Thursday 26th November
She woke up before everyone else, washed and dressed and was downstairs with tea and cereal by seven thirty that morning. She was surprised to find the guys plates from the food she left out washed and left drying on the draining board by the sink, so she put them away in their cupboards before moving into the living room. She couldn't help with the mission but she could do anything she can to help from here.
She pulled as many books as she could from the bookcase in the living room and laid them out across the small coffee table. She moved into the dining room, plucked a quill and a piece of parchment from the table, along with the blank cards found on Nott and took them all back to the living room with her and set down to try to understand what they were for.
She tried Aparecium to reveal any invisible ink or magic, but nothing happened. She tried Revelio to reveal any objects, but nothing happened. She tried Specialis Revelio to see if there were any charms or hexes on the cards but again, nothing showed. She spent a good hour searching the books for any sign of any other revealing spells that she might not have heard of before but she found none.
Deflated she sat back on the floor against the sofa and sighed loudly. She wondered whether he was holding these cards to write messages on to them give to other people. Maybe instructions. Maybe that's the reason why they had nothing on them. So much for her earlier optimism about trying to help and do something. It seems she was deemed to be a Muggle cleaner and cook forever.
Then something clicked. Muggle. Muggle technology.
She had studied the Muggle first World War for a time in junior school, and she remembered a way that Muggles passed on messages via invisible ink. Well she couldn't call it invisible ink in the Wizarding way, but it was something to do with using the juice of a lemon as ink. And the way to reveal the messages? Light and heat.
She jumped up off the floor her hands shaking with excitement as she picked up one of the cards and took it across to one of the lamps on the wall. She turned handle making the flame burn brighter and hotter and she placed the card against the glass, waiting.
She was there for some time patiently holding the card against the glass until she felt the heat start to burn her fingers. She was about to give up when she started to see faint silver shapes appear on the card. She screamed excitedly as more and more shapes appeared on the card.
"Harry!" she yelled loudly, Unable to contain her excitement as it looked like the shapes were starting to form words in front of her eyes. "Harry get down here now!" She yelled as loudly as she could, not caring if she woke the others up.
She heard footsteps and the sound of doors opening. "Harry!" She yelled again. She heard the sound of running footsteps coming down the stairs before Theo ran into the room.
"What's the matter!?" he shouted, flinging his wand to every corner of the room,
"Nothing's the matter! Look!" she nodded to her hands holding the card against the lamp. He walked over to her and his mouth dropped as he saw the letters forming.
"Shit! Harry!" He yelled and ran up the stairs to get him. More footsteps were heard as Theo woke the house up.
"What the hell is going on!?" She heard Draco shout.
"She's figured out the bloody cards!" Came Theo's response from above.
More running footsteps on the stairs as Draco ran to her side and looked to her hands, the shapes now formed words.
Penelope Clearwater
"Surprise, surprise. Bookworm Grangers' found the answer." He said looking over to her. She looked at him with a wide grin. She didnt even care that his comment was laced with sarcasm. She couldn't hide her happiness. In less than a second her happiness had infected him and his mouth creept into a small smile. It was the first time she had seen him smile since she had been in the house.
The lines around his eyes wrinked, showing off his grey eyes. They had always looked dark from a far, stormy grey but up close they were paler. Flecks of blue the colour of clear sky dotted through his iris.
He wasnt smiling anymore, just watching her watch him. She wrinkled her forhead in confusion. Her own smile fading from her lips. She saw sure he wasnt this close before.
Heavy footsteps running down the stairs signalled the others arrival and she tore her eyes away from his and he took a step away from her. Seconds later Harry, Neville and Theo rushed into the room and crowded behind her. Reading the hidden words on the cards.
"Penelope Clearwater?" Theo said, confusion laced in his voice.
"That's Percy's old girlfriend." Stated Harry. "She's working with us as one of the Watchers. I need to get to Headquarters with this now and make sure she's okay!"
He made to run from the room. "Harry wait, I haven't checked the others!" She said and he turned back scanning the room.
"Where are they?"
"On the table." She nodded to the table full of books. Sat on top were the two other cards yet to reveal their secrets.
Draco was first to turn around and grab a card from the table, Harry reached out and grabbed the other. Harry moved Hermione out of the way and pushed his card up against the warm lamp. Draco did the same on the lamp on the other side of the wall and Theo moved next to him. Neville, Hermione and Harry waited patiently for their card to warm up and the silvery shapes to start appearing.
"It's working!" Said Neville and they waited until the shapes became words once more.
"Charlie Weasley…" Harry whispered.
"Oh no." Hermione said her hand covering her mouth. Charlie was a target. The family had already lost Fred, she couldn't bear the thought of them losing Charlie too.
"Shit." Was heard from behind them. When they turned around they saw the worried faces of Theo and Draco looking over at her.
