Ron examined the map once again. He was directly above it, the dot that marked where Lavender Brown was holding both his wife and daughter. His heart was beating fast, very fast and he was unsure of whether it could bear such a beating.
He flicked his wand and put a sensory charm looking for a scent resembling that of the man lying outside on the road now unable to move. At last he found it.
He followed the golden trail across the great hall and down to several corridors. He followed the line to…the women's toilets. Ron sighed in annoyance. He knew he would have to follow on and enter the forbidden territory of the female gender but first he'd have to wait.
He stood and leaned his tired back against the wall. He was waiting, waiting for the "real" Harry Potter to arrive and help him save his family.
Ron stood still, as still as he could be but for his hands which twitched in anticipation and irritation. He was still covered in blood—his own. His mind however could not feel the pain he was sure was present. No, his mind was elsewhere. He wiped off a sickle of sweat from his brow.
-MIST-
'I thought I said to wait by the paralysed body?' Ron's head jerked up and focused onto a man standing just a few inches shy of his own height. With jet black hair, green eyes behind glasses and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The man extended his hand to him.
'You know me and waiting, Harry.' He moved in to shake the hand of his oldest friend and brother when he stopped. 'You are the real Harry Potter, right?'
Harry nodded with a smile.
'But just to be certain. What is your favourite Quidditch Team?'
Harry sighed. 'Usually it's the Holyhead Harpies or basically any team my wife plays in.'
Ron let out a breath of relief. Oh thank God, he muttered. 'Always good to see you, Harry Potter,' Ron shook Harry's hand gladly and they both faced the door to the ladies Lavatory.
'So, you want to go first?'
'Nice try, Boy-Who-Lived. We'll both go in slowly. If you don't want to go in first then I'll lead but I better see you on my arse when I go in.' Ron took out his wand again and then made for the door. He made sure that there was no one watching. Harry charmed some of the cameras not to detect them ever being there. 'Let's break an age long gender rule.'
'Well, we're all for rule breaking aren't we, Ron.' Harry jested, reminiscing about their times at Hogwarts.
Ron drew a deep breath in. Now or never, then he slowly pushed the door forward and entered. His wand pointed ahead. The toilets were empty, and silent. After entering he looked over his shoulders to make sure Harry was behind. Thankfully the Boy-Who-Lived-Died-And-Lived-Again just stepped through the portal.
'We're in the place that Men have pondered of since the dawn of time, Harry.'
Harry chuckled lightly. 'Nice job, David Attenborough.'
Ron examined the white tiled walls. They were spotless. Maybe because it was the toilets in a rather luxurious palace or maybe it was a woman's habit to keep clean?
'Well, where is it? How do we get into this Werewolf compound?' Harry asked, rubbing the rough stubble on his chin.
Ron entered one of the cubicles. Maybe it worked like they did at the Ministry of Magic? They'd have to flush themselves—no, that can't be. The Ministry would have detected irregularities in Portkey links. Ron stared at the back wall for some time. The white tiles were reflecting the light above and that was when he saw it. There was a small circle above the tank of the toilet, a circle with smaller circles inside.
'A moon,' Ron whispered to himself, 'Of course.' Though most werewolves hate and fear the sight of a full moon—like Remus Lupin did as their teacher in Hogwarts—these extremists felt pride and power in the moon's power to transform them or any creature for that matter. Ron also observed the floor where he saw some remnants of wet mud. It could have come from someone recent or perhaps it's wet due to the moisture? He saw some more of the mud closer to the back wall. It seemed to disappear against the tile wall as if it were incomplete. 'Harry, I've found it!'
Once Harry joined him in the tight cubicle, Ron pointed at the symbol.
'Voice activated, or a button?'
'Chamber of Secrets?'
Ron thought some more. He shook his head slightly, 'Nah, I don't think so.' After some more thought Ron took out a vial filled with some sort of red liquid.
'Is that blood?'
Ron opened the cork top and tipped some of the blood on his forearm. 'It's werewolf blood from that guy outside.'
Harry cringed but nodded and watched on as Ron then took a few steps forward and to their amazement, Ron was able to walk right through the toilet and the back wall passed right through.
