Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of JK Rowling's wonderful characters and world.
Warnings: Violent scenes related to owls, mild swearing and mentions of death and murder. If you are sensitive, please don't read. This is rated M for a reason, if you aren't sure you should be reading it check the ratings guidelines or alternatively check out the other Iron Girl Ruby. She has written a T rated story called Wizards Soulmate, less dark but just as much interesting.
EMERALD
Of owls and old friends
Hermione had slept rather well all things considered. Once she had gotten back to her hotel she had enjoyed a long shower and then taken a sleeping potion and fallen into a deep dreamless sleep. She had awoken in the middle of the morning refreshed and for a brief moment had forgotten the events of the night before. It wasn't until she was brushing her teeth that the memories of her parents and their deaths hit her. The shocking news that the lawyer representing the healer who had cared for them was dead jolted her. She didn't know what to feel. Was she relieved or pleased? The answer was no. The vengeance of their deaths was hers to act upon not anyone else's and if it were Hermione she wouldn't have killed the lawyer. He was just doing his job and Hermione couldn't justify an innocent life being taken.
Her thoughts were pulled to the memories of her parents and whilst usually she would force herself to think of something else this time she allowed it. The pain of what she had done would spur her into action as it always did. Her mother's face appeared in her mind and then her father's. The memory consumed her.
She had gone home before her journey with Harry and Ron during their final year at Hogwarts. She had set her parents down on the old couch of their cosy living room and had explained to them that she was going away to fight in a war. They had protested, yelled at her and even begged her not to do it but she had no choice. Hermione knew that Harry couldn't defeat Voldemort without her. Her parents didn't understand, they couldn't. Their only child going off to fight in a war involving magics they were still trying to comprehend and there was a good chance she might die.
Hermione had told them how much she loved them and they had said the same and then she had Obliviated their minds and replaced their memories with a false life. Straight after that was done they had asked her who she was and if she was their driver, it had killed her more than anyone would ever understand. She had driven her parents to the airport and watched them leave her forever. But none of that could prepare her for what would happen next.
Hermione had returned from the war and had gone to collect her parents from Australia and bring them back to England and their life together. But when she had gotten to their new home they had seemed so happy and Hermione knew she wouldn't be around a lot when they were back in England as she had to help rebuild the wizarding world. So she had returned to London without them and her friends had supported her. Hermione had gotten a job at the ministry in the International Wizarding Law department and had been doing contract work for the department of Magical Creatures. She had moved into a comfortable flat with Ron and they had even discussed getting engaged.
It was coming up to six months after her visit to her parents and she had decided it was time to restore her parents memories. Everything else in her life was going well but she didn't feel complete without them. So after six months of restoring the wizarding world and sorting out her own life she had gone to get them from Australia. But the reversing spell hadn't worked. In a panic she had rushed them to St. Mungo's. Her friends had tried to help, her then boyfriend had been a rock to her but there was nothing anyone could do. Her parents had ended up in the same ward as Neville's. They had been subjected to various experiments. It had broken Hermione repeatedly. Harry and Ron couldn't stand seeing her like that and Hermione knew it was causing a strain on her relationship with Ron.
So one night with the help of the Weasley twins and Ginny. Hermione, Harry and Ron had gone to St. Mungo's to break her parents out. When they got there they had gotten to the ward where her parents were located and were met by one her oldest friends. Hermione had tried to calmly negotiate her parents release but when that had failed she had begged, yelled, bribed and threatened. She had done everything to get them out and then was told why they couldn't be released. Her parents memories weren't coming back and the healers couldn't find a reason why, they tried everything. Hermione asked if they could be released and sent back to Australia. It would kill her to not have them in her life but at least if they were out there living lives that made them happy it would bring her some comfort. The healer had said no. They wished they could let them go back to their old lives but her parents knew too much about the wizarding world and they couldn't Obliviate them for fear it would damage their brains too greatly.
Hermione had felt so lost. She had just sat in the Healer's office unable to move as her brain racked through every argument she could present to win. Whilst she went through different scenarios Harry had spoken.
"I Understand they can't return to their lives in Australia but can't a wizarding family look after them. Muggles have memory diseases and they look after their family members with it at their homes. It's like Hermione's parents have got Amnesia."
Hermione had let out a whimper at Harry's words. She had been overcome by feelings of gratitude to her friend and felt a new sense of hope. The Healer had nodded his head and had given Hermione a reassuring smile, "We've been treating it as Amnesia, we even brought a Healer in who is trained as a muggle Healer also, a Doctor. He likes to be known by that title also. I'll have a word with him but he should be on board with allowing you to take Graham and Jean to stay with you. There'll be a lot of paperwork and inspections that will be needed to be done but it's nothing I'm sure you won't be able to handle." Hermione had hugged the Healer and then left with Harry and Ron, the sense of hope in her doubling.
The Hermione in the present was now sat on her bed in the hotel crying. It had been so long since she last shed tears but the memories were so vivid and the pain that accompanied them was so real and terrible that she couldn't control her emotions any more. The last part of the memory was the bit that ripped her apart every time. It had been the day after her visit to St. Mungo's when she had received unexpected visitors. The healers had told her that her parents had unexpectedly passed away, they didn't know why. They suspected it was to do with the strength of the memory curse she had used and that the magic had killed them. They thought her magic had killed them! Her world had ended and the Hermione Granger everyone had known died that day.
Hermione shook her head and wiped the tears from her face. I am not throwing myself a pity party. I've wallowed enough. I need to focus and use the pain to accomplish my goals. Hermione stood up and crossed the room to the desk that was against the wall. She took out a quill and some parchment and wrote a note to her partner Yuki.
