Chapter 11: The Informant
"Where would a House-elf even go?" George asked as the Order all gathered around the table, awaiting the deliciously succulent food Molly had cooked for them.
"Without magic, it would be nigh impossible to find out?" Remus answered. "The only places I can think of Kreacher going are all inside this very house, or at Hogwarts. Minerva assured me that no house-elves are on school premises and we have searched this house from top to bottom. He simply isn't here."
"On the bright side, we haven't found a body either so there is a chance that he is alive." Arthur added positively.
"Or dead elsewhere." Ginny glumly answers.
"Ginny, we must stay positive-" Remus implored.
"I want to be. But until something changes, I feel that we're doomed now. Soon we will follow the Elves into extinction." She admits.
"Do you even know how the Elves died out?" Remus asked rhetorically, knowing she didn't. "Civil war Ginny. The most vicious conflict in history. So vicious that neither side won and both sides wiped each other out. They say there was so much magical energy during that final battle that had it been fought on Earth, existence would be wiped out entirely from the planet."
As none of the Weasley children cared much for History of Magic at Hogwarts, it was unsurprising to see both George and Ginny frowning in confusion and one of them say "They didn't fight on Earth?"
"Despite the history between Elves and humans, Elves knew respect and consideration. When civil war started between the Elves, they knew the power their forces would create. As they were not the only living beings on the planet, they knew this war could affect most if not all beings in the world. So both sides decided that they would work together, despite their animosity, to make sure no harm fell us and other living beings. This resulted in them begrudgingly abandoning their home planet to fight on another. Not only was this a chivalrous act on their part, but also a risky gamble. They didn't know if they could thrive on other planets as much as they did on earth. Or even survive long enough to taste their victories over the other Elven side."
"What has this got to do with anything?" Ginny groaned, pulling her hair out.
"Well our situation is not the same as the Elven extinction. We are not going to wipe ourselves out, we are not going to be extinct. We are reduced to muggle humans, that's all."
"Who knows, it might not be so bad if the Ministry just swallowed its pride and admitted we will be this way from now on." Arthur added.
"Is that the point though? If Hermione had lost her magic too, would the situation be any different?" Ginny questioned dubiously.
George nodded in agreement. "Kingsley would still do anything in his power to restore magical folk to their former glory. He would still trample people in his path, he would still have turned his back on us. The only difference is Hermione wouldn't be their main target."
"And Harry and Ron would never have been captured." Ginny concluded.
There was a moment of silence before Remus affirmed. "You can't seriously be thinking that you would prefer that situation? Watching people dying because the Minister didn't get the answers he was looking for?"
"Would you rather watch your friend, brother and partner die...because the Minister couldn't get his way?!"
"I would and do hate both of those scenarios, which is why I'm not comparing them."
"Can we just change the subject? This is a dinner table. We haven't had much chance at normalcy lately so mealtimes are the only part of our new life that hasn't changed from before. Let's not argue here." Arthur wisely interjected.
Ginny nodded apologetically.
"So, lamb stew is it dear? How marvellous, we are very grateful for this food Molly."
Before the rest of the table could voice their gratitude, a loud banging came from the front door. Remus got up from the table, instinctively reaching for his wand before remembering it's usefulness and returning it to it's holster. He took on a defensive stance in case things had to get physical, whilst the rest of the group looked on cautiously. Remus edged steadily closer to the door as the banging grew ever more desperate. He got close enough to peer through the peephole. "Merlin's Beard" he gasped astonishingly as he quickly unlocked the door and swing it open wide, letting an exhausted and shaken Neville Longbottom fall forwards in the absence of the hard wood he was pressing up against. Remus prevented his head from colliding with the equally hard wooden floor and Neville immediately and clumsily scrambled to get back onto his feet.
"Neville!" Ginny cried as both her and George rushed to help him up.
"Bloody hell Nev, what happened to you?" George asked.
He wasn't hurt but he was clearly in distress and he obviously ran here from wherever he came from. He used the wall for support as he gained his breath back. "I...just...came...from...the Ministry. Her...Hermione...is...in...trouble."
"What were you doing at the Ministry?"-"What sort of trouble?" the two redheads asked over each other.
"Why don't we let Neville sit down, catch his breath and get comfortable so he can explain properly?" Remus firmly advised.
Neville dropped into the armchair closest to the fire with a hot chocolate in his right hand and a bowl of stew in his lap on a tray. He indulged upon his food and drink before he lost interest and quickly began babbling. "Hermione has been located again and the Aurors are on their way to get her as I speak. They have an unidentified informant that claims to have spotted Hermione's protector. Ashton is it?-"
"Ashley." Remus corrected. "Where Neville?"