Harry stood there in bewilderment. Then out of the wall, the vial flew at him and right into his hands. He opened the vial and poured a bit of the blood onto his arms as Ron did, and jumped through the wall.
Harry felt the exhilaration flow past him like a non-existent splash of cold water and then he found himself in a dark tunnel of black bricks. 'What was that, an illusion charm?'
'It didn't feel like any magic I've ever felt before,' stated Ron. 'Are they inventing new spells and charms? We didn't disparate or go anywhere.'
'It isn't a portkey?'
Ron shook his head as he examined their point of entry. 'It's a barrier charm like the one to Platform nine and three quarters only it doesn't teleport you to places. My guess is that they built this tunnel first, then they covered it up into a cubicle. It's deactivated only by any trace of werewolf DNA.' To this Harry looked at the vial of blood in his hand. 'Hair, fur, teeth, saliva or blood.'
'So we're behind a toilet?' Harry inquired again.
Ron took some time but answered, 'No, I think we're under it. What I think it did was shift us down.' Then Ron thought for a while. Something didn't add up. 'This sort of enchantment isn't on the grid. That means that its built in. it was not performed but mixed into the cement and bricks.'
Harry nodded. 'It would have had to have been done during construction.'
'But that's impossible. The Liverpool Town Hall was built in the early fourteenth century. Way before Lavender.'
'Perhaps it was built during restorations in nineteen ninety three?' Ron shrugged at Harry's suggestion for as much as it was plausible something felt that it wasn't the right answer.
Harry and Ron then performed Lumos and the tips of their wands began to glow. There was only one way for them to go, forward. Ron was in the lead, his wand out to shed light as he directed its gaze from side to side, taking in every detail of the mucky walls. They continued down the tunnel where it turned left and right before straight once more. There was a foul stench about. Harry guessed that it was sewerage seeing as they were behind a toilet. 'What is this place?'
Ron shrugged, 'Hopefully it's Lav's hideout,' they continued down the tunnel until they got to a curve where Ron peered around and to his amazement he saw an entire chamber as big as the Chamber of Secrets. 'Or it's an underground city.'
Ron put his wand away and suggested his partner do the same. He then rounded the corner, followed by Harry closely behind. They came face to face with a hundred werewolves walking around like it was a market pace, there were stalls and buildings replicated like a muggle street. It was all contained within a stone circular chamber as big as a soccer stadium. Hanging on a ceiling far above their heads was a bright bluish orb like the moon. There were werewolves that had just stopped what they were doing in favour of the full attention of their new guests.
The half man half wolves all but stared at them with a mixture of anger mixed with curiosity and fear. Then the entire room erupted in commotion and yelling.
'What are these humans doing here?!' a shout from among them. They began to move forward and some even tried to lunge themselves at the Aurors but were pushed by others attempting the same.
Ron and Harry reached for their wands but then came another shout, a yell from the very end of the chamber. But it was not directed at them, it was to the werewolves. They moved aside as they looked behind, toward the voice.
It was an elderly werewolf, barely able to stand if not for the staff he leaned on. He wore a grey robe with a hint of chalk dust on his right shoulder which reminded him of Dumbledore in a way. Still Ron and Harry stood by with their wands in hand though Ron seemed to relax a bit and made to replace the wand in his pocket. As the old wolf made his way the other wolves kneeled to him.
'What business says you to have come all the way to our secret world?' asked the elder wolf.
Ron's first reaction was to bow slightly in courtesy to him. The wolf in turn slightly bowed his head. 'My name is Ron Weasley,' he said and then gestured to Harry, 'and this is Harry Potter.' To this the mass of werewolves started to mutter and whisper. Ron had anticipated this reaction and smiled. Perhaps these werewolves were not bad ones.
'Mr Potter, what an honour,' said the elder wolf and bowed again, this time to Harry. The Chosen One returned the gesture. 'So what is it you seek in our underground paradise?'
'You're all in wolf forms? But it's the middle of the day?' Harry was now scratching his head vigorously.
While the elder wolf chuckled Ron looked around. He then pointed above. 'That orb, it omits lunar radiation?'
