, who is wearing a purple gown and has dark almost black hair, smiled. "It appears so. Why don't you come with us? We can help you."
"Yes," Hermione nodded. "Yes, that sounds alright."
The king is handsome, he has a beard and blonde hair like the girls that is swept to the side. On the top of his head sits a golden crown and over his shoulder is deep maroon colored sash trimmed with gold. Hermione is reminded of the Gryffindor common room. She shakes her head and decides she can worry about that later. The king leads her to his horse and helps her up. Behind them, the other woman and Lucy are discussing the dinner. With one final glance to the lamppost, they are trotting away from the clearing. Sometime later they met up with hunting party and the group begins to descend.
"Forgive me," the king said suddenly, "but what is your name?"
"Oh," said Hermione. "My name is Hermione. A pleasure."
"It is beautiful," he replied and gave her smile. They are wandering, not aimlessly but without haste, through the woods. Overhead the sun was not quite in the sky, and Hermione determined it must be midmorning. She looked back at Lucy, who also had a crown on her head, and smiled. The girl grinned back and pushed her horse so she was next to the King and Hermione.
"You wear very strange clothes," Lucy said. "Do you remember from what kingdom you hail?"
Hermione blinked. "I'm sorry. I don't remember right now. There are… things in my head that I know, just not from where. Is that strange?"
"Oh no," Lucy said. "Not at all. Like dreams?"
"Yes," Hermione replied airly. "Exactly like dreams."
"I do know what you're saying, I have dreams often. Where I'm in places far away, wearing strange clothes. I'm always much younger though," the girl laughed. "And they fade by the morning. I can't think too much of them anyway, with a Kingdom to run."
Hermione frowned. "This seems too real to be a dream."
The girl laughed loudly, throwing back her head. "I can assure you it is not! Narnia is very much real. We are the Kings and Queens of it."
Hermione looked around at all of them. The only one who hadn't spoken, the other boy, looked her right in the eyes. His hair was dark like a boy she knew with green eyes. Harry, but Hermione couldn't seem to distinguish this boy Harry's face. But this boys eyes were dark, but they were very kind. He wore a silver crown on his head and he smiled briefly before he let his gaze flicker above Hermione's head. They had sped up and soon were galloping along long groves of trees and forest. Peter had said they were quite far from home, not meaning to, but suddenly glad they had found her before bandits.
When the King announced they had arrived, while the sun was not quite setting but close to dinner, she turned and gasped. Above them was a magnificent castle and Hermione was reminded of something warm. But the feeling passed when a shout from above them called the horses forward. Her stomach grumbled.
The castle was a yellowish stone and all around it was the green of trees in midsummer. The sun obstructed some of the high towers but Hermione could see how grand the building actually was. There was stone arches and bridges and towers and grand buildings with stained glass windows. She smiled.
"It is beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"It is home," the other woman said. She smiled at Hermione too and then slid of her horse. King Peter aided her with hers and told one of the pages to prepare a guest room.
"And clothes!" Lucy exclaimed. "She needs clothes. Pull from my closet, I have plenty!"
"Oh, no. I couldn't."
"Pay it no mind," Lucy said and smiled. "Come, I'll show you the castle while they prepare your rooms. Susan, would you like to join us?"
"Oh," the woman, Susan said. "How terrible, we never properly introduced ourselves. I am Queen Susan." She curtsied. "I would love to Lucy, truly, but I have a meeting with Lord Castor this evening. I can't keep him waiting and I must prepare for it." She kissed the girl on the head and bade them farewell, disappearing into another arch that led to brightly lit hallway. The walls they'd entered, through large gates with two lions on top, shut finally behind them with a boom.
"I'm King Edmund," the dark haired boy said. He smiled and grabbed Hermione's hand to kiss it.
"Don't believe him for a second," Peter said, "he isn't nearly as personable once you get to know him."
Edmund scowled. "Shove off."
"See?"
The man rolled his eyes and pushed Peter back into the wall. The elder man laughed and straightened his crown and waved them goodbye. That left Edmund and Lucy outside of the stables. Hermione looked at her surroundings. There was a stone pathway that wound down to a large entrance to the castle where both Susan and Peter had disappeared. Around them was grass and wildflowers, but even with the almost overgrown look, the castle did not look unkempt. In fact, it made the entire place seem mystical, as if it were preparing for a grand finale. A final tide being pulled in before the largest wave. She could hear the sea crashing up against rocks in the distance and Hermione was reminded of a castle on a lake. Although this other castle sat in a valley and not the cliff face that Hermione suspected they were perched on.
"Hermione?"
The girl spun around and blushed. "Sorry, were you calling my name?"
Lucy laughed and held out her arm. "No worries. Come, let's get you settled. Edmund is joining us."
The man grumbled. "I'd rather not hang around a bunch of women—."