"A village, can't remember it's name, in Dover. The informant was undercover and learned that Ashley was approaching some farmhouse so that's where they think Hermione is. Also a little redheaded girl also told them that another girl was with Ashley in the farmhouse. They will be there in three hours or so."
"We have to warn them." Ginny exclaimed.
"There's nothing we can do Ginny, they are too far away to get to without magic and there is no way to contact them. We need to trust in Ashley."
"I doubt even she could fight a whole platoon of Aurors." George said.
"You think so? She escaped them before without warning so she can do it again. She has also been deeply trained in Martial Arts cause of her training with MMDS, the Aurors haven't." Remus defended.
Neville nervously raised his head again to make eye contact with Remus. "There are rumours that the Aurors have been armed with guns."
A scared silence filled the room. Even when everybody had magic, Muggle guns were feared as no magic can protect against firearms, even Voldemort feared them. So you can imagine the way everyone was shuddering at the thought of weapons without magic in their defense. Remus was first to come around as he announced.
"Not to worry, if anyone knows how to defend against guns it's Ashley. If we hear nothing about her or Hermione that's a good thing because we all would know very quickly if they were captured...or worse."
They all were too scared to argue that point.
"Who told you all this Nev?" George asked quietly.
"I don't know his name, never seen him before. I had just finished a meeting with the Aurors to discuss my training. I turned down the position because I didn't like the way they would be treating us. Then as I was leaving the Ministry this guy approached me, some chairman of something. Remus, you mentioned it, what was it called?"
"You mean MMDS? You spoke to Mr Berling?"
"Yeah him. He said his department has been liquidated and his trainees and officers have been dismissed. He himself is being tracked down for his alleged involvement in Hermione's protection. He offered me some training and involvement in his scheme, even though it is strictly important that the Ministry doesn't find out. Apparently he is gonna start a top secret ministry rebellion for people who have had enough of the Ministry's new ways. He told me all that he heard from the Aurors still loyal to Harry. When I heard that I rushed here to tell you."
"Thank you Neville, you did well." Remus commended.
"A rebellion. It's perfect. Not only do we get to stick it to the Ministry but we also can be distracting them from Hermione's trail." Ginny said, finally sounding enthusiastic for once.
"Haven't we already got an Order of the Phoenix, why can't we just bring Mr Berling into the Order?" George asked.
"The Order is built for quality really, the quantity is good but not good enough to fulfil the requirements of a rebellion. What we can do though is use the Order as a faction under Berling's new scheme." Remus offered.
"So like the Ministry is made up of different departments, Mr Berling's rebellion can include many factions?" Neville asked.
At Lupin's nod an excited buzz filled the room.
"How will the other factions work then?" Ginny asked.
"I will contact Berling tomorrow, we will clear everything up then. Let's just hope Hermione and Ashley get away in one piece."
…..
Earlier that day
"Wow, I could get used to waking up like this." Ashley said after covering up a yawn. "I thought you couldn't cook anyway."
Hermione had three frying pans sizzling on the stove with two different types of food cooking in each one. Sausages, bacon, eggs, fried bread, mushrooms and black pudding. Then there was beans in a saucepan, chips in the oven and a pot of tea on the table, milk and sugar and all the sauces with it. Walking into the kitchen had never felt so homely.
After hearing Ashley enter, Hermione turned to her and replied. "Who said I was cooking for you?"
For a split second Ashley thought she was being serious but she realised that she was teasing. In fact, they actually got on incredibly well now. In literally a matter of days they went from begrudged associates to close friendship. Maybe it was the fact they haven't been hunted down in a few days, or that after they released their original frustrations they started to become accustomed to each other. Neither girl really cared but for one girl it was all starting to get way too familiar and she was a little scared to continue on that path.
"Besides, I can cook with magic." Hermione added.
"Is this a one morning thing or are you my personal masterchef now?" Ashley asked sitting at the table.
"Well I'm not your slave but I honestly don't mind cooking. It helps me think and well it's kinda my way of paying you back for your protection and company." Hermione said with a shy smile, poking holes into the sausages with a fork.
Ashley fought a blush. "Well you didn't have to, I don't consider you a work assignment so I don't expect anything in return."
"As a friend though, I would like to" Hermione said making eye contact quickly before returning to the food.
"Well, thank you."
Ashley waited patiently as Hermione finished cooking their breakfast. She brought over two plates of piping hot food and placed one down in front of Ashley, before placing hers down and sitting opposite her. "Bon Appetit"
"Merci beaucoup" Ashley replied stabbing a forkful of chips and bringing them to her mouth. Hermione just stared at her. A glaze came over her eyes that clearly meant she was seeing or thinking of something very thoroughly. Ashley noticed and when she swallowed her mouthful she said. "You creeping me out, why are you staring at me like that?"