"What?" Neville asked.
"Who is it?" Harry said with a shaking voice. But Hermione already knew. Draco and Theo were staring right at her. She looked between the two boys, ice grey and dark brown sorrowful eyes watching her from across the room. Her heart dropped to her stomach as she looked for confirmation to the card still held in Draco's hand against the lamp. The faint silver shapes the same as their cards had formed a name.
Hermione Granger
.x.
The decision to go to Headquarters together was an easy one, and instigated by Harry as soon as he saw her name on the card in Draco's hand. Within seconds he had ordered the guys upstairs to get dressed. Within two minutes they were all back downstairs and rushing towards the apparition point at the end of the garden. She watched as Draco and Theo disapparate first, followed closely by Neville. Harry grabbed her arm and she clung to his hand, then everything went black. Crushing her lungs until she felt ground beneath her and she took a deep breath of the cool air.
She was standing infront of what looked like a Muggle cottage. Small and quaint with beautiful roses bushes either side of a cobbled walkway leading to the front door. Draco was already there with a wand pointed at his face by his own Mother.
His wand was in his hand by his side. Harry dragged her along with him until they were standing behind Draco and he stepped forward first, past an olive tree next to the pathway. Narcissa nodded and lowered her wand.
"We need passage for Hermione." He said to his Mother as she watched Neville and Theo pass beyond the olive tree.
"I'll be her ward." Neville said holding out his hand for Hermione. She took it greatfully and he pulled her past the olive tree. As if she had passed through an invisible waterfall, cool water was running all over her skin. Yet when she touched her clothes they were dry. It made her shiver and she caught Draco's eye. She didn't know who had looked first.
"You get used to it." Theo said with a smile and following her eyes to his friends.
"Where's Kingsley?" Draco turned to his Mother not waiting for an answer before rushing past her and turning to the right.
"Whats going on?" Narcissa asked, watching as the three other men rushed past her into the house. Hermione gave her a meak smile and held up the card in her hand.
"They're names."
Narcissa stepped back and Hermione walked into the cottage. She was standing in a carpeted hallway, photographs of faces she recognised lining the walls. To her left she saw a small sitting room with an open fire roaring. Along the hall she could see a kitchen and a staircase to the right leading upstairs.
She started to walk through the door directly to her right but stopped abruptly and turned to the tall woman behind her. "I never said thank you, for... fixing me."
Narcissa stood taller pulling her shoulders back. She was just under a foot taller than Hermione, no wonder Draco was so tall.
"So... thank you." Hermione finished with an awkward smile.
Narcissa nodded. "How is your leg?" Her voice soft.
"It's fine."
"Glad to hear it." They stayed there for a few seconds not knowing what else to say.
The silence was broken as Harry called for her from the other room. She smiled then moved towards the door. She expected more small rooms in fitting with the cottage but as she stepped through it was obvious the room had been magically enlarged. The room was three times the size it looked from the outside.
The room was a buzz with people, Aurors with their long black cloaks next to many people she recognised. Three large tables were centered in the room in a row and to the far right wall she saw an exact duplicate of the dining room wall in their safehouse.
She saw Arthur talking to the four boys infront of the wall, Harry showing him the names on the cards they had found. Arthur turned to a short man beside him in an Auror robe. Harry beckoned for Hermione to join them.
"You need to check on Penelope Clearwater, make sure she is fine then bring her here. I'll Floo home and get Charlie." The short Auror nodded and called for two more Aurors before leaving the room in a hurry.
"Harlow!" A wizard with long dark hair tied at the nape of his neck looked over to Arthur. "We need Kingsley now." He nodded and ran from the room.
"At least we have you safe." He smiled at Hermione then left the room himself and ran out into the garden.
"Cooo." A young boy no older than eighteen months old had wandered into the room and was tugging on Draco's trousers. He held out his chubby arms asking to be lifted up. Draco hesitated at first but bent down and picked up the little boy in his arms. "You're not supposed to be in here." He said in a stern but soft voice.
"Cooo." Teddy replied slapping his little hand to Dracos head and Hermione watched as his brown hair turned a white blonde to match the man holding him in his arms. Draco smirked at the little boy who giggled in his arms.
Confused, Hermione looked over at Harry who caught her eye but looked away. Why was Draco so close to Teddy? He was the poster boy for blood-purity so how was he now holding a half-blood, part werewolf child in his arms and not running as far away as possile at his touch?
"Teddy Lupin, you are not supposed to be in here." Hermione was momentarily distracted by the woman walking into the room holding out her arms for the now blonde toddler wrapping his arms tightly round Draco's neck.
Her breath hitched in her throat and her stomach dropped before she realised she was not in fact the woman who haunted her dreams, but her younger sister. Light brown hair, not black like Bellatrix's and a soft round face.
