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Chapter 4:
Running, Hermione realises, comes easily. Unlike two years ago, she's alone, less prepared and doesn't even have a shred of a plan as to what she's going to do. But none of that matters as she Apparates all across Wizarding Britain to lose any tail she might have. It's the middle of June and the night is warm. She enjoys the caress of the breeze on her face as she looks to the sea, feeling finally free.
When she is certain that no one is following her, she allows herself to Apparate in Dover and transfigures a ferry ticket to Calais on the next boat out of an old handkerchief. The first one departs at seven AM and she finds a small park near the docks where she can wait. She sits on a bench and opens Crookshanks' cage. He seems less than happy by their sudden departure and the dozen leaps of Apparition they've had to make.
"I'm sorry, Crooks." She apologizes. "I know this is hardly ideal but soon, we will be in France. We'll find a small flat in Paris and make it home."
That declaration surprises her even as she hears herself say it. But then, why not? She's fluent in French. There's no magical community in Paris, or if there is, it's probably a handful of witches and wizards. The real French magical centre is in Montpellier and Hermione has no intention of going there. She isn't quite sure what the Ministry will do when they've realized she's gone but she's certain a missing person report will soon be released to the authorities, the press and the British magical embassies across the magical world. She'll have to live as a Muggle for quite some time and wait for the noise to die down. She takes out her wand to perform one last spell on herself before exiting the park:
"Patronum Invisibilis"
That spell is one of the first she created as Ron, Harry and herself were preparing to go on the run during their last summer at the Burrow. She had created it to prevent any patronus to reach them, just in case someone might want to lure them into a trap or even attempt to track their patronus to their location. She had cancelled the spell when Ron had left, which in turn had permitted Harry and Ron to find the sword of Gryffindor. She shuddered at the thought, the voice of Bellatrix asking her over and over again where she got the sword. She rubbed her forearm absently. Her familiar, feeling her distress, nudges his head against her chin, distracting her from darker days.
She smiles a little. "At least you're me with me this time around, Crooks." She strokes him a few more minutes before putting him back in his cage, much to his discontentment. "Sorry, my friend. I can't attract to much attention while traveling and you're definitely a strange sight to behold for muggles. You'll have to stay in there until we're in Paris."
Two hours later, she steps off the ferry in Calais and transfigures her handkerchief one more time into a train ticket to Paris. The ride to the French capital is uneventful. She takes the metro at Gare du Nord towards Montmartre, in the Abbesses quarter. She checks herself into the first affordable hotel she finds. She wards her room as soon as she's inside, then free and feeds Crookshanks before promptly falling asleep on the bed.
XXXX
There is something wet on her forehead. Something wet and… rough? She opens her eyes to find Crooks licking her face.
"Alright, alright, I'm up." She glances at the alarm clock beside her. 6.30pm. Not too late then. Her stomach grumbles. Right. She hasn't eaten anything in almost twenty-four hours. Time to go out and buy some food and water.
The Abbesses quarter is livelier than when she arrived earlier. It's Friday night and people are out and about in the streets and in cafés, enjoying one of the longest days of the year. She finds the French equivalent of a Tesco down the street and buys some food for tonight and tomorrow morning with a transfigured credit card. She feels a bit guilty for using magic in such a way but she hardly had any time to go to Gringotts before leaving. Not that she had a lot of money in her vault to begin with. She needs to find a job and and a flat quickly and create herself a new identity.
She's back to her room half an hour later, with shopping bags and a stack of newspapers. She browses the jobs sections and real estate ones as she eats a pasta salad on the bed. Nothing in there looks really appealing. But she'll have to earn a living one way or another if she wants to live somewhere else than in a hotel. Well, she'll have to go out tomorrow and start looking around. She falls asleep around midnight, wondering for the last time that day what is happening on the other side of the Channel.
XXXX
Earlier that day, on the other side of the Channel:
"She can't have disappeared just like that!" Sirius' voice booms all across the DMLE. Three aurors leave his office looking properly chastised.
Remus and Harry share a look. Remus tries to calm his friend: "Sirius, it's not their fault. Hermione's an expert at disappearing. You can hardly blame them if they can't find her."
Sirius is fuming: "I can and I will!". He stares at Remus, an odd expression on his face: "You seem strangely calm. How are you not completely frantic that Hermione's nowhere to be found?"
Remus is about to answer but Harry beats him to it before he can say anything: "Because he knows Hermione. As do I. She's nothing if not prudent. And thorough. What's bugging me is that you don't seem surprised that she's gone."
The werewolf shrugs: "I could say the same to you, Harry. Look, we all know that Hermione is nothing if not capable. She was in trouble, she weighted her options and decided that running was her best shot. All we can do is hope she's safe and somewhere secure where they won't find her. Because if they do, this is going to get far messier than this situation already is."
"They won't find her" says Ron as he enters the room. He's in his auror robes, looking exhausted and in need of a shower. He slumps on the chair in front of Sirius' desk.