This snapped Hermione's attention away from her and she blushed. "Sorry, you just reminded me of someone very close to me."
"Ronald Weasley you mean." Ashley guessed.
Hermione frowned in confusion. "How did you know?"
"Your relationship wasn't exactly secret was it. Being the couple of the trio and showing up at celebration balls together kinda gives it away that you two were together." Ashley said whilst tugging her egg apart with her cutlery, flooding part of the plate with runny orange yoke.
"No I mean how do you know I was talking about him."
"He has a reputation. His table manners are incredibly infamous even on a global scale. Plus I was at Hogwarts with you three as well as in the same house, just a couple of years older."
Hermione nodded and followed it up with a cheeky smirk. "You must be proud to have a trait that is similar to someone with a high celebrity status."
Ashley chewed on the end of a sausage and said jokingly. "Everyone needs role models."
Both girls laughed and ate in a comfortable silence until Ashley blurted out. "Actually, if I had to choose a role model out of you three, it would be you."
"Really?"
"Ahuh. People forget Harry wasn't the only one with demons to overcome. At least he was born with "decent" enough purity to avoid blood status prejudice. The bravery you showed to fight beside Harry through hell and back, even when others weren't so loyal and his attitude unbearable. You didn't even let your education get in the way of your loyalty despite how much you promoted its significance. You became a living breathing example of why a pure blood status means nothing. You remind me of Athena the Greek Goddess. You're smart, caring, intelligent and pretty. If anyone deserved a plaque it would be you."
Hermione turned a darker shade of red after every sentence, to the point that she was beginning to run into purple. "Thanks but I would rather everyone not worship me. I would rather the centre of attention not be on me."
"Understandable as well as more proof why I respect you. All the people who would kill to be famous and there is you and Harry who would kill to lose it. Nobody understands why and it's because they don't really get the point of what you did. But I do. For Harry it was an inescapable fate to face Voldemort, since way before the prophecy and Hogwarts. Since the night on October thirtieth he was meant to face him so the celebrity status brought upon him before and after the second rise of Voldemort was more of a burden than a lifetime achievement. And you had ambitions to do well and to change the ways of the world, but the way that you got there left a sour taste in your mouth. Going to war was never how you envisioned your future. Your work with S.P.E.W showed how you are more than comfortable to face the world and you will even fight authority to see the world as you want it to be." Ashley said between bites of her breakfast.
"You've done quite a case study on me." Hermione said, her blush starting to recede a little.
"Just merely showing you the respect you deserve."Ashley stated.
"Can you please stop making me blush, my face can't take much more?" Hermione further made her point by squashing her cheeks in her hands.
Ashley just smiled warmly and before she could hold it back she blurted. "Why? You look so pretty when you blush."
Hermione heard it and looked up questioningly. Ashley though knew her slip up and went back to her food before Hermione could catch her embarrassed reaction. This meant she missed the small smile Hermione unconsciously gave her.
"You know a lot about me but I hardly know anything about you." Hermione inquired, sipping from a cup of tea she made for herself.
"I'm not that interesting."
Hermione propped up an eyebrow. "Being a trained secret agent who knows martial arts, survival skills, combat fighting with an eye for people of the same gender. Totally conventional and uninteresting."
"Compared to a twenty year old war veteran currently the only witch left on the planet, high celebrity status and the brightest witch since the beginning of Hogwarts itself." Ashley countered.
"Irrelevant. If I'm interested in you then you must be interesting." Hermione gave her a playful pointed look. "Life story, now."
Ashley always avoided this conversation with people she didn't trust enough with it, and she trusted almost nobody. Too many demons that she was still healing from. Talking about them was painful, and not the information she was ok with being used against her. Hermione should be one of the people she forbid knowing her background, yet she was finding it hard to deny her.
Hermione quickly noticed her nervousness and placed her hand on hers. "I won't push you and I respect your decision to be careful of who you tell, but you've proven you know who I am so you know I can understand and, if possible, help you if you need it. The minimum I can do is be trusted. I'm your friend."
Ashley stared at her hand covered by Hermione's. The bookworm was about to release her and drop the subject when Ashley began.
