Chapter 8
Serahn's Checkmate
August 2004
Serahn moved down the final flight of stairs leading to a dungeon style basement. Down a long black corridor stood two large golden doors with a giant circular combination lock in its center. The hallway was made of polished black marble, with torches lining either side of the corridor at even intervals.
As Serahn approached the golden doors, he extended his wand and tapped the lock. It spun to the left and right with several clicks before stopping on the number thirteen. Serahn motioned with his free hand simultaneously moving a hand crank on the doors to release the final latch with a loud metallic thud.
He entered the circular room, wearing a solid black shirt and slacks. Its floors were refined silver marble with black cylindrical columns on either side. Passing each column he could see several people standing between them. Some were Muggles and some were wizards; all obeyed his command; their loyalty proven.
Serahn approached the end of the room, where on a slight platform stood Edmond and another man next to a veil of black velvet. Edmond was still locked into the Imperius Curse, the other man was not. There was no reason to be; he was loyal to their cause without trickery.
Serahn motioned to Edmond with his hand and in response his driver released the velvet, exposing a gigantic gold frame as the fabric slid to the floor. Serahn took a knee and all the other men bowed to the blank canvas.
"What is thy bidding, my mistress?" Serahn said, his forehead nearly touching the floor.
At once the portrait frame made a noise and a voice could be heard of in the distance, following by a familiar cackle. "Shut up, you Muggle loving bitch!" was heard as Bellatrix Lestrange appeared in the portrait taking a seat in its center. She looked around at all the men standing before her and started in with her sick sexual laugh of delight.
"Rise you filthy Muggles. Rise Serahn!" Serahn stood and made eye contact with his mistress; his head slightly bowed. "What is your report, piss blood?"
"Everything is in order; we await only your command," he said, answering on behalf of his minions.
"The Mudblood Granger?"
"A plan is in motion; no magic can stop our attack. I await merely the order, my lady." The man next to Edmond spoke confidently as he stepped forward to address the frame. "Intelligence changes too quickly for a timeline, I'll let you know when the opportunity presents itself." With a half bow, the wizard returned to his post. Bellatrix watched him turn before looking back to Serahn.
"The Weasley Bitch Child?" Bellatrix asked without even commenting on the previous item in her list.
"An easy target; completely exposed." Another wizard spoke, responding to her inquiries about his target. "Her fiancé is too pre-occupied with his own profession. I doubt there is any suspicion we are tracking her. We can hit her anywhere, but I suggest away from the Quidditch pitch as there are so many witnesses to deal with."
"The Lovegood wretch?"
"Completely vulnerable as well, her skills no stronger than your last meeting."
"Potter?"
"An Auror now," Serahn answered for this target, "So a formidable challenge, as is the youngest Weasley boy. The best two we have will attempt to assassinate them in their sleep. If a battle happens, it will be evenly matched. Once separated, we will own them."
"Longbottom?"
"Also unprotected."
Bellatrix laughed even louder.
"Longbottom doesn't get the Killing Curse. It's the Cruciatus for him until his mind explodes. Then let him live. I want him brought here so I can watch!"
"Understood, my lady."
"What is the timeline? How long does your stupid doggy ass require to finish my demands?"
"It all starts with Granger. You have but to command. If we are lucky she will be dead in minutes then we can move on to the others. If we are really lucky she will call for the other targets' assistance which will lead them into a slaughter. They will be no match for our skill."
"For the first phase take yourself and the two best into combat. The filthy Mudblood scum bitch will probably be fairly strong now. Run her over like a plague of hatred. If it gets to be too much, you use your Muggle to bring her down slowly and painfully. I want her to suffer! The other animals will gather around their wounded and make themselves easy targets for you."
"You wish me to expose myself, my mistress?" Serahn asked cautiously.
Bellatrix screamed a long string of curses, instructing Serahn she wanted him in command of his troops, therefore in the battle. Serahn swallowed hard, wondering just how long it had been since his hands were dirty.
