Author's Notes: This chapter charts the beginning of a journey of learning for both Hermione and Viktor. The next few chapters will prove to be demanding for the two young lovers.
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Viktor came to stand in the doorway until Grand-Mere pulled him into the room and left, closing the door behind her. He walked to the edge of the bed and sat in the chair she had vacated. He reached over and took my hands in his.
"You terrified me when you fainted. I carried you up here and was pushed out of the room by Aunt Mila and Yaya. They put you to bed and have been sitting with you until you woke. Are you alright?"
"I think so, Viktor. I heard what Aunt Mila said, and then there was this sound in my head. It felt like someone was pouring liquid into my mind. Does that sound weird?"
"No, doushenka, you get some sleep. We will stay here for another day and then go to Yaya's."
His eyes still looked worried, but he kissed me and turned off then light. He left the door slightly ajar.
In the morning I felt fine. We spent the day seeing the sights. Viktor took me to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the many other churches in the area. He fed me lunch at an outdoor cafe and took me shopping in the local markets.
We arrived back at the house in the middle of the afternoon. Karkaroff was still there. He had waited until we returned, to say good bye to us. His words to Viktor stayed with me long after he had left.
"We are at a turning point, Viktor. The Dark Lord will rise again regardless of our efforts to thwart him. The next years will prove crucial in the fight against him. I want you to work with Dumbledore. He may not be easy to follow, the man personifies deviousness, but your and Hermione's lives depend on defeating the Dark Lord. I will have to flee when he rises again. I am entrusting you with the care of my wife and daughter. Guard them as well as you guard your betrothed. Give my regards to your parents when they return. Dasvedanya, Hermione Granger, take care of him and yourself. Even though Viktor is not my son, I look on him as a father would. For whatever it is worth, you both have my blessing. I will return to Hogwarts on Sunday."
"We will be back then, also. Dasvedanya."
"Goodbye, Headmaster Karkaroff. Thank you for everything you have done. We will see you then." I was starting to like this tall, fierce-looking man, I knew Viktor cared about him.
After he was gone, we started packing to go to Grand-Mere's home. She had left in the morning to make things ready for us. Aunt Mila and Niko were sitting in the garden when we came downstairs. They poured Viktor a glass of local wine and a glass of water for me. They were interested to hear why I had fainted.
"I really do not know; I heard you say that I was protected by the old gods and then there was this sound..."
Mila and Niko looked at each other then at Viktor before Mila spoke.
"Do you not remember the word you spoke, Hermione? You said paristemi in a strange voice. It is ancient Greek, It means I stand beside."
Viktor said something then that scared me. "For a few seconds, your face was very like a statue I have seen in Athens. It unnerved me. Then you fell and I panicked."
"What statue, Viktor, which statue was it?"
"The small statue of Athena that stood at Delphi, it is in the Greek Ministry for Magic offices. It has been designated as one of the Athena-Nike statues. She represents Victory and Wisdom."
"All of you feel there are other things going on here, don't you? There are things you aren't telling me. Viktor, if this is happening to me, you have to tell me."
Again the three exchanged glances before Viktor spoke. "There is a legend in Sofia about a young girl who is brought here as a bride. It says that she will be blessed by Athena herself. That Athena will guide her and stand beside her in a great battle. And that the goddess will mark her with the gift of tetradrachma. That is what happened last night. You have fulfilled the legend, Hermione. I truly do not know what will happen. I do not want you to be 'blessed' by the old Greek Gods. Their blessings were often more like curses."
"We will have to wait and see. I don't feel any different. Has anyone checked the necklace to see if the coins had changed back?" I refused to believe in Viktor's fears.
"It is still ancient Tetradrachmas. Solid gold coins, Hermione. The age range of the coins is 3rd to 4th century B.C. The necklace is worth a fortune; the coins themselves are worth thousands of pounds sterling each. But Tetradrachmas were only coined in silver. Gold tetradrachmas do not exist. Or at least they didn't, until last night." Niko added.
I could only look at Viktor helplessly. He cupped my face in his hands and whispered to me.
"Doushenka, do not fear. I will be with you. We are betrothed now. You are promised to me. I love you."
"I love you, too, Viktor. This is all so strange. Maybe we should go on to Grand-Mere's house. I don't mean to insult you, Aunt Mila, but this is getting weirder by the minute. Thank you for having us here. The ceremony was lovely. You both have been very kind to me."
"We were honoured to have you here. Viktor is almost family. Please come back again, Hermione dear."
Viktor sent me up to my room to get my things while he talked to Mila and Niko. In a few minutes, he was back. I miniaturised the suitcases and stuck them in my purse. He put his arms around me as we stood in the upper hallway.
"It is a lot to deal with, isn't it, a prophecy and a legend, all in less than a day. I know you have questions, but Yaya and I will answer them as best we can. Just hold on until we get there."
"Viktor, could we go see that statue, on our way back to London? It may be important, I think."