"Oh I know you don't mind, Edmund, now come. We've got the entire castle until dinner begins. Where do you want to start?"
Hermione thought to herself. Her memory was hazy at best, completely gone if anything. She recalled spending many evenings in a library in the castle by the lake. "The library," she said, suddenly feeling as if she needed to go there immediately. "I love books."
"So that's where we shall go!"
Hermione linked her arm in Lucy's and they began down the path amongst the wildflowers. Hermione felt the warm heat of the sun and she relaxed at the sound of the ocean in the distance. She wanted to lay down in the grass but she followed Lucy through a bridge over a small drop in the land. Arches provided windows that held up a roof. She leaned over the side to look down. Trees and more flowers. A pleasant breeze floated through the bridge. They walked through a doorway into another hall and were created by such strange creatures that Hermione reached back for her wand.
But Lucy laughed and greeted them as friends and the creatures bowed. Hermione is entranced of the richly decorated walls. Painted Ionic columns that had spiraling designs and rich mosaic floors. Above them windows filtered in light and she watched two small song birds flit in and The building is filled with arches and stained class and flowers and all around her she is being greeted by beautiful colors that wave a song as she spins around the great room they're in. Almost every window that faced east provided a view of the sea. It was a sparkling blue and Hermione is reminded of the lake again.
Edmund is laughing and Lucy is looking at her with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Never seen anything like it?"
"Not at the Castle I lived in," Hermione said, not quite realizing what she'd said. She walked over to a column and touched it gingerly. It loomed above her, but the yellow-golden light of the falling sun lit up the whole room warmly. Above them was a dome and below the atrium was several floors with more columns rising up to hold the building.
"Hermione," Edmund said, walking over and looking her up and down.
"You don't happen to hail from Calormen?"
Hermione scrunched her face. Her hand fell from the column and the light from the room faded. She looked up. The room was dark now, but it didn't seem any less beautiful.
"No, I can't say I do. Is it near here? Although, I don't remember much."
"To the south," Lucy said and shot Edmund a dark glance. "But no worries, let us continue. We've barely started and the sun is beginning to fall." She intertwined her arm in Hermione's. They walked down one of the halls into another grand room trimmed with a blue stone. Lucy giggled at the expressions crossing the dark skinned girls face.
"It's beautiful here."
"It is," Lucy agreed. "A lovely if extravagant home. I've always found it to be very much too large. But we house so many people if we can and there are always visiting guests here that the castle is almost always bustling." She looks thoughtfully down one corridor that split off and fell dark. "Something is always happening; Susan meets with the Lords often, and Peter is often talking in diplomatic meetings. Of course, we all have a say, but he's the High King."
"So his word is law?" Hermione asked.
"Not exactly," Edmund cut in. He walked several paces behind Hermione and Lucy. "Peter and Susan are the High King and Queen. We all have a say, but they handle more… things attuned to their skills. But for the most part the weight is split equally between us."
"I see," Hermione replied. "So… are you married then?"
Lucy laughed loudly and the sound echoed down the corridor. "Oh no! We're siblings."
"Oh? Were your parents King and Queen?"
This time Lucy frowned, which was a strange expression on her face. "Not exactly. I suppose we've just always been here, isn't that right Edmund?"
"Indeed."
"Yes. The Library is just down this way, let's go! I'm sure you will love it. Susan's collected quite a few books. Many were gifts, but many have been written by our scholars. We're in the process of founding a city around the castle. We're trying to collect some architects to help build." They turned the corner and were create by a large stone entrance with columns guiding one down the hall. They walked in between them and on either side of the columns were gardens that were open. The sun was setting and just barely over the tip of the garden wall to the left side.
"So the Library is in the South Wing here. It's always open and Mr. Tumnus, he runs the library you see, is lovely. We've been friends for ages," Lucy explained as they walked through the grand entrance of the Library. Above them was a large rounded dome with a hole in the ceiling. Several floors of massive shelves slightly obstructed the room and in the center was a round odd shaped table with several spinning parts with an ancient language written on it. Behind that stood a large desk and a bare chested man with curly hair wearing a red scarf sitting behind it reading a large blue book.
He looked up as their feet echoed through the room. Hermione looked around them. The spiraling columns and two large painted murals stood at opposite ends of the room. She leaned over slightly to get a better look beyond the large bookshelf and saw only a lion being ridden by two girls.
"Aw, Queen Lucy!" Mr. Tumnus said, and rose from his seat. It was one of the beasts from earlier but Lucy smiled and hugged the strange creature whole heartedly.
"We have a guest," she said and pulled Hermione forward. The dark skinned girl grinned and waved.
"I see that!"
"Found her by the strangest thing and I was wondering if you'd heard of it—." Lucy went off talking about the lamppost and Hermione slipped her arm from the Queens and wandered off down the between two large bookshelves, seemingly forgotten. Some of the books were very old and some looked brand new. Others looked loved and used and slowly Hermione pulled one entitled "A History of Magic in Narnia and Other Places". As she held the book, her hand slowly reached back for her wand.