"I was an unplanned child. Mum had been married to her husband for three months at the age I am now when she got pregnant with me. She almost had a miscarriage with me and she had to have a caesarean at eight months. I grew up with ADHD and was diagnosed with asthma at six. Barely born and I was a burden. My parents managed to cope with me until Hogwarts when they could finally send me away somewhere for seventy five percent of the year. Mum can pretend I was a dream child but even I know she deserved a break from me. I'm also Muggleborn so my education in terms of friends was similar to yours, although I got through different friends every year until my fourth year when I met Mac and Lew. But I had always been a depressed child. Until I met her…"
Their breakfast was forgotten. Hermione listened patiently and stroked Ashley's hand encouragingly. Ashley took a moment of blissful thought recalling her first and only love. Hermione knew this just from her facial expression and most of her was endeared with the beauty that showed up her face, yet a slight twinge of jealousy that she couldn't place with any logical reason.
"She was the most brilliant person I ever met. Instantly caring. Breathtaking. She was like medicine to me. She saw me one day doing very depressing things. She didn't judge, scold, pity or shame me. She just treated me like I was the last flower on earth that had started to wilt, she did everything to restore some life into me. I fell quickly and hard. I didn't even have the time to properly be scared of my feelings. I was in a dark place before I met her. Mum was worried to the point that she was thinking of withdrawing me from Hogwarts. This was when the school was being heavily guarded by Dementors, I would approach one and be the only person I knew that was totally unafraid cos they would only be sucking the happiness out of a shell. Then after I met her I would run scared like everyone else when I saw one. She changed me that much."
"I soon wanted her in my life twenty-four seven. I read with her, ate with her, played chess with her, flew with her. She would never get bored or annoyed with my constant presence around her. She knew I needed her, just didn't know how much I cared. Then came the Yule Ball and my love for her was as strong as it was painful to not be reciprocated. We both went with gormy-looking hunks but my eye never left her all evening. I don't know if it was the punch or the high spirits but I just found the confidence I lacked and came to a decision that I wanted her to be mine. I wanted her right then and didn't care about how much I was risking. I pretended to have a makeup disaster and practically dragged her out the hall and to my room. She never saw it coming. I kissed her hard and passionately. She kissed me back and...Oh Hermione it was amazing."
Hermione smiled half-sincerely "You forgot to tell me her name?"
"Oh yeah. Her name is Brianna, Brianna Adams."
"How long did you date for, and why did you break up?"
"There was no break up." Ashley said with a stony look.
Hermione was confused. "So you're still together?"
"No." Ashley replied, her voice catching.
Hermione heard that and felt instantly guilty for feeling jealous. She didn't even know why she was jealous anyway.
Ashley clapped her hand over her face and screwed up into tears. Hermione rose up and rushed to grab a tissue, giving it to the distraught girl upon her return. Ashley took it and cried into it. Hermione remained knelt beside her, rubbing her back soothingly. When Ashley had calmed down enough to talk more coherently, Hermione asked the dreaded question softly. "She died, how?"
"Hit and run." She replied shakily.
"Oh Ashley."
"Just over two years of Ash and Brie. Happiest years of my life. Finished school together, moved in together and trained together. Alongside Mac and Lew of course. We had an argument, over MMDS. She received an offer to join the Special Ops team and I was awarded Faction Leader. We were happy for each other at first, we were celebrating. We discussed the new living arrangements as she was getting trained in another part of the country from us. The problem came when I wanted to see her at least five nights a week. I knew she would be training heavily but with magic I could see her for an hour and apparate home. She told me that it could cost her the position and she worked so hard to get it. We argued and she stormed out for fresh air. I ran after her yelling that if she just don't want to see me just say. She just got more peed at me and ran across the road. I caught up to her to apologize and to talk it over but she pushed me away. I then blurted out something that I regret saying to this day and if I didn't say it she would be alive right now." Ashley broke down again. "I told her that she could stay away forever if she wanted to."
Hermione couldn't hold back her own tears when she said that part. "That-that was a terrible thing to say Ash."
"Don't you think I know that! She just stood there stunned as I turned away. I never heard the speeding car or even looked back once. Not until a horrible, horrible thud sounded and I saw my girlfriend barely moving, mangled and bleeding on the kerb. The car didn't even slow when it drove away. I cried her name and could barely use my wand well enough to call for help! I used all the healing spells I knew and only half of them worked. I begged her to stay awake, told her help was coming. She couldn't hear or see me. Blood was pooling out of her mouth! So much blood! And-and she...she stopped...breathing! She...She closed her eyes, and I screamed for her to open them! Until I was hoarse I did not stop but I knew when she finally closed them she was gone! She...was...gone. And it was my fault!"
Hermione started to reach across in an attempt to pull the clearly emotional girl into a bone-crushing hug, but Ashley swatted her hands away and glared at Hermione enormously. "Don't touch me! I suppose you pity me right?! Thick-skinned, unflappable Ashley becoming a wreck!"
"No! You have a right to be upset!" Hermione pleaded her innocence.