The wolf man nodded, 'Impressive that you are able to figure that out with but a glance. What be your name, again?'
'Um, Ron Weasley, sir, I'm an Auror as well and I was hoping that you would help me find one of your own. A woman named Lavender Brown.'
They all paused.
'Mr Weasley, a noble name amongst our brethren. But how are you sure that I could actually help you?'
Ron thought about it for a while. "A noble name?" Ron did not know what to make of that. In the end he decided to drop it, sighed in defeat. 'So you don't know where Lavender is?'
'Why do you seek to find such a dangerous little girl?' this came from another one of the werewolves.
The wolf elder withdrew a deep breath. 'Lavender Brown has been excommunicated from the rest of the community for her immense hatred and desire for blood.'
Now Ron was starting to understand. Lavender probably felt lonely, especially now that she was isolated from two different worlds that she should be able to live amongst. 'Lavender has kidnapped my family and now expects me to go and find them.'
Again there was muttering among the werewolves. The elder rubbed his furry chin.
'Please,' pleaded Ron, 'please help me save my wife and daughter.'
-O-
They were to wait. The elder wolf needed to think about whether or not to help them. Between Ron and Harry, this decision would have taken an instant to decide to help.
'What was that thing you said about that orb thing?' Harry asked, attempting to shatter the quietness.
Ron took another glance at the orb. 'It is made to replicate the effects of the full moon. You see the energy of the moon is nothing but a mirror of the sun's rays. The sun's rays are actually the train that carries the magical energy that is contained on the moon, down to Earth. That is the power that draws water molecules closer and larger and ultimately is what causes the transformation of werewolves.'
'How do you know that?'
His red-haired and usually not this insightful brother-in-law merely shrugged. 'I'm pretty sure Hermione's said something 'bout 'em.'
They both shared a light laugh— a well needed one at that.
They waited out on the streets while most of the werewolf community carried on with their lives. 'Hay, Ron?'
'Yes?'
'I wanted to talk to you about that thing that Bruce Wayne asked you.'
Ron sighed into his hands. Not even attempting to state it's secrecy, besides it was Harry, the real Harry, the guy he trusted above all else. It was not a big secret now, that Bruce wanted Harry first. Everyone did and Ron was rather okay with it. 'I said I'd do it, Harry.'
'Oh,' Harry was taken aback about this information. 'You agreed to help Bruce lead the team?'
He nodded. Ron recounted everything that had happened to him in regards to Bruce Wayne and his 'League'. He told of Hermione's initial reaction which didn't surprise Harry in the slightest. 'The truth is that he hasn't even assembled people yet and I'm on hold until they need me.'
As they talked they listened to a group of werewolves singing and dancing in the shade thus they were in human form. Two were plying a rhythm on their fylde cittern string instruments, while another sang and danced an Irish jig.
'In the merry month of May, From my home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted,
Saluted father dear, Kissed my darlin' mother,
Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother,
Then off to reap the corn, And leave where I was born,
I cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblin,
In a brand new pair of brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs,
And frightened all the dogs,On the rocky road to Dublin.
One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.'
Ron was actually finding his feet responding to the music. It was a strange song but it had a danceable rhythm. Ron hesitated at first. He did not feel it appropriate to dance while his wife and daughter were missing. He began to wonder what was taking the elder wolf so long to decide.
'In Mullingar that night, I rested limbs so weary,
Started by daylight, Next mornin' light and airy,
Took a drop of the pure, To keep my heart from sinkin',
That's an Irishman's cure, Whene'er he's on for drinking.
To see the lasses smile, Laughing all the while,
At my curious style, 'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'.
They ax'd if I was hired, The wages I required,
Till I was almost tired, Of the rocky road to Dublin.
One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.'
The man was tapping his feet to the jig and Harry soon followed. Ron would have to admit that it was nice to see smiles for a change. It was two days ago that he had discovered his wife and daughter were kidnapped by his ex-girlfriend. God only knows what tortures they were to endure.
'Okay, Harry, I'm off to hit the can. Tell me when the old wolf guy comes 'round.' With that Ron took his leave.