"Magic," she said.
"You believe in it?" Edmund asked.
"Oh," said Hermione dreamily, "of course I believe in magic. I wouldn't be a witch if I didn't. She placed the book back, not seeing or sensing the sudden serious demeanor come over the boy king. She is walking further from him, running her fingers over the books and breathing in their scent. She came across a small book wedged into two larger ones. She pried it out from between them and stared at the cover for a long moment. Everything around her appeared to go still and as the memories came back and the magic of the wardrobe finally released her, she fell to the ground.
The book slammed down, dust flooded from its pages and Edmund, despite his sudden change of attitude, leapt forward to catch the girl from hitting the marble floor. The last thing she heard was the roar of a mighty lion.
She woke up in a beautiful room. The sun was not high in the sky. Midmorning. Above her was a canopy of silk. She moved her hand over the material, reveling in its coolness. A calm breeze wafted through the windows to her right and the linen curtains flitted across the floor and danced in the morning breeze. Hermione sat up and looked around at the windows, which were made up of arches and columns and looked out over the sparkling blue ocean.
Across her was a small white vanity with a mirror and she could see her reflection. Her hair, curly, was a mass around her head and she lifted her hands to touch it. Normally she did nothing to mess with it but she had the sudden urge to tie is back in a bun. She slid off the bed with her hands tangled in her hair and found a golden gown with pearls lying along a low flat trunk. She supposed that the dress was one of Lucy's.
But that didn't matter now. Hermione remembered. Whatever had been holding her memories was gone and she suddenly desperately wished to be back in a different castle. Her wand, which had been in her back jeans pockets, was now seated on the vanity among various necklaces. She snatched it up and eyed a little golden necklace with a lion and then shook her head, darting out the door. She'd completely ignored the dress from Lucy.
She ran passed the various creatures, Fauns she remembered now, to where she might find someone she could talk to about returning home. But she'd passed out in the Library after seeing a book and had no idea what part of the castle she was in. She whirled around and tried to focus. The sea was behind her, which meant if she headed this direction, she should come to at least a part of the wall that they'd entered yesterday on horseback. But Hermione was greeted only with columns and more corridors and the blue ocean. Most of the halls were open air but even then, when she arrived at a courtyard and the sound of the sea was lost she'd find herself stuck all over again. Fauns and animals stared at her curiously and she even noted several centaurs. She was careful to skirt around them.
She began to run down one hall when she stopped suddenly just short of the doorway to a garden she remembered passing yesterday. Even if she did get out of the castle, not that she was a prisoner, where would she go? Hermione didn't have the best sense of direction and as far as she knew, her magic didn't work in this world. Then again… the book. She shook her head. No, even if she did get out, the ride had taken almost all day and that had been on horseback. If she was walking, because Hermione couldn't even begin to think about riding a horse on her own, it would take her two or three days.
And she still had no idea where she was going.
"I heard you'd been running around the castle," said Edmund, who stood behind Hermione. His hand was on the hilt of his sword but he didn't look threatening in the least. She grimaced.
"I've remembered. I need to go home. To England."
He frowned and looked thoughtful for a moment. He wore a different tunic than yesterday, this one was silver and green and Hermione wanted to know if the universe was being cruel to her on purpose. "England. I see. We'll see what we can do, I've… never heard of it. Perhaps you should come, we have much to discuss. Breakfast is waiting and you'll be dining with us today," he said. He gestured for her to follow and turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Hermione glanced back at the garden and frowned but she trotted up to walk next to him.
"Sire, if I may," she said. He laughed.
"I see with your memories you know more on how to speak to royalty."
She straightened. "I know when someone deserves respect and when they don't," she inquired. "But may I?"
"Go on."
She bit her lip, suddenly nervous. "We will find a way for me to return home?"
He seemed stooped by her question but otherwise didn't appear too perturbed it. He juggled the thought for a few moments and then said, "Well, we don't even know where this England is. Is it a city in another country? Archenland? Calormen? The Isles to the east?"
Her shoulders dropped. "None of that is familiar, and no. It's a country. Surely you've heard of it?" She desperately wanted him to say ah! Yes, England! I have heard of it, how could I have forgotten? But he only shook his head. She looked around them.
"We're going back to my quest room?"
"You hadn't changed."
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
"Nothing, my Lady, but you must look presentable to dine," he said and then shoved her in the door.
Hermione stood at the center of the room and stared at the golden gown. Slowly she slipped out of her clothing and laced the dress up and on herself. It fit snuggly and she was surprised to see the golden color reflect off her eyes, making them appear green. Hermione was suddenly reminded of Harry's eyes and she shook her head and tried to focus. She needed to get back to Grimmauld place. They were most definitely searching for her and she didn't want to be gone for too long. But she exited the doorway and wished that when she came to the other side she would be in that spare room but instead she found Edmund waiting, and the two walked to the dining room.