"Have you done as I have instructed? You doggy, initiate the ambush. Do not set a time. No one knows when or where except you! You tell them, moments before, when to strike. If no one knows, no one can betray."
"It is understood, my lady."
"I want the Weasley Bitch Mother to suffer, and lose everyone she ever loved! Strip this world of her dear seed, as she tore me from my master. Once there is nothing left, then I will show her true pain, and true suffering, ha!" Bellatrix cackled again as she stood up in her frame. "At last my family will regain its honor. Even from my grave, I'm the one who has to do everything. Now, I return to my bitch traitor sister or she will become suspicious. Do not disturb me until you are all covered in all Weasley blood. You understand me, filthy Muggle bitches? Once this first lot is in the ground, well will move on the rest of her children."
Serahn bowed on behalf of everyone. He flicked his wand and launched the black velvet veil over the frame as he could see Bellatrix leaving for her other home. Now all they had to do was wait.
The next few days seemed to fly by for Hermione. More meetings and preparations for the minister's trip meant more and more headache for her. She scrolled through her mind's list of things she still had left to do. One by one, checking off each one mentally as it was completed. She made arrangements with Ginny to look after Crookshanks, her cat. She spoke with her parents by phone, wishing her mother a happy birthday and apologizing in advance for missing it next week. She talked with Molly Weasley a few more times about things, not all of which pertained to Ron. All that remained was one final item on her list before she would dissapparate to London Heathrow Airport.
She was standing outside Number twelve, Grimmald Place holding her breath. It was a long tradition of the executive members of Dumbledore's Army not to keep everyone out of the loop if one member was onto something. Regardless of how foolish. She knew Harry and Ron kept each other apprised of their separate actions, minding, of course, levels of classification. This had been Ginny's idea several years ago. To prevent a repeat of what could have happened when she and Hermione found Rodavanovic. Had they both been killed or injured, no one would have known where to look.
Traditionally, Hermione confided in Ginny her more classified assignments. Sometimes she would even inform Neville, just to keep him feeling like he was in the loop since he did not live or work anywhere near them anymore. Neville and Luna were still pretty close, so she was sure the two of them confided in each other. Hermione mentioned a small bit to Ginny, just to keep her happy. In all fairness, Ginny was just three months from her wedding, and honestly had more important things to worry about.
Hermione's briefing needed to be given to Ron. As much as it would rip her innards to shreds, in her heart it felt like the right thing to do. When they were still a couple, Hermione wouldn't dare tell Ron anything. She felt then, and still felt now, that he wasn't mature enough to handle such a responsibility. However, all of her conversations with Ginny and Molly reeked of her needing to give him a chance to prove his quality.
Hermione laughed at that thought. She knew his quality; it was genuine. Why, then, could she not get it past herself to trust him? Her information was hardly anything special, yet she still had conflict in her gut. Half of her was screaming to not trust him; the other half scolding her for listening to the first half. Trust.
Trust was a poor choice of words; she knew he would never betray her. That was not the trust she was thinking about. Perhaps 'responsibility' was better. She questioned Ronald's responsibility in part, and in part she didn't question it. Thus—her conflict.
Nevertheless, she stood outside his home on Grimould Place, trying to find the nerve. After ten minutes, she had all the nerve she was going to get; with three loud raps on the door there was no longer an opportunity to abort.
It seemed to take ages for someone to answer, and to Hermione's relief it was Harry who opened the door with Kreacher right behind him. She smiled a plastic greeting.
"Hello Harry!" she added warmly, "and hello Kreacher." The house-elf bowed but did not speak. He had not been able to find a suitable title for her since dropping Mudblood from her name.
Harry smiled and greeted her with a hug. He motioned for her into the entry way, where he shut the door behind her.
"What's up?" Harry asked.
Hermione took a deep breath and explained she needed to speak with Ron for just a moment. Harry turned and whistled up the staircase shouting for Ron. Within a few heartbeats Hermione could hear his customary heavy footsteps getting louder.
