Inspiration for this chapter and the next one - Battle cry by Imagine Dragons & Skyfall by Adele.
Great songs both of them, you should listen to them.
Sam rocked back and forth on his feet while he waited for something to happen. He got the feeling that the girls would somehow just arrive in the armchair, and just how was that supposed to happen? Sam was brought out of his thoughts when the sound of a body hitting the floor was heard behind him. Turning around quickly he spotted a red headed female sitting down in the chair and another person sprawled out on the floor in front of it.
The girl on the chair started to laugh. "Why are you on the floor? You act like it was a long trip or something!"
Hermione moaned and pulled her knees up to her chest. "Oh be quiet Ginny! Give me a moment for my magic to settle before you start teasing me."
Bobby walked over and gently helped Ginny out of her chair, giving her back an awkward pat and almost smiling down at her when she threw her arms around his waist.
"Mr. Singer! I would say it's nice to see you again but I wish it wasn't like this."
"Ginny, this is Dean and Sam Winchester. Boys, this is Ginny Wea.."
"Actually it's Ginny Potter now." Hermione spoke up from where she was now sitting on the floor.
"And this boys is my Peanut. Peanut, the boys."
The introductions went about as well as everyone thought it would. Hermione was on her guard around the hunters and the same could be said for Dean. On the other hand Sam had many questions which Ginny took to answering while the other witch stood near a window staring out of it with her uncle quietly at her side. Dean just sat in a chair where he could see them all and watched everyone.
Abruptly Hermione interrupted Sam and Ginny's talk. "Right then, if you gentlemen will listen up I'm going to give you a very fast run down of the spell's you absolutely have to avoid. I'll say the spell out loud and Ginny will flash the color with her wand, pay attention to both."
The witches started with stupefy, reducto, crucio and a few others before lastly showing them avada kedavra. They all went over them a few times to make sure they got them before Hermione called it quits so she could meditate and relax before what she knew was coming.
An hour later as most of them had a late lunch, Hermione's phone rang which Ginny answered for her.
"Hello, Granger's phone."
"I need to speak with her, put her on."
"She's busy. Who is this and what do you want?"
"I have what she's looking for."
Ginny shrugged and put the phone on the table. "Speak, I put you on speaker. She's busy but can hear you."
"Granger, have you read over subsection 17 part C? The part about the making it so you can pick your own bonded?"
Hermione glanced up quickly when she heard the unknown males voice. It took her a few seconds to place the voice with a face but when she did, she walked closer to the table and looked through the papers scattered all around. After a minute she found what she wanted.
"Yes. It says that the muggle-born witch or wizard can participate in a war duel against the person who submitted the law and if they win, they win the right to pick their own bonded. But it's been very tight-lipped about who put it fourth."
"It has been. But I listen very well."
Hermione grunted and her body grew tense. "And the cost for that information?"
"How about you owe me one?"
"Not bloody likely. Terms upfront."
"Very well then. I'll tell you who and I'll be your second if you offer me a place in your house. Not as your husband, but I want protection."
"No deal. One million and I get you safe passage out of Britain."
"Three and a safe house."
"Two and new papers."
"Agreed."
"Deal. Now who?"
"Lord Malfoy."
Ginny gasped and Hermione gritted her teeth. "Of course. Really I should have known when they all managed to escape being sent to prison."
"Money can buy anything sweetheart, I would have thought that you'd know that by now."
"I suppose since you know that, you also know where I am and you know when they will get here, correct?"
"I do. And I'll give you that for free. You have about ten minutes, starting now."
"Oh and Zabini? I don't need a fucking second."
Hermione hung up with an angry sound and grabbed her bag, tossing off her cloak as she did so. She put her hand over the top of her bag and summoned item after item out of it.
"Ginny, count down eight minutes for me." Hermione barked out as she dumped a pile of stuff on the table in front of the men.
Sam glanced down and asked what they could do to help, while Dean asked who they would be ganking.
Hermione looked at them and gave a brief but true smile. "I appreciate it, but there isn't anything for neither of you to do." Both boys were offended that she thought they couldn't do anything. She didn't have the time to explain that it wasn't that, it was more of keeping them safe.
"Peanut, what happens in a war duel?" Her uncle asked.
Hermione and Ginny both looked at each other, then avoided his gaze as he waited for an answer, neither wanted to tell him. She gave him the text book answer without telling him what she knew he wanted. "It's a common type of duel that witches and wizard participate in during times of war." As she answered she stripped down to a tank top and her pants.
"Ginny, help me with my gear?"
Ginny didn't reply but walked over to her and did as she asked. Hermione jokingly rolled her eyes as Sam looked at each item with a burning curiosity.
"In a wizard's duel, nine times out of ten one of the terms will be magical means only. This means they will only allow wands, battle potions, magical silver daggers and swords. Anything else is a forfeit. These are wand holsters, spelled so that once on me, only I am able to get the items out." She pointed as her and Ginny strapped wand holsters on her forearms and thighs. Next she put on a thin looking belt that had a few different compartments and straps hanging from it. "This is a potions belt, it's just what it sounds like, it holds potions. While the straps are for daggers and if I choose, a sword."
"Hermione, three minutes."
Hermione nodded and quickly put her cloak back on and then a pair of boots instead of the trainers she had on.
"Two minutes. What's your core level after our apparition?"
She closed her eyes as she concentrated. "I'm at about seventy percent, more than enough."
Hermione steeled herself for what she was about to do. No doubt they would never forgive her. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Ginny asked.
Hermione shot out a quick immobulus at the four of them, freezing them where they stood. She pleaded with her eyes for Ginny to understand and beyond the anger and hurt, she could see that the other witch did. "It will wear off in three minutes."