Soon they arrived in a large grand hall with Lucy, Susan, and Peter waiting. Hermione suddenly felt hot. She was in the presence of not one, but two kings and two queens. Even so, Lucy and Edmund were barely older than her. Peter must've been around 20 or 21. Susan looked timeless and Hermione thought she was the most beautiful women she'd ever seen. But the High Queen had a calm expression on her face and smiled at Hermione when she and Edmund entered. Lucy's face lit up and she grinned so brightly Hermione was wondering how the girls mouth didn't ache.
"The dress looks lovely! And it fits! How does it feel to be in proper clothes?" she asked.
Hermione smiled at the expression on the Queens face. "It's lovely, thank you."
She took a seat next to the Queen at the girls request and Peter and Edmund followed suit and sat down. As the food was brought up, plans for the day were made when Peter suddenly turned to Hermione with a worried expression on his face.
"How are you feeling?"
The sibling's eyes all turned to Hermione and she felt her face grow hot. "Oh, um, fine, thank you."
"We've much to discuss."
"Oh?" she laughed half-heartedly.
"Edmund has informed me of something you failed to mention earlier in the day. Although, I suppose I can imagine why you didn't say anything," Peter said. He sat down the apple he'd been eating. "However, I believe now is the proper time to discuss it." Slowly he lifted something beneath the table and showed Hermione a book.
It was the book.
Hogwarts: A History by Bathilda Bagshot.
Hermione blanched and her dark brown eyes shot toward the High Kings light blue ones. He didn't seem threatening but she suddenly wanted to desperately escape. If only she knew where she could apparate too, but that would leave her even more stranded and she could splinch herself if she acted on instinct. She slowly let her shoulders relax. "Yes."
"Edmund said you picked up this book in the library, which led to your fainting. You slept all through the night."
Hermione nodded. "Yes, the book appeared to trigger my memories."
"Oh, that's good!" Lucy exclaimed. "Isn't that wonderful Peter!"
But the elder wasn't paying attention, he was staring at Hermione intently. His eyes, a brilliant blue that reminded Hermione of Ginny, had narrowed. He didn't appear suspicious, more like worried and slightly anxious. Hermione stared him in the eyes, narrowing her own until it was a staring match from across the table. Peter, who sat the head with Susan, had leaned back in his chair. Lucy had quieted down and was staring between the two with her mouth slightly ajar. Edmund was leaning forward on his hands, as if slightly interested but more suspicious of where the conversation was going.
"You're memories. Prey tell—."
"I need to return home," Hermione demanded, leaning forward. She reached for her wand and set it on the table. "To England."
A strange look came over Peter's face. "England?" he asked.
"Yes," Hermione replied, seriously. "It's where I live. I'm from England. I go to the school Hogwarts. I'm a witch."
"Ah," Peter said. "That brings me to my previous point. A witch. We've not had good experiences with witches. Can we trust you?"
Hermione's shoulders slumped. She wanted to say yes, immediately, but she figured that just her word would not suffice in this case. If these people, who had or hadn't heard of England, had one terrible experience with one witch, she would hope that they would at least not expect her to act the same. But if they did, and it appeared they would, Hermione would have to convince them otherwise. She needed to, for she knew if she had the Kings and Queens of this land Narnia on her side, she would one day return home.
She did not know that it would be a long time away.
"Yes," she replied, hesitant. "I can be trusted. I have my memories now. I know I mean you no harm, I only wish to return home. I practice magic, yes, but I can be useful. I'm known as the brightest witch of my age." Her back straightened. "I will aid Narnia if you will aid me."
"You're bargaining?" Peter asked, almost incredulous.
"Wait," Edmund intervened. "Perhaps we can help her. We know where we found her, if we can return there and find a way home. Do you remember anything about where you came from and how you got here?"
"I do. I was in a spare room in a house I was staying in with friends. I'd gone to find my friend Ron's mother, Mrs. Weasley. I stumbled upon it by accident. I hadn't even known there was a room there. And I opened the door and the only thing sitting there is a wardrobe and I felt it…"
"Calling?" Lucy asked, her voice dreamy. "I remember a spare room and a wardrobe. It was very cold." Then the Queen frowned. "I always thought it was a dream." She looked at Hermione curiously. "The wardrobe though… so…"
"Particular?" Hermione asked, her mind suddenly flying. "It's very specific." She looked around at the Kings and Queens of Narnia and suddenly she wondered if they had been in the same position as she; perhaps they too had found a wardrobe and entered their foreign land as she had. She wondered why they never left and one single thought occurred to her that hadn't before; perhaps they couldn't leave Narnia. And England seemed like a faraway dream that left much to be desired. A passing thought or a fleeting dream that when you woke up in the morning and tried to recall, couldn't be remembered no matter how early it was. Her shoulders slumped.