"What are you all doing here?" Andromeda Tonks asked whilst trying to pry Teddy's fingers from around Draco's neck. He only clung tighter to the blonde and said no over and over again. Hermione looked over at Harry, watching as his godson was clinging to Draco. Harry looked sad, his green eyes giving him away despite his outward demeanour.
"The cards found on Nott… It's names." Harry said.
"Of people?" She asked.
He nodded. "We don't know if it's a capture list, kill list… or anything else."
"Who's names?"
"Charlie Weasley, Penelope Clearwater and Hermione." Neville said nodding Hermione's way.
Andromeda turned to her with a smile. "At least you are here safe." She was so different to Bellatrix, kind and caring, soft features. Yet from a distance they looked eerily similar.
"Cooo." Teddy had his nose against Draco's. Draco was trying not to smile but as Teddy wrapped his arms around his neck again she saw the flex in Draco's arm as he responded, hugging him back. A small twitch at the corner of his lip. She couldn't help a smile of her own at the affection between the two of them.
A pop of apparition was heard in the garden and Hermione turned to see Ginny running up the pathway and flying into the room. She locked eyes with her and collided with her, wrapping her arms around her neck. Hermione stumbled back a few paces giggling into her flaming red hair. "I came as soon as Dad said you were here! I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too!"
"Where are they?" Said Harry as Ginny pulled away from her.
"Dad's bringing them now." She said to Harry as she reached out for him and gave him a hug. She watched his previously sad eyes light up as the red head kissed him on the lips, not caring if anyone else was watching.
Theo puckered his lips up to Neville. Neville rolled his eyes at him and punched him on the arm. A few more pops were heard and they saw Charlie appear followed Arthur, Percy and Ron, walking quickly up the pathway into the house. Hermione was thankful Charlie was okay.
"Penelope?"
"Not yet." Said Neville shaking his head.
Ron looked over to Percy who looked pale. Harry had said that she was his ex-girlfriend so he must have been worried. Arthur looked concerned too but swung round quickly as another apparition popped in the garden. Kingsley followed by Harlow the Auror sprinted into the house and into the room.
"Miss Clearwater?" Kingsley asked in his booming voice.
"Not yet." Arthur shook his head. "Robson took two other Aurors, they should be here soon."
Kingsley looked around the room at the faces staring over at him "Who found the names on the card?"
"Hermione did." Said Theo quickly giving her a big grin, causing Ron to look over at him and frown. Theo looked at Ron and cocked his eyebrow before turning back to Kingsley.
"We had two of our best Aurors on this. How did you find the spell to reveal the message?"
"It wasn't a spell, It's a muggle technique." Hermione answered.
"Muggle?" He questioned.
"In the Muggle War's, they used to send hidden messages to one another using this method in case their mail was intercepted. It's a mixture of lemon juice and water for the ink and they would write on paper, wait for it to dry and it would become invisible. When whoever they sent it to held it up to a hot lamp the message would reveal itself."
"Fascinating." Arthur said with a intrigued look on his face.
Harlow the Auror with the long pony tail stepped forward. "Then it's invisible ink. It should have shown up."
"It's not invisible ink as we know it. There is no magic involved, therefore can't be traced by our methods."
Kingsley eyed her suspiciously then smiled. "Good work."
She gave him a small smile but began blushing when she saw how many eyes were on her. More pops of apparition outside the front of the house caused the room to turn in the direction of shouting coming from a tall blonde being escorted up the path. "Get off me!" She shouted.
"Tell these men to get off me!" Penelope shouted again as she was directed into the room. She yanked her arm away from the Auror and straightened herself out. She held herself tall and looked around the room. Her eyes settled on Hermione for a second, then she saw her complexion change completely when he eyes settled on Draco and Theo. Rolling her eyes as she saw Percy. She righted herself quickly and addressed the whole room. "Someone tell me what this is about?"
Percy stepped forward as if about to speak before Kingsley took over. "Miss Clearwater, your name has been found on one of the cards found in the possession of Franklin Nott."
She looked around at the room, mouth open. "What exactly am I being accused of?" She said crossing her arms over her chest.
"We are not accusing you of anything, in fact we bought you here because we were worried for your safety."
Her shoulders relaxed. "Well, I'm perfectly fine."
"Miss Clearwater I don't think you understand the serious nature of this situation." Kingsley said stepping towards her. "You have been singled out by The Ashes. As for what yet, we are not sure but you could be in serious danger."
"What could they possible want with me?"
"You work with the Order. You work with the Ministry. You have been involved with Percy Weasley, a family knowing for their associations with Muggle witches and wizards."
"Kingsley, I think it best we place her in protection." Said Arthur.
Percy stepped forward. "She can stay with us at the Burrow."
