"Quinton Travers? That's our target? Why?" I asked Sirius. "Really? You and I have the same information." We were to execute and retrieve the Ring of Gyges. I've read about the Ring of Gyges before, it's said to grant the wearer invisibility. In the story I read, Gyges, a shepherd, finds the ring after an earthquake reveals a cave near where he herds his flock. Upon entering the cave, Gyges finds the ring on the finger of a corpse that doesn't seem human. When he places it upon his finger, he discovers he can become invisible by adjusting it. Gyges then goes to the palace of his local kingdom, woos the wife of the king, then kills him and becomes King of Lydia; well that's the muggle version. From what I understand, it gives the wearer the ability to change their destiny. However, at a price, for after death their soul is trapped inside of the ring, damned to their own personal hell.
The assignment we're on is expected to last no more than three days, the file states that Travers often hangs out the Orion Bar in the wizarding district two blocks from where we're staying. It, further, states that he has six security guards with him at all times, armed with both wands and muggle weapons. It's believed that he always has the ring with him, so retrieval of the artifact should not be a problem.
"Don't unpack, Sirius, I'd prefer to not be here for the entire three days, if we could get this done tonight and be on the next flight to London tomorrow, it would be greatly appreciated." I said grabbing my bag to find something appropriate for the evening. "So it's all work and no play?" Sirius shouted from the bathroom. "We played in the shower, and if tonight goes as planned, we can play when we get back."
Exactly two hours later, Sirius and I were headed to Orion. I was dressed in all black, jeans and a turtle neck cropped top with an olive coat and knee high heels. I left my hair curly for the night and Sirius was dressed in a suit as usual, it's his signature so I can't judge too much. It was a fifteen minute walk from the hotel to the Bar. We found a table in the back and waited. Two hours passed, before Travers arrived, Like Sirius, he was dressed in a suit along with his security.
"Sirius, let's not make a mess, this time, I'd hate to be put on probation again."He chuckled. Six months ago Sirius and I had a target, Julius Lynch. He was the head of a sex trafficking ring, we had infiltrated in Jamaica. I went in as one of the sex slaves, Sirius was my back up. We were cutting in tight on our deadline, we were to execute him, we thought we had all the information, we thought he was just a muggle, with dark objects in his possession. We were wrong; he dealt in the art of obeah. That was the first mission, that I was put in any serious danger. When Sirius found me, he few in a rage, it was the first time, I saw the "Black Curse" everyone whispers about. Sirius dabbles in the dark arts but I've never seen him control it the way he did. It's like his entire aura changed, in those minutes. I don't know the spells he used but he killed everyone in the building except the other sex slaves. Their bodies were ripped apart and as for Julius, there wasn't a body left to identify. I had four broken ribs, a fractured pelvis and cuts and bruises up and down my body. Before we left, he obliviated the five other women, who were in the building with us. When we got back to the institute, it wasn't a happy welcome. For the next month and a half, none of our missions were out of Europe, we were accompanied by a supervisor and we had a strict seven hour deadline on all missions
After disillusioning ourselves we followed Travers and his men deeper into the bar and into a back room. Upon entering, Sirius began to cast Colloportus, Muffliato and the Anti-Disapparition Jinx, nonverbally. "Avada Kedavra," Sirius casted first hitting the first security and I followed hitting the guard to his right. Five wands were now out, excluding ours, "Stupefy," someone casted in my direction, "Avada Kedavra". Three down, finally shields were put up on both sides and Sirius and I finally made our selves visible. "Travers, give us the ring!" Sirius demanded side stepping a curse aimed in his direction. "Sectumsempra," Sirius aimed at his attacker, who didn't seem to recognize the curse, sadly, it cut straight through his shield. "Flipendo," I cased, followed by, "Avada Kedavra" at the same target, another guard fell with a thud. "Everte Statum," I heard Travers yell, the spell barreled into Sirius. "Ebublio," I screamed, and watched my spell hit the final guard. "Carpe Retractum," ropes flew out from my want and wrapped itself around Travers and began to pull him to me, "Jeremy? You okay?" I called for Sirius, "Yea, just hit my head."
"Where is the Ring, Travers?" Sirius asked, walking in my direction. Travers kept silent. "Crucio," I whispered pointing my wand at him. He began to scream. "Silencio," The sound stopped but he was still screaming in agony.
It was five minutes before I stopped the spell. "Where is the ring?" He continued to stare at me, "Crucio!" By this point, Sirius was checking the drawers in the room we were in. I stopped the spell. I pointed my want at his head, "legilimens." After searching his memories for what seemed like minutes, I found it. "Jeremy, check under the chair, there's a compartment in the floor."
"Got it," Sirius cried, "Thank you Quinton," I pointed my wand at him. "Avada Kedavra."…
Before leaving, we removed the Anti-Disapparition Jinx and apparated directly inside our hotel room. "Book the first flight to London, Sirius, I want to get out of here as soon as possible," he groaned. "I haven't even let go of your arm yet from that side along at least wait until I let go of you before you bark your orders," I pushed him, "Go!" "Hermione, you know you're not the boss of me right?" I smirked. "Sure I'm not when I'm not on top of you." I threw a pillow at him and walked to my suitcase. "Catch," I looked up just in time to see a box barreling in my direction. I caught it. "Why aren't you keeping it?" I questioned, bending over to pack it in my suitcase. "I don't want that thing with me, plus I wanted to see you bend over."