"You will be able to help me, though?" she asked. "I need assurance."
Peter looked at her through narrowed eyes and then sighed. "If you'll help us, we'll help you. It is a deal. I will request books for study after our breakfast. We're going riding in the afternoon and then I must meet with Northern Dignitaries. The Giants are rousing." He grumbled and turned away, suddenly requesting a specific platter of meat.
Hermione sat forward, her eyes flickering to Edmunds. "Giants? I've a friend back home who is Half-Giant. His name is Hagrid."
"Curious," Lucy said, her eyes glittering in morning sun. "Tell us about Hagrid!"
The next coming weeks were difficult. Hermione found nothing about portals or wardrobes or lampposts swallowed by forests. The only thing from home she had to cling to were her clothes and the book from the library. She read it back and forth as if she hadn't already before and set it on the small vanity in her room. Her quarters had been moved closer to Lucy and Susan's and while she enjoyed her small room with her view, she was allowed a balcony with a full view of the ocean.
She often thought of Ron and Harry, missing Ron's silly jokes and inflections and Harry's muffled comments about life. But every morning became more and more bearable as she awoke each morning to find a new dress from Lucy and had breakfast with the Kings and Queens. Sometimes one of the was missing, sometimes two of them were, but Hermione always at least had company. Sometimes all of them were busy all of the day, and breakfast was more of a rushed snack before they were all hurtled into courtly life. Hermione would then wander to the library to speak to Mr. Tumnus, a Faun, and discuss life in Narnia with him.
It wasn't until one morning that Lucy arrived with a small Badger at her heels that Hermione realized the finality of her predicament. Or rather, the temporary finality— an oxymoron in and of itself.
"This is Mrs. Jveck!" Lucy introduced. "She's a tailor, the best in Narnia. I only have so many dresses in your size, you know, and we think it would be good to get a few of your own while we search for your way home." The girl grinned and hooked her arm into Hermione's, dragging her away from a particularly fascinating book about Narnia's history and involvement in exploring the ocean— not much was mentioned and it was generally theory but it was wonderful study.
"The dresses I have now are fine," Hermione said. "Really, I promise, I'm alright."
"Nonsense. And we'll get you some pants, too. I know Edmund and Peter are always so disgruntled but it's much more comfortable and much easier to ride in." She hummed and they turned a corner. "They'll never know. They never pay much mind what I'm up to, generally. We can go down to the ocean and swim with the Mermaids! They're lovely, truly. And next week some Naiads and Dryads are going to visit— river and tree spirits."
Hermione blinked. The Mermaids they'd had to deal with by Hogwarts were ugly, vicious creatures. It wasn't until one traveled down to various magical islands in Greece would they see the pretty mermaids from Muggle myths. She wondered if those were what were in Narnia. And Naiads Hermione had never heard of. "Dyads. Does that mean the trees are alive?"
"Of course. It's only a some of them. They'll dance if you go early enough in the morning. And sometimes their leaves make images— I think I saw my mother once." Her eyes got foggy. "I've forgotten what she looks like."
"And the Naiads?" Hermione asked, particularly perplexed. And she felt bad about making Lucy think of a mother she had forgotten. "How could a river be alive?"
Lucy seemed to pause a moment to think. She peered back behind them to make sure Mrs. Jveck was following and then turned back around to walk with a skip in her step. "More like embodiments, I suppose. I've never asked. They come up from the river. Sometimes they just look like faces in the water, other times they're figures made of water itself. And the best times are when they're full figures with hair and skin and eyes. Oh, they're eyes are beautiful."
"They sound beautiful," Hermione said. "Do you think we could talk with them?"
"Of course! They're wonderful for information. They've always been around, you know. But they don't know everything." She seemed to shiver. They entered a tall room through a row of arches. Half-finished garments and cloth spilled over cushioned seats. Lucy threw herself down on one of the love seats, throwing her feet up and relaxing her entire body. Mrs. Jveck smiled and said something about finally having a sit down and then immediately directed Hermione to the stool in the center of the room to stand with her arms out.
"You've lovely skin," the badger said. "Deep and dark and perfect for this green." She pulled out a lush springtime color that reminded Hermione of ivy. "Or this blue!" The blue looked like the sky just after the sun had set. It reminded her of her mother's favorite color and her family camping at the Wood of Dean, sitting beneath the trees as the sun set. She fingered the soft cloth.
"This is beautiful," she said. "Do you think I could have a dress like this?"
The badger seemed gleeful and she almost snatched the fabric from Hermione as quickly as it'd been given to her. "Oh, certainly, certainly! A nice evening gown for the lovely lady!"