On her way out of the room she had to pass by her uncle who was glaring at her with so much betrayal that her eyes watered and her voice cracked as she spoke. "I can't let anything happen to you, I'm sorry." She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you." Only then did his glare soften and he looked at her with love and pride shining out.
Her eyes roamed over the brothers and she was slightly surprised to see understanding in Dean's eyes. Without another word she left to go out to the front porch, stopping on it for a minute before going to stand in front to wait.
Inside the house the minutes passed slowly. As soon as they could move freely they all ran to the front door. Only to find that they couldn't leave the front porch.
"Son of a bitch! What is this?!" Dean yelled.
Ginny conjured up a small couch and took a seat. "She warded us in, we can't get out and no one can get in."
Dean turned around furiously. "So you're a witch! Get us out of here so we can help her!" He understand that she wanted to keep her uncle safe, but he was sure that he could help. Sitting back and watching just wasn't in him.
"No can do. If I know Hermione, and I do, then she warded it with her blood. I can't break that." Ginny calmly stated.
"What the hell?" Sam hollered.
Everyone else looked as black streaks could be seen in the air coming closer every second. As one all the men looked to Ginny.
"That's a way of travel for us."
They waited, tense and nervous as the many streaks touched the ground and became people, dozens and dozens of people.
One of the cloaked figures stepped closer to Hermione, who had still not moved from her stance not far from them.
"Hermione Granger, you are hear by ordered to"
The witch in question quite rudely cut the speaker off. "I refuse," she firmly declared, "As stated as my right in subsection 17 part C I wish to formally issue a war duel to Lord Malfoy."
At her words whispers broke out, getting louder and louder every second that passed. Then the closed ranks of those gathered parted as a lone figure came forward, almost floating on the air with his graceful glides.
"Really Miss Granger, are you positive this is what you want?" Lucius Malfoy drawled, looking totally relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world. The only signs that said otherwise was the tightening of his hand on his cane and the narrowing of his eyes.
"Very. And I'd rather do this now and not later, so terms if you please?"
He didn't answer her as he walked closer to her, slowly walking around her in a tight circle that made those near the house watching worry for her.
"Very well. First term - magical means only."
Hermione mentally nodded to herself, so far this was going just how she thought it would. "Agreed. First term - Win or lose, both sides agree on their families magic that no further retaliation will be taken against the other, their friends and their families by the winner, their family, friends or anyone else. This includes but is not limited to, laws, monetary payments, betrothal contracts and slander. This ends here."
Back behind the wards Ginny sucked in a breath. "Oh she's good."
"What does it mean to swear on family magic?" Sam inquired.
"If a person swears on their families magic and goes against it, the family line will all lose their magic. There's no way to get it back. She made it so that if she wins, his house will protect her in a way, they will watch out and make sure no one else will retaliate against her." Ginny informed him.
Sam agreed with her, Hermione was very,very good.
It was a strained few moments while her first term was thought about, leaving Hermione to wonder if she went too big too soon.
"Agreed. Second term - We use two spells only, we can each pick one. I will consent to no unforgivables. If you agree, state your spell." Lucius smirked at her, looking like he knew something she didn't.
This made Hermione's head spin. What was he thinking? Only two spells but neither of them an unforgivable? He had to feel confident that he would win with whatever spell he was going to name. Now the only question was did she want a defensive spell or an offensive one?
Dean spoke to Ginny without taking his eyes off of what was happening. "Is that normal?"
"No it's not. He's a sneaky bastard, he's trying to back her into a corner to where she can't win. He's older than her and most likely knows more spells but Hermione is known for her control in spell casting, there hasn't been a spell invented that she hasn't been able to do perfectly."
Hermione finally made up her mind. She thought of using a shield but she had to fight to win, not to just defend. "Agreed. Bombarda Maxima."
Lucius gave a predatory grin to her, a grin that made her sweat slightly. "Agreed. Fiendfyre." He almost sang out the word.
Oh yes. Ginny was right, he was trying to trap her.
Ginny shot up and pounded against the wards with both fists. "NO!" She shouted out but Hermione didn't even turn in her direction. "HERMIONE DON'T!"
Bobby carefully pulled the screaming witch back, letting her fists hit his arms as she tried to get back to the ward and out to her friend. "Let me go! Let me out!"
"Careful Ginny, calm down. We can't get out remember sweetheart? Hush now, easy now, let's sit back down."
Bobby settled the hysterical down and sat next to her, rubbing her back gently to try to get her calm. He looked up to the boys and caught their eyes, he could tell they all had the same thought. The spell that man picked must have been bad for her to react like this.
"Ginny can you tell us what those spells are?"
Even knowing she would agree, Ginny wished that Hermione wouldn't.
"Her spell causes really big explosions. She could have gone with a shield but she's fighting to win here, everything is on the line so she made the right choice." She stopped to suck in a deep lung full of air. "But his spell, his spell is horrid. It's a spell that creates a magical fire, tinted with dark magic. It's incredibly powerful and most can't control it or even cast it properly, hardly anyone can. It's also called the cursed fire because it destroys anything in its path if not controlled, including the caster."
Dean's eyes opened wide and his mouth was hanging open in shock, he wasn't able to form any words. This magic shit was crazy.
Sam was worried, none of this was right, none of it was fair. He didn't know he said that out loud until Ginny answered him in a subdued voice.
"The wizarding world hasn't ever been very fair to muggle-borns." Silence met her words as no one else knew what to say.
Everyone, inside the ward and out, waited and wondered if she was going to agree or not.