"Really?! Was that your plan after all?! Was it?! Course it was! You had to make me revisit my dreadful past! Why else would you cook me breakfast, it was to butter me up and make me momentarily break down my walls! Well you succeeded, congratulations!". Ashley accused.
"I'm trying to help you!" Hermione yelled back.
"Why the fuck do you care?! I'm a stranger to you! A fucking nobody! Like you!" Ashley cried.
"Well so much for me being a role model!"
"You're right! No, wait I was right all along! For a second there I believed you was! I'm glad we had this chat now, I just saved myself from making a terrible mistake in trusting you!"
Hermione suddenly shot up from her chair and stood intimidatingly over the enraged protector, her hands slapping down on the table.
"That's it, you listen and listen good! I have spent half my life with a person with more emotional trauma than you ten times over! He had more scarier tantrums and emotional outbursts than you that's for sure! He pushed those closest to him away and the one person it never completely worked on was me! If I can deal with him, I won't break a sweat with you! Quite frankly I'm sick to death with people concealing their emotions from people trying to help them! Your life was bad, join the club! News flash, anger won't make an ounce of difference! Now, i've tolerated that attitude before, I will NOT be doing so again! So you just sit there and shut up if you know what's good for you!"
Ashley was not an easy person to intimidate, so it was much to her own surprise, and Hermione's, that she whimpered slightly and shrank back in her chair after the blistering.
"I am truly, dreadfully sorry about Brianna. I can see by your words and actions how much you adore her. Your shortage of respect and forgiveness towards Muggles is more understandable, despite your ironically contradictive heritage. I also agree that the evidence of your lousy, Muggle father and the bastard, lunatic car driver is more than enough to doubt a society as a whole…" Hermione sat back down across from a sullen Ashley and proceeded in stroking her hand "...it doesn't change the fact that it's still discriminatory. Your motivations may be the right ones, but the decision is still wrong. Is what your father did any different to what some pure blood supremists would do to a squib child, or blood traitor? Would a drunken wizard stop to check on a girl he mistakenly cursed in a drunken haze? Muggles are racists, fascists, criminals and morally challenged the same as wizard folk, just different contexts and lifestyles. Both are as dangerous as each other. It is easy to hate against those that have wronged you, but to truly live on as normal as possible requires the strength to forgive. If I hadn't forgiven Wizarding society for my isolation and unfair treatment I wouldn't have had a great Ministry job and I wouldn't be the person I am now."
Ashley didn't look up when she asked. "But she was my life, she was...is supposed to be in my future. How can you forgive the people who take your life away from you?"
"You can start by embracing the new life you've been given. This assignment might be as beneficial for you as it is for me. We can heal together."
After some soppy thank you 's and apologies both girls decided to wash their plates up by hand.
Both girls began to enjoy the day together. All they did previous days was hang out indoors but today was spent making most of the warm weather. Ashley introduced the cows to Hermione. Hermione then felt like mowing the grass whilst Ashley watered it down with a hose. Not much mowing was achieved and both girls were more drenched than the grass but they couldn't care less, water fights were all they could care about.
When they decided upon a peace treaty for their small war, they placed down towels and decided to dry themselves off via the sun. Both girls must have slept because when they rose from the towels their bodies were bone dry and they were heavily sun-kissed.
They grabbed a quick lunch and went for a walk. Ashley showed her places Hermione hadn't visited since arriving here. She took her by woods and through fields, finally taking shelter under Ashley's favourite Waterwillow tree. Berths, she called it. They sat and read, played games like eye spy, charades and pat-a-cake. They cloud watched, had tickle fights and they laid beside each other on their backs, staring at the canopy of leaves above them in comfortable sun was beginning to set so they headed back to the house.
Instead of enjoying dinner inside, Ashley had a bright idea to gather unnecessary wood laying about in the loft and make a fire outside. They had a wild fire barbecue and melted marshmallows over it. They talked about their childhood. Both girls managing to connect not as the witch side of them but as the Muggle side. Hermione always had to compare and contrast her life to her friends, discussing and speaking about the differences between magical and non-magical childhood. Hermione didn't mind that of course, but it was nice to talk to someone who understood and shared the same experiences rather than people who could only imagine them at best. Even Harry who was raised by Muggles, but abuse and neglect may be the core reason for his lack of Muggle childhood privileges.
With Ashley she finally could connect with someone in that way. Hermione found out that Ashley was a hardcore Disney fan like her, of course Ashley preferred the brave, strong lead males sweeping the girls of their feet, whereas Hermione was a princess wannabe. Their music taste was identical and so to were their selection of child toys. They had so many things in common that Hermione actually voiced to Ashley that they might well indeed have been best friends a decade ago.