Hermione's chin rose a little. She'd never really been called lovely before, expect by Krum, and even that hadn't sounded as genuine as the small badger with the cloth in her hands. Hermione pushed thoughts of Hogwarts away. "Tell me," she said, "How long have you been a seamstress?"
Hermione stood with her books in hand, touching the sides of the paper gingerly before setting it down in front of Peter. He was much older— they all were— and Hermione's face had flushed out and grown longer. Her hair, which was such a novelty in Narnia, was braid back over and over and was longer than she'd ever had her curls. They'd rung small lilacs into her braids and wherever she went the smell of summer meadows followed. She wore a deep red dress, lined with jeweled gold and around her was a deep brown cloak with the symbol of the Narnian lion.
She looked every bit the royal advisor she was.
"This deals with the southern borders," she whispered, "lining them with men could prevent unwanted traders but you risk angering Archenland with the threat of war."
Peter nodded before handing the parchment over to Susan, who scanned it with a keen eye. She looked over at Hermione and then at Narnia's first general, a centaur who went by the name of Redeyan. His face was long and his hair curled around his eyes. "General, it seems our advisor states we risk ruining a relationship with our closest neighbor, Archenland, should we place too many of our knights there for fear of traders from the east."
The general seemed to think, sliding some figured across a large map. "We could pull back and fortify further into the border. Keep what reinforcement we have and put towers some several miles within the border to keep it tighter and the traders within our land for us to deal with."
Susan glanced at Hermione. "What do you think?"
"It would be wiser to do so…," she agreed. "But heavy construction along the border can be seen as a more imperialistic move that does not represent Narnia. I say we up the guard count along the border, only slightly. I can fortify some of the borders with spells to make people with any ill intention to Narnia turn away. I've been working on something. It'll be difficult, but I can make it work."
Peter seemed to nod. "I agree. It would be unwise to appear as if we are on the defensive. Archenland is already weakened from war with Calormen. If we seem to be acting as if we are preparing for an attack, they could think something is afoot."
"They're forces are weakened," Redeyan said. "It wouldn't seem out of the ordinary for Narnia, or any neighboring kingdom, to increase security on the border ravaged by war."
"They might assume we're going on the offensive, preparing for an attack."
"King Rodor would never—."
"We cannot assume what one will or will not think, General. Rodor may believe we are preparing to aid Calormen and Archenland can hardly handle an attack from the south, much less on two fronts. They'd be spread too thin."
Hermione nodded. "If we keep the illegal traders from Archenland from entering Narnia by force we risk Archenland going offensive. I say we lure them in with false security. Tracking spells can be made. I know several spells that can outwit people who do things will ill-intent. We place them on the border and then follow them until they make the wrong move. Increasing border guards and rounds can risk a war that we cannot afford right now." Hermione slid several parchments over with the fiscal count for the previous year.
"We're doing well but most of our funds aren't toward our military. We won't need them to be, naturally, and the textile production is running full-throttle, but the possibility of a war is something we have neither the time to train for, nor the money to pay for."
Hermione leaned back, looking quite pleased with herself.
Peter looked at Susan, then at Redeyan. A final nod and the deal was done.
"Hermione, perhaps you'd like to join me for a ride?"
Hermione looked up from her book. It was curious. She'd found it deep in her dresser, beneath one of her old dresses and buried with the pearls she'd been looking for. It was titled "Hogwarts: A History" and it was such a curious name that Hermione sat on her bed, hardly ready to go anywhere in Narnia, reading a book she'd apparently owned a long time ago. The cover had been slightly torn and some of the pages were stained, something that would normally make Hermione cringe at such a mistreatment of a book.
"Edmund," she said, her brown eyes lighting up, "right now? I'm hardly wearing appropriate clothing. And with the war…"
"The war can wait, if only for a moment," Edmund said, his voice awfully cheerful. "I've already had the horses prepared. Take your time to get ready. I thought we could do for a little break."
It was true. Hermione, senior advisor to the Kings and Queens of Narnia, had traveled back and forth on the seas east around south toward Calormen to aide in a war that would not end. She found herself praying to Aslan every day, asking for a way to end the war, for the idea to spring to her mind and free them of the pain that plagued the land.
"That… does sound nice." She looked down at her book. It had been in her closet and didn't appear more than a children's book anyhow." She pushed to her bedside table and stood up, patting her night dress down. She blushed. "Well, let me get ready!"
Edmund, who naturally had not dared entered and had not seen anything, smiled softly and left to go to the horses.
It was a pleasant ride to a terrible war.
Several months after Hermione had come to Narnia, she'd begun working with the architects planning the city around the castle by the sea. Construction had already begun and most of the city was planned out, but Hermione helped overseeing what was needed by the Kings and Queens for the people of Narnia. It wasn't an easy job. Hermione found herself arguing with Dryads, getting angry at deer, and almost getting into a fist fight with a centaur.