And then there he was. Standing at the top of the stair case; his face broadcasting the exact feeling she had inside her stomach. Ron descended the stairs moving into the entrance way. Harry made an odd face and excused himself from an already awkward moment.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron let out with a crack of unsteadiness. "What's up?"
"Would you take walk with me please?" she asked politely, without looking at him. "I've got a couple of things I want to talk to you about."
Ron's face lit up, "Sure! Let me get my coat."
"It's a warm night Ronald, you won't need it." Hermione regretted speaking immediately, but it was too late. "What I have to say won't take long."
Ron seemed frozen in his tracks for a moment, and she couldn't see his face. He snapped out of whatever he was thinking. They stepped outside onto the front porch and began to walk down the sidewalk. Ron moved himself to Hermione's right side, standing between her and the street. Hermione smiled, she had never noticed him do that before; which normally would mean he hadn't done it before. Now, Hermione wasn't so sure if he hadn't or that she just hadn't noticed.
"So what's up?" he blurted out, breaking the silence of their footsteps.
Hermione took a moment to collect her thoughts and then began speaking softly. "I am headed on a long trip with the minister," she opened. "As it stands now, we should be out and about for three weeks or more."
Ron nodded, but politely did not interrupt her.
"We will be in the states first, then heading off to other locations as the minister visits his troops around the globe."
Hermione paused, perhaps to give him a chance to speak, but he did not. He kept walking beside, her appearing to survey the surroundings around them. 'Always the Auror' she thought. 'Always on guard.' She smiled briefly before catching herself and straightening her expression.
"Some of the places we are going are pretty nasty. I know you don't pay a lot of attention to the Muggles, but there's a lot going on in the world at the moment. There's a strong dislike for westerners, especially where we are going."
"I'm sure you and your teams are quite prepared, Hermione. You wouldn't have it any other way, would you?" Ron laughed.
"Yes, we're prepared. However, if anything should happen—"
"Oh, Hermione! Give yourself some credit, nothing's gonna happen," he belted, chastising her for being negative.
"I know nothing's gonna to happen, but Ginny made us swear we would not keep plans to ourselves anymore. So that's what I am trying to do; tell you what I have planned in case of an emergency. Christ Ron!" Hermione stopped walking and was facing him, rightfully infuriated.
Ron was obviously caught off guard, "Thought you told Ginny this stuff."
"Well, I would like to tell you, if that's okay?"
"Hermione, I apologize. I misunderstood," Ron conceded in a tone more sincere than she could ever remember.
It took a few moments for Hermione to continue. She forced herself to calm down and relax. "For the majority of the minister's security, I'm not involved. In the event of a security breach, I'm to let his commando units escort him to safety."
Ron placed his hands in his pockets and looked at her intently; giving the impression he was paying extremely close attention to the details she provided him.
"In the rare event magic may be involved, I will broadcast a codeword into the Muggle communications unit I carry, that will both activate the rest of my team and bring the Auror's on-call from the ministry." Ron was kind enough not to ask for the word itself causing Hermione to smile.
"If at any time, I feel the minister's capture, injury or death is eminent, I'm to Disapparate with him directly to the plane where…" Hermione paused looking for the right words. "Where a significant military force awaits to evacuate him further."
"Bloody fantastic!" Ron interrupted with an excited look on his face. "That plan's got your name all over it." Hermione smiled a sincere smile for once; he truly did seem excited about the plan.
"That's if we are overseas. If locally, I will Disapparate to an undisclosed location with the minister where a Portkey is waiting. If I use said Portkey, there's an additional charm on it that will send you, Harry and Ginny my Patronus. I tell this to you, and you alone, if send a colored Patronus, it's because of the minister." Ron's face was now aglow with amazement.
"I will Portkey to locations with additional Portkeys, bouncing around until finally I end up at the Burrow, out in the woods by where we used to have picnics. Do you remember, by the tree stump?"
Ron nodded, seemingly unaffected by the mention of one of their past romantic locations.
"Tactically speaking, I think it's the best place for a fight. What I remember of your battlefield control training, if I control the high ground and eliminate the possibility of apparition, then that's about as good as I can get, right?"