This had less than a positive effect. Ashley's smile shrunk considerably and Hermione was cursing herself for her big mouth. "Sorry, I can't seem to stop making things awkward today."
"No. I agree. We probably would've been best friends a decade ago. I certainly needed one."
"How bad was it?"
"Having no friends? Or my...freakishness?" Ashley asked.
Hermione balked and spluttered. "What? You are not a freak. Ashley, your sexual orientation is the only differing quality that separates you from human design. Yes, humans naturally are supposed be born attracted to the opposite sex for reproduction, but we are also not born to kill, torture and bully each other. I have met many people in my life and a lot of them, if not all of them, have qualities that separate them from God's image as Christians say. There are plenty of people who are straight who I would class less as human as you. Your sexuality doesn't make you a freak the same as being a witch doesn't. It only seems freakish to the people too ignorant to understand that humans are not weighed down by their natural biology, we need unnatural differences to separate ourselves. And we don't always choose what sort of differences we are given. You remember that."
Ashley grinned widely and laughed a little. "Hermione, I love how passionately you defend me, it is really flattering and I appreciate that. But if you let me expand on my question you might realise I didn't mean it quite like that. I may not be a freak because I'm gay, but to ten year olds who watch Disney films and love bright pink decor, it isn't quite as understandable to them is it. Ten year olds don't even know what gay really means. They just know that girls don't do icky things with other girls, you get me?"
"Oh, right. I guess I can see your point."
"Girls just stayed away from me. Not at first of course, I didn't even have any ability to decipher anything about romance and sexuality. It wasn't until my first girl crush at nine that girls seemed freaked out by me. Of course to me it was natural, like a normal crush people talk about. So as impulsive a child as I was, I started to do things. I got very clingy round my crush, always wanting to hold her hand and stuff, following her everywhere, touching her too much. It, of course, pushed her away, furthermore pushing others away. I was outcasted by everybody, even the teachers told me off when they caught me running after the girl. I had nobody. That's when I asked my mum why people hate me so much. My teacher had contacted my mum on several occasions explaining the incidents in class so she knew exactly what the problem was. Well, she knew the problem of why they hated me but she didn't know it was because of my orientation. I told my mum everything about school and the girl I like and she seemed concerned. She told me that maybe staying away from the girl and to stop doing the things the teacher tells me off for, I might get my friends back again. So I then knew that apparently liking that girl was bad for some reason and that if I stopped everything will be ok again. So I did and eventually my crush faded, after a while I got my friends back. A year later, I had another crush on another girl. And because my mum only told me to stop bothering the girl from before, I did the same things as before. This time though my crush WAS my best friend and when history repeated itself I was even more broken by it. When I asked mum again about it she was no longer concerned and as such told me more. She had the job of convincing a ten year old girl that liking other girls in general may seem normal, but it is not. She told me I wasn't doing anything bad, I was just supposed to do things differently. She said that in a few years I will understand and when in a few years if I like this girl again or like another, I should embrace who I am and do it. But she told me I was too young to do it now and for the time being, if I have a crush do nothing until I understand more"
Hermione listened carefully all through the story and chose that moment to clarify. "Your mum knew you were gay before you did. It was sweet of her to explain that to you in terms you could understand. I mean to be all accepting of you at an age where love and romance is not really an issue you associate with, as well as looking after your wellbeing, she deserves anyone's respect."
"She also never mentioned any of it to my dad. I was always closer to mum anyway and dad wasn't the type to ask about my day so it never got back to him." Ashley added.
"But he did find out? You said you were around that age when he disowned you?" Hermione stated more than asked.
"Yes. He did. But I'm over it now." Ashley bluntly answered. "You know, another reason for my contempt to Muggles is because they never understood me. Muggles tend to find things that are different, strange right." She laughed and replied. "Well I'm over it at least."
"So didn't you say you didn't have friends until Mac and Lew?" Hermione queried.
"I had friends, I didn't stick with them in case they realised my weirdness. I tried the same thing with Mac and Lew, obviously it didn't work. I understood what I was by then and had friends who accepted me, so my mum was right all along."
"That is such a great tale. That is what heroes are made of Ash, pure self-belief and perseverance." Hermione complimented.
Ashley smirked and said. "Overdoing that a bit."
"Perhaps. But it is nonetheless admirable."
"Coming from you, compliments just seem patronizing. I know you don't intend them too, but I just can't take them seriously from THE Hermione Granger." Ashley admitted honestly.
Hermione frowned. "I don't throw compliments around lightly, If that's what you're implying. I admit you need some work with your trust issues and i'm still a bit put out about your Muggle loathing. I appreciate your bravery though, even more so with your maturity. I thought I was mature at eleven, you put me to shame."