If it had not been for Edmund and Lucy, who'd arrived at precisely the right moment, then Hermione probably would be out cold sitting at the base of a stone foundation for a library.
She found her fist caught in Lucy's hand, a knowing grim smile on the Queen's face. Hermione swallowed her pride and snatched her hand back. "Your majesty," she said.
But Lucy waved her away. "Apologize, Hermione."
It was well known Hermione had somewhat of a temper and it was difficult for her to adapt to other's ideas and opinions when she thought she had a much better option. It wasn't as if she knew anything about architecture (in fact she was much better with people) but Hermione was good at administrating and dealing with people and thus she was in charge.
Edmund had calmed the centaur down and came back to where Hermione and Lucy were standing. Hermione glared at the centaur and snapped out a gruff and difficult "sorry". Edmund laughed.
"You and I are very alike," he said. "I too find it difficult to swallow my pride."
"Clearly not difficult enough," Hermione said almost immediately, "given that I do it and you still cannot find a way to manage."
Edmund opened his mouth to reply, but Lucy quickly cut him short. "Hermione, do you know anything about stars?"
She glanced at Edmund, curious for what he was about to say, and then turned to Lucy. "Stars… somewhat. I know more about astronomy in that it can predict future events possibly, but not much about stars, no."
"Would you like to meet one?" Lucy whispered.
Hermione blinked. "Lucy, a star is a gaseous collection of ¾ hydrogen and ¼ helium that is constantly exploding like a nuclear reaction. It is over thousands of degrees Celsius, and one could not even get close, let alone meet it."
Lucy blinked, her excited expression halted by Hermione's brain. "I… what?"
Even Edmund, who spent more time around Hermione's babbling mouth of information than anyone, found himself slightly lost, and glanced up at the sky as if trying to find an explanation there.
Lucy seemed to mutter something to Aslan. "I think you're mistaken about what a star is."
Hermione seemed to think a moment. "I've been surprised by your land thus far, I suppose it wouldn't surprise me if your galaxies were different. I wonder… do you have a telescope?"
"Yes," Edmund said. "But it looks more out to sea. You want to see the stars with it?"
Hermione seemed to think back to her old home… wherever that was, and standing atop a tower with a telescope looking at the stars. "I have a theory," she said.
Lucy grinned. "I love listening to your theories. Tell me, then, and perhaps I can help discuss it with you."
Hermione smiled. Lucy was almost the girl friend that Hermione had never quite had until she'd met Ginny. Even then, she'd hung out with…. Oh, two boys whose names she couldn't remember and was always somewhat the odd one out in that she was a girl. But Lucy, who couldn't always quite follow Hermione's fast book-orientated brain, enjoyed listening and throwing in her own ideas for Hermione to bounce off of. Lucy, a far more skilled diplomat and warrior than Hermione could ever hope to be, aided her with more practical knowledge of living in Narnia and provided Hermione with more information than she could ever hope for. And then in return, Hermione would show Lucy spells and Lucy would show Hermione the magic of Narnia.
They had a wonderful friendship.
They walked down far the bath to the castle, passing by the gardens and past Susan, who was sitting underneath a willow tree with a book. She looked up as they passed and waved.
Hermione shuffled through her papers as they walked to a parlor where Lucy's star was waiting. The sun was rising in the sky and the endless summer Narnia seemed to hold stretched on, the heat being blown away by the oceans breezes. Hermione's curls that weren't tight in her bun were blowing around her face. The gold flowers woven into her hair kept everything in place. They arrived at the parlor not a moment too soon, Peter was pacing outside the door, his face strained and the skin around his eyes tight as he furrowed his brow.
"Lucy! Edmund, Hermione! You're here, good."
Edmund frowned, placing a hand on his brothers shoulder. "What? What's wrong?"
Peter looked dreadful and for a moment Hermione thought he was sick. "I can't do small talk with a star. How can one even begin to imagine discussing the weather with a being from the sky itself?"
A pause and then they all laughed. Lucy tugged at Hermione.
"Come meet a star, Hermione," the Queen said, "I'm sure you'll find them quite knowledgeable."
The moment they stepped into the room, Hermione was swept with a faint blue light and a women in a straight silver dress sat in a large plush chair. Her hair was a glowing platinum color and Hermione was reminded of a boy with the same shade of hair. Perhaps she had already met a star and hadn't realized it. The woman, or rather the Star, smiled gently.
She answered plenty of Hermione's questions.
It would be years when Hermione finally had her library filled to the brim with magic books, historic books, books about the trees, and books about the land.
Five years after Hermione came to Narnia they traveled to Calormen and began working with the people there. A small band of people followed them back to Narnia to learn more about Aslan and they stayed in the town outside the castle.