"No, I don't want to be anywhere near you!" Penelope backed away from him. Percy clutched his chest and dropped his eyes to the floor. Hermione looked over at Ginny who widened her eyes at the scene.
"Penelope, please." He whispered in desperation.
"We have a spare room here." Andromeda said reluctantly. Penelope didn't look like she liked that idea either.
"Penelope there isn't another option." Arthur urged carefully. "If they get to you… they could kill you. Or worse."
She huffed. "Fine." Her eyes fell on Draco, still holding Teddy in his arms, the small boy now sleeping peacefully resting his head on Draco's shoulder. "My work as a watcher…"
"Can still be yours, it will just be restricted to working here."
"Fine. I need to go to my flat to get some things."
"Robson here will escort you, with Harlow." Arthur nodded to the two Aurors who nodded in response. Penelope then turned and stormed out of the house without a word of thanks. Arthur shook his head and Kingsley let out a long sigh as they heard the three disapparate.
Hermione turned to Ginny. "Poor Percy." She whispered.
Ginny grimaced. "It was so out of the blue. She called things off about three weeks ago and won't let him anywhere near her."
She saw Andromeda turn to Draco and pull the sleeping boy from his arms, still sporting the Malfoy blonde hair even when dreaming.
"No, Dad. No Way." She turned to see Charlie, Arthur and Kingsley having a heated debate.
"Charlie… listen to me." Arthur held up his hand trying to reason with him.
"No! I'm not being confined to house. I want to be out there fighting them. I refuse the Order's protection!"
Arthur held his head in his hands. "Please." He urged his son.
Kingsley stepped in "Charlie you being captured…" but was cut off by Charlie.
"I'll join in with or without your permission." Charlie wasn't kidding. He was mad and looking as stubborn as hell. Everyone in the room could feel the tension. There was no way he was backing down.
"If ," Kingsley began pointing his large dark finger at him, "and only if you swear to be partnered up at all times, use a disguise anytime you step even a foot outside and report to either me, Arthur or Bill every morning and every evening will you be allowed to do this."
"Done." Charlie said firmly before Arthur could say a word against it.
Arthur opened his mouth to retort but Kingsley shook his "Arthur we need the numbers, and he's one of the best."
"I'll partner up with him." Percy stepped forward looking like he had recovered from his earlier confrontation with Penelope.
"Thanks Perce." Charlie walked passed him and slapped him on the back before heading over to a group of Aurors who were in talks around a rather large map.
"You boys should head home, get some rest and be back here for nine to go over the plans. We raid at one am tomorrow." Arthur said before he turned and walked over towards Charlie and the Aurors.
The group started walking towards the front door before Kingsley called out.
"Draco, can you stay? We need your input on a few things." He nodded and turned back around, following Kingsley towards the now large group around the map.
"I'll come back with you guys. I could use a break from home." Ron said glancing over at Hermione and smiling before glancing quickly at Theo.
"Oh it's okay. Just leave me here with no one!" Ginny moaned.
"I'll stay with you," Harry said tenderly to the beautiful red head at his side. "I'll come back in a few hours." He said to Ron who gave him a stern look.
"Jeez Ron, I've not seen him in a week we have a lot to catch up on." Ginny said pushing Harry towards the hallway.
Theo laughed. "Yeah like her..."
"Finish that sentence Nott, I dare you." Ron said facing Theo head on.
"Oh really, what you gonna do?" Theo said squaring up to him and smiling. Ron stared at Theo for a few seconds before he turned and walked out of the house. Theo turned to Hermione and winked before following Ron into the garden and disapparting quickly after one another.
"'Mione, I'll get my watcher approved so I can come see you." Said Ginny pulling her into a hug. She said a quick goodbye to Harry before Ginny claimed his lips once more. A pang of jealousy jolted through her at the sight of the two of them so happy and she wished she had someone like they did. Then she thought of Dean and her heart sunk.
"Come on. We haven't even had breakfast yet." Said Neville rubbing his stomach and heading for the door.
Before they reached the apparition point at the end of the cobbled path she turned to look at the house remembering her surroundings in case she had to apparate back there in future. She then closed her eyes and felt the familiar black squeeze before landing back at Blackgate.
.x.
So a long chapter after the short one earlier this week... but things are starting to move along now. The Ashes using Muggle techniques to avoid detection from the Ministry and the Order! *gasp*
I hope you like how the story is evolving and the small interaction between Hermione and Draco... there will be more to come in the next few chapters!
As always your reviews are so lovely- keep them coming I love to know what you think!
Suddencharm dramoli - your reviews were lovely, thank you! I'm so glad youre enjoying the story. Love a good slow burrrrn!
I've got the next few chapters written and have planned for atleast four more after that but I have feeling this may go on for some time yet!