"I'm sorry if I was too suspicious and judgemental, I just detest being treated like a messiah for a relatively tame reason. I'm sorry." Ashley sincerely replied.
Hermione shrugged off the apology to ask another question. "Magical people understood you better, yet you rejected friendship. Why?"
"Well I didn't exactly express my sexuality for all to see. After my Dad it finally clicked in my head that maybe the closet would be better for now. Through my experiences at Muggle school, I couldn't allow people to know about me. So anyone who got too close I just severed ties to, in mostly decisive and unforgiving ways. You could call it counter-productive if you like, but it spared me pain. Mac and Lew recognised me as an in the closet homosexual. They saw right through my schemes and so were unshakable. I realised quickly that it needed only one person to accept me and I no longer had to worry about losing friends again. So Ashley the lesbian finally came out to the world."
"That reminds me of my boys. They changed me so much. It was gradual but they eventually taught me the most important real life lessons I needed to know. How insignificant superiority was, how logic and reason are never always an option, how to enjoy the little things, how authority and rules should be challenged rather than followed along blindly. Three peas in a pod that narrowly missed the blender multiple times." Hermione could feel the lump growing in her throat as she shared her piece.
"The fancy metaphors." Ashley chuckled. "You know you have connections if you can sum your relationship up through a metaphor."
"My peas in a pod." Hermione started.
"My Musketeers."
"An insufferable prat that I can't decide whether I want to throttle or kiss."
"A clueless moth that can't resist the angelic light of her girlfriend's face."
Hermione laughed loudly at Ashley's self-inflicted insult. Ashley took in Hermione's happy face and blurted "A domestic cat that is scared she may kiss the powerful lioness."
Hermione heard it and tried acknowledging it. Her face turned thoughtful, clearly she hadn't been very on the ball with that one. The cute confused frown and crinkled nose was too adorable to witness in the light of the warm fire and Ashley suddenly leaned in close. Hermione turned at the motion and both girls stared eye to eye,noses touching, lips watering, breaths quickening. Both girls at a stalemate with themselves; fighting the urges to run but not delving any further into uncharted territory. Tantalizingly slowly, they began closing the distance.
Suddenly a click is heard just behind them and they hurriedly separate. A man stood beside the fire, Ministry robes on his body and a gun in his hand.
Wait, a GUN! The Ministry are using guns now.
"Hate to spoil this touching moment but...well, you know exactly why I'm here."
Both girls smartly raised their arms over their head, but Ashley braved conversation. "How did you find us?"
"A little birdie tweeted away to the wrong person. Now, hand yourselves in calmly and with no fuss." He obliged her.
"I guess you're not the only guy here right. You probably have us surrounded, all armed like yourself. If this chitchat don't work, you move in with force. If we attempt to escape or Hermione reaches for her wand, they will shoot at will. Shoot to maim of course, you need Hermione alive." Ashley observed.
"That's pretty much the jist of it."
"Very wise. After all, you cannot be fully trained in the use of a firearm in such a small amount of time. Any idiot can pull a trigger but aiming and reloading must be a concern for you right. But thirty or more so followers couldn't possibly all miss right?" She was having fun with the guy now and Hermione was actually questioning her methods now.
"A joker. I do enjoy it when they show character. You seem confident." The man stated.
"Let's just say I can do things with guns that will have you in therapy for months, and I'm even more skilled against them."
"That confident are you. I would love to put that theory to the test but we unfortunately do not have time. Step away from the fugitive and walk slowly towards me." The man ordered.
Ashley was at least smart enough to follow his command. Arms still raised, she slowly began to walk forwards. "Was your informant a little girl named Rosalina by any chance?"
"The red-head, no. She later admitted seeing you too after our informant provided us the information."
Hermione replied this time. "Who else knew we were here?"
"Such trivial matters don't matter now. However it would be worth it anyway to see the look on your face, especially you Milanski." Before Ashley could question him further he called over his shoulder to someone outside the lit up part of the field. "Bring the informant to me."
Escorted by two aurors, the informant was brought into the light. She was visibly fuming and staring daggers at the leader who just smiled back. "Good evening, Mrs Bartholomew. I hope my associates have been treating you well."
"You ignorant wretch, I specifically told you to not put my granddaughter into any harm! I will kill you for this!" The old woman seethed.
"Allow me to introduce Mrs Bartholomew...oh, wait you two know each other? How incredible yet unfortunate." The man cackled.
"Shut up!" Ashley snapped then turned to her grandmother. "Grandma, what's going on? What happened?"
Hermione understood what was happening and whispered out so only Ashley could hear. "Prepare yourself. You're not gonna like this."
"Your dear Grandma sold you two out. That's what happened." The man seemed to thrive on life-destroying moments.