"What are your plans when we get back to the institute?" Sirius asked. "I think I want a vacation, we've made our target kills for the year and it's only October, so I think I'll ask the supervisor if they'll let me take some time off." Sirius went to Dubai, last year. He said was beautiful, but I think I want to stay in London, maybe go to the wizarding community and just relax a bit.
"Where do you want to go and can I come?" It's not unheard of in the institute for fraternizing between partners or them playing house. A lot of the time we had to act as couples so they understood once it didn't affect our jobs, in our lives the job came first and second. But I didn't know if I wanted to take him with me. It's London, and he's a Black, from what I've read it won't be difficult for persons to deduce that he's the missing Black heir. If we put in for London, the institute probably will say no to the request, we aim to remain a secret. Sirius in the wizarding world in London will threaten our secret. "I'm still thinking about it and if you behave, I'll consider it."
….
"Hermione, you sure you want leave now? Can't we stay a few hours or days longer?" We were at JFK walking towards check in; our fight was in an exactly one hour. "Of course we can but I don't want to Sirius, our job is over, I just want to get back to my own bed." He started to lag behind me, "but I thought you wanted to go on a vacation, so you won't be in your bed for long." Sirius. "That's true but this is different, we were on a job, I want to get back to the institute, debrief and be Hermione again. Here I'm not Hermione." I think he understood because he started to keep up with me again.
"Hermione, honestly, what do you want to do, when we finally get out of here?" It was the first time he has ever asked me this question before, or I've really considered what I'll do when our service to the institute ends. Upon Graduation from training, we were tasked with signing a blood contract to the masters. If we survive, after ten years of service to the institute we would gain our freedom or we can ask for another contract. Most, , choose to stay and sign another ten year contract, as they consider the institute their home and everyone around them their family, others ,however, have chosen to leave and live normal lives with reconstructed memories of the years spent at the institute or entirely new lives. What I'd do after is not something I've ever really considered, to be honest. I don't know If I'd want to stay or go, reintroduction into the society scares me because it, to me is an unknown but I don't think I want to give ten more years of my life to murdering people. A new life, without these memories and nightmares of the horrors I've endured and done, though terrifying, seems the more likely choice for me but do I tell Sirius that? Do I tell him, he if stays he'll have to find a new partner?
"I don't know, it's something I've never really thought about," I answered, "what would you do?" He smiled, "You know me, I live for the excitement but I want more, I want a family and life so I think I won't sign again, maybe." That was unexpected; I turned to face him, "Where will you go?" He cupped my face with one hand and lazily began to trace a finger along my lips, "Somewhere, where I can wait for you." I laughed, why he can't ever be serious, "Stop playing and tell me?" He sighed, "London." I can't believe my ears, he said London. "So you want to be Lord Black?" "No I don't, I just want to be in the one place that feels right to me or maybe I'll go to Canada, I've heard that their wizarding community is pretty nice." He dismissed it as always, Sirius is always running but for once it seems like he's running towards something , it just seems like he doesn't want to tell me but that's annoying because he brought the conversation up in the first place. If he doesn't want to be Lord Black why is he going to London?
….
After what seemed like years, we finally landed, after retrieving our bags, we walked towards the apparition point. We were going home. We apparated to just outside the gates of the institute, no one could apparate inside the compound, even if they wanted to. After going through security, we were escorted in, the Institute stood before us, this huge castle, beautiful yet terrifying. I can't help but be flooded by the memories of when I first saw it.
They had finally let me outside; it was five weeks after I was brought here. I had just gotten out from the library after borrowing a book on spells that I wanted to read in my room and, Sophia, my overseer, had met me at hall leading to the living quarters. "Nice day isn't it?" she asked leading me through a corridor I didn't recognize. "If you say so," I responded with a shrug, "Where are we going?" She continued walking; acting as if she didn't hear me until finally she stopped. "I will come and get you in an hour," she said as she opened the door, "Don't do anything stupid, it's a nice day out, I don't want to have to confine you to your room." I Stepped through the door and was met with silence, a beautiful silence as if a pin fell id hear it. There was a swing not far from where I was standing and I walked to it, relishing in the feel of the sun hitting my skin. At the swing, I just stood for a moment, inhaling the scent of the trees and grass. I missed being outside. I turned and proceeded to sit when I saw it. It had a dominating presence; the castle was daunting yet beautiful. I don't know how long I stood staring at it before I sat. I couldn't take my eyes off it until the silence was broken by laughter, and voices, I had finally realized that I wasn't alone. The lawn were scattered with people talking and children like me playing or reading. I propped my legs up and facing the lake, I let myself relax and began to read as the breeze began to rock against the swing.
….
At the door, Sirius and I were greeted by Cornelius, our superior, "How was your trip?" He asked, leading us to be debriefed. "It was good as you can see we're early, Nelly." Sirius responded cheekily. "Yes, I was wondering about that, I take it that it was Hermione's decision and not yours." Debriefing consisted of three parts, a written, an oral assisted by Veritaserum and Legilimency which took all of forty five minutes, and then we were escorted to the vault to requlinquish the magical object to the head of that department and sign off on the mission.
After exactly one and a half hours, we were headed to our rooms. "Hermione, see you in an hour or two," Sirius said as we got to my door. "Sure," I said as I kissed his cheeks. I unlocked the door and turned on the lights to my room, I was home, well as close to home as I'll ever be.