'In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity,
To be so soon deprived, A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll, All among the quality,
My bundle it was stole, In a neat locality;
Something crossed my mind, Then I looked behind;
No bundle could I find, Upon my stick a wobblin'.
Enquirin' for the rogue, They said my Connacht brogue,
Wasn't much in vogue, On the rocky road to Dublin.'
He could still hear the music behind him. 'One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road and all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra—son of the bitch, now it's stuck in my head!' grunted an annoyed Ron as he picked a corner to chuck a piss.
After that he lingered around the walls and thought. He knew what Lavender wanted. He also knew that if she could not have him…she also had the power to break him
-O-
Hermione stared long and hard at Lavender as she stood there leaning against the wall whilst playing with her pocket knife. Hermione tried to ignore the pain in her gut and back as well as the irritating sweat dripping down her face. 'I know we weren't all good friends at school, Lavender, but we weren't enemies as well.'
The werewolf sniggered and pointed to her neck were hung a golden necklace with a love heart pendant that had the word Sweetheart on it. 'You see this? This was the necklace I gave Ron when we were dating.' Hermione sighed out exasperated. She examined the necklace in her hand and it gave her a sense of recollection. 'When I woke up from "death" I had this in my hands. I held on to it and a few days back it got me thinking. Thinking of what could—should have been mine!'
'Ron will never choose you, Lavender. It's time to grow up and move on!'
Lavender simply growled. 'You know I always had trouble wondering what it was that drew Ron to you in the first place.' She once again began to circle around her, examining her features even in the pale lighting of the room. 'You're not prettier than me. Not hotter by a long shot.' She then came closer and… she started to feel her up. Pinching and fondling Hermione's left breast.
Hermione struggled to get her off but her strength had somehow doubled. An effect of Lycanthropy no doubt.
'You most definitely do not have the body that I do.'
'Get your filthy hands off me you mother fucking bitch!' snapped Hermione breaking out of the croakiness in her throat.
Lavender broke into fits of laughter, 'Well, well, well, swearing and cursing? Naughty, naughty, Granger. Wow, if everyone could be here right now to witness the day that Hermione Jean Granger swore.'
Hermione ignored her but kept her gaze of utter hatred and rage glued against her captor. She struggled against her bonds like she could be rid of them and would be wringing her filthy neck.
'Still—gotta hand you points for feistiness. Maybe that's the trait that turns Ron on?'
After a long silence in which Hermione was just biting back tears and her own temper. 'Why?' said Hermione. 'Why now?'
Lavender's smug look suddenly fell and she became moody all of a sudden. She turned her back on her captive and looked to the wall. Why had she picked now of all times to hunt Ron for herself? Why had she not tried her luck before they had gotten married?
'Listen, I know you're hurting and alone. Trust me when I say that I know how it feels to be alone and unwanted. To feel like you don't belong.'
'That's easy for you to say, Granger.' Lavender spat back over her shoulder. 'You're not an outcast from the world of muggles, wizards and werewolves.' Lavender then abruptly left the chamber in anger.
She was panting wildly with rage and in a second threw a fist against the wall. He fist sank deep within the concrete as if it were made of cardboard. Granger doesn't understand her. Nobody understands. Maybe even Ron doesn't…but at least I will finally have him again.
'They promised me that they could give me what I desired. And I desire Ronald Weasley!' she bellowed. She arched her back and her head facing the ceiling she howled like a wolf before continuously pounding at the wall. The concrete was no match for her and crumbled and at her powerful contact. 'I am…the cement that binds us and make us strong.' She whispered into the empty corridors. 'And I shall shatter as such.'
-O-
Author's Note: I own nothing of the characters and background that I incorporate into my stories. Everything I used is copyrighted by those individual companies that own them. The Characters in Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling, Stargate to Roland Emmerich, Batman to DC Comics and Bob Kane, and some others to BBC.
Any thoughts? Please review, it does help me and I'm not just talking about appraisals please, I need you to tell me if you see grammar errors, Spelling (Bear in mind that I am an Australian so my Grammar and spelling maybe different in comparison to yours') mistakes and maybe some character flaws. Molto grazie. Oh and also I have some other stories on profile that tie in with this one in many ways.