Ron nodded.
"No one will be able to track my random Portkey movements, which is why I am telling you where I will end up. If this happens, bring the DA and any Auror you can muster quickly and be ready for a war!" Her voice was almost a whisper but with a grave tone.
"Hermione?" he asked quietly. "Do you think something's up?"
"I honestly don't know, Ronald. I've been over the intelligence more times than I can count, and it just points nowhere. But there is such an air of randomness; it makes me consider an elaborate deception. It's maddening. You know how I am with logic, and although I can't prove there's a threat, I absolutely cannot prove there's not. The intelligence alone made me upgrade our security status two full levels."
"What's your plan if you aren't able to get the Muggle minister out?"
"I have a codeword for magical-ineffectiveness. Once I use that, my team meets up at a predetermined location, where we'll probably all be fired," Hermione added with a laugh.
"I've moved all of my intelligence into my trunk from Hogwart's which is under my bed. It's got a pretty good charm on it Ronald; you'll probably be the only one who can open it." She threw in the last bit as a free compliment; he couldn't hide the way it made him feel. "Please only go in there if you need to as there's personal stuff in there too."
Ron nodded, looking at her with the smile she missed kissing more than anything.
"You'll not like this one bit, but here goes. I've contracted Draco Malfoy, privately, to work for me as a sort of advanced scout."
Ron gasped, and the kissable look on his face vanished being replaced by one of complete horror.
"I ask that you give him a chance, should he seek you out. I am not saying that all is forgotten, or that I trust him, because those would be lies. However, he has taken some significant risks to accomplish the things I have asked of him. He appears to have some good intentions inside him somewhere. The contingency if I am unavailable, is you."
"But Hermione, Draco Malfoy?"
"I know Ron. Just promise me, if he comes looking for me while I am away, you will see him. He doesn't need to tell you anything, nor do you need to ask him anything. Just take what he has and send me a Patronus, or have Harry reach me by phone, and then I will contact you. Do you understand?"
She could tell he hated having to accept her demands.
"That's really it. Do you have any questions?"
"Not really," he shrugged. "You're going away with the minister. If the shit hits the fan, you will meet the Auror's at the Burrow. I am to get every Auror and be ready for a fight, and wait for you to get yet another Order of Merlin."
"Yes, that's it," she laughed, he always could make light of any situation.
Ron asked a few more questions about Draco, and playfully tried to pry more information about any threats the minister might be facing. The conversation went really well, considering she was already late, and needed to leave. At times it even appeared Ron was flirting with her ever so slightly. This made her feel good inside.
She attempted to leave several times, but he kept talking to her. Asking about her trip and more details concerning her escape route. She did her best to keep him from getting upset, but was in no position to compromise any more security than she already had.
Finally, the conversation seemed to reach its end and they said their goodbyes. With one burst of bravery Hermione spoke one last time.
"Ronald?" she asked as he turned to walk away. "When I get back, would you like to have dinner with me? At your convenience of course. I'd be happy to share more details about this trip once it's over. Besides it'd be nice to catch up, I think." Before she realized it, her words were out there and there was no way she could take them back.
Ron stopped dead in his tracks turning around to face her. His lips were pursed and his head bounced slightly front to back as he stared at the sky for what seemed like an eternity.
"Yeah," he whispered. "Think I would."
Hermione blushed as if she was twelve again and looked away. The voice in her head screaming to not dare utter another word. She nodded at him with a smile watching him turn and head back to his home.
Victory! she screamed inside her head.
Still smiling, she looked at her watch and felt the smile ripped from her face. She rolled her eyes, cursing and slipped her hand into her pocket. With a whoosh, a crack and swirling darkness her feet slammed into the pavement. Her eyes focused as she stepped out of a dark room. There in its hanger was the contracted Concorde aircraft, already loading passengers for the minister's trip.
Standing guard at the door to the room she just appeared in was her partner, Jonas. He looked at her as she stepped through the door and handed her, her Muggle suitcase. He didn't say a word to her, he just smiled.