"Of course, love, I had planned on taking you to Athens anyway. We can take the floo to Venice where we will pick up the train to Paris. You have but to ask, Hermione."
He moved his hands to my shoulders and I rested my head on his chest. He caressed my hair and held me close to him.
We walked down the stairs to the library where the fireplace was located. He threw in a handful of green floo powder and said, "Selene Andreas' home."
We arrived in a cosy book-filled room. Viktor brushed the soot and ashes off of both of us before going to find Grand-Mere. He knew instinctively that I wanted to look at the books lining the shelves.
When Viktor was bringing her into the room, she stopped, then she nodded and came forward.
"I thought you would find the strength, Hermione. You have questions, you both do, I know. Put your things away and we will walk down to the beach."
A few minutes later the three of us were making our way down the steps carved into the cliffside.
Viktor and I had changed into shorts and sandals. Grand-Mere wore a gauzy caftan and was barefoot. The cove was rocky. Sharp rocks rose from the water about sixty meters from shore creating a barrier. I looked back up at the cliff and the house was totally hidden from view. The beach itself ran for about a hundred fifty meters before the cliff walls on both sides ran back into the sea. There were chairs and a small table set under a ledge in the cliff.
Grand-Mere spoke softly to the air, "Genea, please bring wine and cheese for my grandson and his bride."
Moments later a young female child appeared with a large basket on her arm.
"Hello, Genea, I am glad you are still here." Viktor greeted the child as an old friend.
She inclined her head as he spoke. Once the wineglasses were filled and the cheese set upon the table, she looked at me.
I suddenly realised this was no child, but a sea sprite. I smiled at her and received a tentative smile in reply.
She vanished as swiftly as she had come.
"Genea is the spirit of this cove, imprisoned here many centuries ago. I cannot release her, but I have made friends with her. She deigns to serve me when I come into her domain. Viktor considered her a playmate when he was a child, some of her magic she taught to him. I am too old to learn, even though I tried. She possesses magic we do not understand. Let us get down to the current situation.
You scared Viktor badly last night, child. You have been blessed by Athena. That alone would be sufficient to scare most modern wizards, but he is made of stronger stuff. He knows you would stand beside your friend while he finds the way to defeat the Dark Lord, but he did not think you would be on the front lines, as it were.
Viktor would rather keep you safely out of the fight, but things do not always go the way we wish. You have the strength and determination. All you need now is the skill to focus your magic. Skill can be taught, but it will take hard work on your part, Hermione. You must overcome your fears first. Viktor will teach you how to achieve the focus you will need. I am afraid he is going to have to teach you much more than that, however. You will have things to teach him, also. He needs to learn the ways of your Muggle world. You need to learn how to be confident. And I can teach you confidence."
"I will begin to teach her the disciplines to focus her magic. We have eight weeks before the final task of the Tournament. I will teach her wandless magic and non-verbal spells. Her confidence will grow with her ability. She is already teaching me about the Muggle world. I promise you, Yaya, we will be ready."
"Viktor, she needs to find the core of her magic. She needs to find it now, within the few days you have here. Once she finds that, her confidence will come easily. We must begin tonight. Have you finished the wine? Good, come with me. Her training begins."
I followed them up the path to the house wondering what exactly she had in mind. Once inside, she led me to a room at the back of the house that was actually part of the hillside. It was dark and cool; there was only a mat on the floor to sit on. There were candles placed in niches in the walls, but no other light. Grand-Mere sat across from me on the mat. Viktor had disappeared.
"This is where you must start. Empty your mind of everything, except your magic. Close your eyes and feel it flowing through you. Let nothing disturb you. Let it free, Hermione. Your magic won't hurt you, let your fears go. You will know when the magic has reached its peak. Relax and open your mind to it."
I sat cross-legged in a yoga position and closed my eyes. I did not hear her leave or Viktor come in to take her place.
The smell of incense or candles began to waft through the room. I reached deep inside me to find the core of my magic. With each breath, I took I mentally opened the doors to my secret places. I could feel the magic coursing in my blood, taste it on my tongue, and feel it spreading warmth over my skin. I sensed a presence in the room with me, not hostile but waiting. I reached out with my magic to touch it. I realised that I could direct my magic to learn about things around me.
I reached out again with my mind and felt warm skin and the late afternoon stubble of Viktor's beard. His magic touched me gently and suddenly, I felt his strength of purpose and intense focus becoming a part of me. This was what she had meant, that I must let it free. I could share what I felt with Viktor through my magic. I felt the most incredible sensations as my skin began to tingle and my scalp tightened. There was a rush of exultant power that ran through me. I saw myself standing in a cavern, in front of a rock altar, with a crown of flowers on my head and a golden ring on my right hand. I looked over and Viktor stood beside me with another crown of flowers on his head and a golden ring on his right hand. He took my hand in his and led me out of the cavern into the bright white light. I knew then, that my magic was totally free and had peaked. I could handle anything now. I was no longer afraid of being a witch.