Ten years the town was a city. There was a public library, schools, and the beginning of a structured road system. People came and began to fill up the court. The Islands out East began to be explored by ships that were built. Edmund and Lucy were gone for two years, sending back treasures and findings of the lands for Hermione to see, learn about, and record. He once sent her a pure gold flower, telling her that it was hers to keep. She kept it in a small woven basket, another gift that she'd received from a Faun, that sat above her bed on a small shelf made from stone.
She treasured it and when she left the castle, whether for trips to the forest or more diplomatic missions, she'd carried it in her small leather satchel she'd received from Susan.
Fifteen years after she'd come to Narnia, it was her thirtieth birthday and they were having a celebration. A peace with Calormen was finally achieved and a trade deal was set up using Hermione and Susan's diplomatic skills, allowing Narnia to pass through Calormen's seas to trade further south and with their capital city. It was still tense, but with Hermione's birthday coming up and the deals they'd made recently Narnia was in celebration.
She stood toward the side, watching everyone dance in a ballroom that looked like an enchanted, forbidden forest. Her dress was hefted up and tied to the side so it wouldn't drag on the floor. The bright lilac dress was a surprise gift from Lucy. She had said that Hermione needed something she could looking stunning in. Her hair was pushed back, braided and twisted with small purple flowers. Around them everything seemed to glow and Hermione swelled with pride. She'd done this. She'd helped create this.
"You look pleased," Edmund said, sliding next to her and leaning on the branch of a tree.
Hermione laughed. "I am! Look what we've done." She gestured around them.
"Aslan chose the right one," Edmund said. "As in, bringing you here. He led you here and… you were the right one of the job."
"Thank you, Edmund. Really. I've never felt happier."
"Should we go for a ride then? Steal away the few final moments of this celebration?"
She hesitated, if only for a moment, and then grinned. "I'd love to."
They snuck out toward the back, their faces smiling and happy. They tip-toed to the stables and flung the saddles on the horses, their silent laughs and gleeful faces shining under the lions sad smile. Hermione and Edmund races through the Narnian woods, going deeper and deeper into the glowing forest. The moon cast soft grey light and all the leaves laughed gaily under the wind. Hermione was led further west and soon the two were trotting along a soft path that the trees had marked for them.
"You know, I thought you'd been from Calormen," Edmund said, his voice strained.
"Because of what I looked like," Hermione said. It was not a question, but a statement. She already knew.
"I'm sorry."
"I forgive you. It's been so long. I hardly remember what happened."
"Well," Edmund laughed. "You fainted."
"Why, I can't even remember at all why I did!"
"The book," he said quietly. "Do you still have it?"
"I do," she replied, "but I don't remember why. It seems like a fairy tale land, really. It talks about a magic castle— perhaps it is Narnia in the future! Or maybe it's all fantasy, something that never really existed."
"Maybe it's just a book," he said. "A book to make you… remember where you came from. Aslan must have put it there."
She hummed in response. "Maybe it is a book. I do recall a lions roar when… well when I fainted. I don't know if maybe it was my imagination or maybe just if it really was Aslan. But it helped me remember things that helped Narnia. In the end, it was never for me to return. I belong here. I've belonged here for years."
Edmund reached forward, his mouth open to say something, when Hermione let out a small yelp. He turned to look ahead of them, reaching for his sword, but only found a tall ivy-covered thing in the middle of a clearing. Pine trees stood behind it, covering their view beyond.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I… don't know," she whispered. "But it does seem familiar."
"Very," he agreed, jumping off his horse to follow her.
She circled around it, gently touching the ivy leaves that covered the post. Her dress, falling from its tied place at her side, brushed the grass on the forest floor. Edmund stopped behind her, staring as she concentrated trying to place the strange metal post in the middle of the clearing. She turned suddenly and began to walk on the edge of the clearing, brushing her hands against the leaves.
"What a curious place," she whispered, her voice soft.
Edmund stood near the center, holding his hand on his sword. The trees had led them there, but the question of why remained?
"There's something back here," she said, pushing two low branches away from her face.
"Hermione?" Edmund's voice sounded far away as she pushed forward. The branches got less and less thick but the area got darker. And soon she felt something soft, like fur coats and then she was falling against a loose door and she landed on the ground with a thump. Out in front of her was the floor of Sirius Black's house, with the dust curling around from her dramatic entrance. She was in her old muggle clothes and the only thing that remained was a small satchel with some books, her quills, and a single gold rose.
"No," she muttered. "No, no, no!"
She jumped and turned. The door was thrown open.
"Hermione!" Ron's voice said.
She threw herself against the back of the wardrobe, banging her fists against it.
"No!" she cried. "No, please!"
A hand grabbed her from behind.
"Aslan!" she shrieked. But it was Mr. Weasley and Sirius and they were pulling her away from the wardrobe, away from Edmund and Narnia and Aslan. When she finally fell, her vision grew dark and there was a single cry from a lion, signaling the end.
Fin.