Yuki,
There's been a change of plans. Trust me when I say I will carry on with my job but I need to stay longer in London for personal reasons. London is not a good place for our business right now, there seems to be a new competitor in town and they're killing the market.
I hope you are well and I'll see you soon.
Missing you as always,
Rin
Hermione checked the note, there was nothing on it that would give her away if the parchment was intercepted. The part about the killing might be a bit risque but Hermione needed to get the point across. It wouldn't be long before the Aurors started looking at known and possible assassins and Hermione didn't need her best friend getting caught.
With that done Hermione got up from the desk and changed into her usual work outfit. The clothing was all black. Tight black trousers that were flexible for when she needed to fight. A long sleeved black jumper with a high neck and knee high black leather boots. The leather was matte and sturdy. She covered herself in a long black cloak that had been charmed to adjust to any temperature so that she never overheated or froze whilst on the job. Hermione plaited her deep brunette curls and cast a spell on her hair to stop it from shedding. She didn't need to leave any evidence.
Hermione placed her wand, the note and some money into the inner pockets of her cloak and apparated out of the room. She arrived in one of the back alleys that led to Diagon Alley. Hermione covered her head with the hood of her cloak and cast a blur charm over her face so it would be hard for anyone to distinguish her under the cloak.
Hermione walked towards the public owlery in Diagon Alley. It was early evening and the alley was emptying as people returned to their homes. The murder from the night before had also affected the amount of people. News had travelled fast and the ministry hadn't been able to keep the press from reporting the news. Hermione had read a copy of the Daily Prophet on her way back from Smoke and Mirrors. There had been nothing about her in the paper so Hermione wasn't worried about press exposure.
Entering the owlery Hermione searched for the owner. The store was empty except for the hundreds of owls perched around the room. The inside of the owlery spiraled upwards to a round hole in the roof where many owls swept in and out, some were carrying their trophies from their night time hunting. Hermione went to the nearest perch where her eye was drawn to a small barn owl. The owl was beautiful but average enough to be inconspicuous for Hermione's task. Hermione attached the letter to the owl's leg. The owl bit her hand and nodded it's head in the direction behind Hermione's head. Hermione glanced over her shoulder and saw a sign displayed. The sign read Pay or the owl will stay. Hermione muttered darkly under her breath and went in search of the owner. She could hear voices in the back room and approached. Hermione thought she heard a familiar voice. Glancing into the room Hermione's breath caught. Stood on the far side of the room with an unreadable expression was her best friend.
Ex best friend, Hermione thought. For she hadn't spoken to Harry in nearly five years. He looked the same except he seemed to have aged. His hair was as unkempt as it always had been and as he moved his weight from one foot to the other his long dark cloak swayed revealing his frail frame. Something's bothering him, Hermione thought.
"I don't understand why you're being so difficult Cecil, I have the warrant to obtain Goyle's mail and for the addresses he sends post to the most. This is official Auror business and if you don't do as I ask I'm gonna have to arrest you."
Although his tone was firm Harry looked drained. He's working Goyle's murder. Of course he is! I bet he's working Bartholomew's too. Hermione frowned as she thought this. She really didn't need her old friend getting involved in this mess. Hermione was better suited to dealing with it.
Cecil, the owner of the Owlery, nodded his head and turned around so his back was to Harry and he was facing Hermione's way. Cecil was a short stumpy man with a slightly hunched back. His hair was a thinning white and there was bald patch on the back that shined with sweat as he nervously fumbled in his robes. Hermione watched with slight surprise as the little man removed his wand and pointed it in her direction. Hermione's ducked out of the way but realised a moment later that he wasn't pointing it at her. He had aimed his wand at the owls.
Harry cried out in confusion and anger and then suddenly the quiet room was full of the noise of thousands of wings fluttering at once and the owls descended on Harry and Hermione. They swooped with a force that surprised Hermione and struck her and Harry like bullets. Hermione cast a shield charm around herself and got up off the floor to look back in at the back room. Harry was trapped behind his own shield charm. Unable to cast anything else whilst that was in place and glaring at Cecil. Cecil made to leave and Harry broke the shield around him to cast a stunning spell at Cecil. The spell hit Cecil and his body heavily dropped to the floor. The victory was short lived as Harry was suddenly attacked by owls. Years of having to save her friend seemed to cause the reflex of what next happened.
Hermione dropped her own shield charm and started casting repelling spells at the owls surrounding Harry. She made it over to Harry, her cloak getting caught on an owls talon and cast another shield charm around them both. Hermione looked at Harry and saw his face staring at her in astonishment.
"Shit," she almost whispered the word, the hood of her cloak had been knocked off and her blur charm was on the hood not on her, leaving her real face exposed. Harry had a look of wonder on his face as he stared at hers. He stepped towards her and uttered the one word she had dreaded hearing more than any other on her return.
"Hermione?"
Author's note:
First of all I would like to apologise for the delay. I know it's been almost a month since I last updated. I've been swamped with uni work and just life in general. I want to say thank you all so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy this chapter. If you did let me know in the reviews. :)
Secondly I want to give a shout out to my reviewers of the previous chapters, your reviews make me very happy and they keep me motivated when I get behind on my writing. :)
JuliSt: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like it :)
Mckensie Shea: I'm happy that you're looking forward to more and despite the delay more will be coming soon! Sirius will make the connection in a few chapters or so but I have a plan that some other key characters might figure it out first haha! :)
iwasbotwp: Thank you for your review I find your theory fascinating! In regards to smell I honestly think Hermione's would be slightly different due to her change in diet and environment but that also means that the longer she's back in London the more her original scent will come back. Sirius's dog traits will come into the story at a later point, just not yet :)