"She's too good." Ron continues. "We lost trace of her apparitions somewhere in Wales. Before that we found some residual magic in the Highlands, the Midlands and even the Isle of Wight. It's hopeless. And she's muggleborn. It's not like she doesn't know other ways to travel."
"That's right." Harry agrees. "And she's performed the Patronum Invisibilis. We've got no way to contact her. She's gone off the magical grid."
Kingsley enters: "Then it's settled. Hermione Granger will be reported missing tomorrow morning. We'll send out some pictures of her to our embassies overseas as well, but that's all we can do for the moment."
Sirius looks beside himself: "So that's it. The woman who almost became Minister for Magic at twenty-one disappears overnight and we're only sending out pictures? I can't believe this!"
Sirius storms out of his office, completely dejected.
"I'll talk to him." Remus says. "Oh and congratulations on winning the elections, Minister Shacklebolt."
Kingsley groans as Remus exits the office as well. Could this day become any stranger?
XXXX
Remus finds Sirius at the Leaky Cauldron, ordering a second shot of Firewhisky. He sits on the stool beside him, waiting for Sirius to speak.
"You know something, don't you?"
Remus shakes his head. "I really don't."
"Then I definitely don't understand you."
Remus chuckles. "Yes, well, I think we've agreed on that during third year, when you found out I had taken Ancient Runes as an elective instead of Care for Magical Creatures."
Sirius laughs a little at that. "How could you want to spend two hours cooped inside when you could be outside and send mud balls at Professor Gibbons?"
"Virginia Oswald." Remus answers.
"What?"
"Virginia Oswald, that's why. She was a seventh year Ravenclaw doing her end of school project with Professor Combwell. I heard her talking to her friends at the end of second year that she was going to ask Combwell to do her project with her and assist her in class. I was completely smitten with her."
Sirius explodes in laughter at that: "Moony, my friend, you little deviant. Why didn't you say?"
Remus shrugs. "Embarrassment, I guess. I wasn't exactly the most self-assured thirteen-year old. And you were Sirius Black, all the girls were following you around."
Sirius pats him on the back. "Yes, well, look at us now. You got married, to a woman thirteen years your cadet, and had a kid with her. Now, she's gone, and I'm still a tosser who can't hang on to a bird more than a month. It's not like any of us could have predicted that."
Remus gestures at old Tom to get a shot of Firewhisky as well. "I miss her." He says.
Dora's death was still a sore subject for Remus, but things had gotten better, in the space of a year. He could talk a little about her without wanting to break everything in his reach. He could look at pictures of her and smile without shame overwhelming him. He could take Teddy in his arms and softly talk to him about his brave, incredible mother and not cry every time his son smiled toothlessly at him, his hair changing into one outrageous colour after another. He missed her. He mourned her. But he was finally trying to move on. Sirius puts his arm around his shoulders "I know, mate, I know. We all miss her. Which is why I don't understand how you're so relaxed about Hermione taking off like that. You're friends, aren't you?"
Remus drinks his shot and nod. "We are. Look, when we were at her place before Ron performed the Locking charm, I told her we needed a contingency plan, in case she needed to escape. I think... I think that's why she left so abruptly. I think I spooked her."
"Why didn't you tell me before? We could have helped her together!" Sirius' outburst makes him drop his glass on the floor. It breaks and he can hear old Tom grumbling not making a mess in his establishment.
Remus sighs. "You think I don't know that? I've been cursing myself all day for my stupidity. But what's done is done. And anyway, Hermione's not far."
"What, how do you know?" Sirius asks.
"Simple logic I guess. Hermione may have to hide, but she won't want to go too far. She needs to keep an ear to the ground while she waits for her parents to come back. I don't know if she's still in Britain but I'll bet she's still in Europe. I say we wait and see how things evolve."
Sirius groans at that. "I hate waiting."
Remus puts his hand on his friend's shoulder: "Look, I know it's difficult for you. Hermione is the one who helped you escape the Ministry when you were falsely accused of… of killing James and Lily and all those muggles. And now she's in trouble herself and you feel like you owe it to her to help her out of this situation."
"Damn right I do! I wouldn't be here without her. She saved my life. Twice! Life debts are not something I take lightly."
Remus nods. "And you shouldn't. But going after her right now, when people are probably waiting for one of us to give up Hermione's location, is not a good idea. We'll try and find her when things have died down."
Sirius sighs. "And how long will that take?"
"Sweet Morgana. Not too long I hope." Remus replies, ordering another round of Firewhisky shots.
XXXX
The next morning, the Daily Prophet and other new outlets are made aware of Hermione Granger's disappearance. She makes the headlines for several weeks, then on anniversary dates like the third and sixth month. A year later, a small article appears in the Daily Prophet but there's no mention of Hermione Granger on the front page. Her disappearance remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, a week after the one-year anniversary of Hermione's disappearance, a man steps out of the Arrival Hall at the International Portkey Services in Montpellier. He goes straight to the national departures desk:
"Excuse me, I'd like to buy one ticket for the next Portkey to Paris, please."
To be continued
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