"You're lying. She would never do that, she's family." Ashley countered.
"Betrayals are common in your family then. Ask her for yourself."
Ashley turned to her Grandma. "He's lying. I know you wouldn't do that." However seeing the hurt expression her grandmother now donned and the lack of eye contact, Ashley became concerned. "He's lying right? Tell me this isn't true."
Mrs Bartholomew then shifted to her normal posture and tried to go for the stern approach. "Now Ashley, getting all upset won't help anyone. My first instinct and most important allegiance is to the wellbeing of my family. You are my granddaughter and I would die before I see you suffer. That is why I had no other choice but to talk to this creep here…" She nods at the leader who pretended to look offended. "...This tirade will only end with you in a prison cell or dead, the longer it goes on for the more I fear for your wellbeing. You haven't had children before, you don't understand what lengths a mother will go to in order to keep her child safe. I failed to go to those lengths with your father, now I've lost him for good. I promised you I would not make the same mistake with my granddaughter. I have no animosity towards Hermione there, I have deep respect for her. But I will always put family first, even if they don't appreciate the efforts."
Ashley didn't speak, couldn't speak. The truth was still sinking in and the more it sank the more it tore at her heart. She couldn't move. She couldn't even see clearly, probably due to the unnoticed tears that began to form. It was a long while before anyone said anything, possibly waiting for a reaction of some kind from Ashley. But she just stared at her Grandma, hoping and willing that this was a dream and she fell asleep whilst talking to Hermione. She finally built up the courage to say. "You. You told him. You betrayed me."
"Please dear, see it from my point of view. You were in serious danger and this tirade is going to get you killed. I couldn't just sit by and wait. I had to act. I did this for you-"
"For me?" Ashley interrupted. "You betrayed me, because you thought you were saving me? You wanted no harm to come to me but you told this idiot where I was? Have you noticed the fact that he is pointing a gun at the person you were 'trying to save'? Do you understand that I'm going to Azkaban anyway, regardless of how short you made this 'tirade'? I am no safer than I was five minutes ago. In fact five minutes ago, I was COMPLETELY safe. And I was happy. If this was your brilliant rescue attempt, then it is a stupid arse rescue attempt. But none of that bothers me as much as the fact that my own family chose a different side."
"Ashley!" Mrs Bartholomew gasped.
"No! You don't get to feel hurt, you don't deserve my sympathy or forgiveness! No matter how much you justify it, no matter how much I understand why, I still cannot forgive you! I might never forgive you! I certain as hell won't trust you ever again! The woman who came to me when my dad turned his back on me, has done the same! The woman who I came to about my problems, stabbed me in the back! Like mother like son! You're no better than he is and now, just like i do him, I hate you!"
Ashley immediately lowered her arms and faced the man. "If you want Hermione you're gonna have to kill me."
"Ashley, no!" Mrs Bartholomew pleaded.
"Shut up!" Both the man and Ashley yelled at her.
"I won't be holding back Milanski." The man told her seriously.
"Milanski." She replied, looking pointedly at her traitor. "Now that's a name I'm proud to have"
Hermione hated using an emotionally driven moment as an advantage but they both couldn't just be collected up like naughty children who run away, and the situation just got severely dangerous for Ashley. Using the argument as a distraction, she had subtly managed to reach her wand and clasp it tightly. If anybody noticed she was sure she would be in a lot of pain right now and have lost a significant amount of blood. Just before the situation could escalate further, Hermione made a lightning quick swipe with her wand and the large fire that was the only thing keeping them in the hostiles sight was extinguished, leaving them all in pitch black darkness.
Immediately people began to shout and some guns went off. "Hold your fire! The target is still here! Find some form of light source and find them before they disapparate!" The man from before ordered loudly.
Hermione had rushed to Ashley's position she recalled from before the fire went out, but she was no longer there. It made sense that Ashley would use the darkness as an advantage to move in case the man shot blindly where she previously was, but now Hermione had to find her in the dark and without magic so that she herself would not be spotted.
Suddenly a hand grabs her and she holds back a scream. The hand was too strong to be a woman's. "What is your name!?"
Hermione used a nonverbal spell to change her voice so when she spoke she sounded much older and croakier. "Verona Peachwater."
"I've never heard of you before, but I guess I have no choice but to trust you. Come with me to find Granger."
"Ok."
The second he let go of her she stunned him. Hermione immediately walked away, not too quickly so that her rushed footsteps wouldn't draw too much suspicion. A load of calling and shouting was all she could hear. Small white lights were being waved about far from where she was. She knew to avoid them but she hadn't the slightest clue of how to signal Ashley without compromising herself.
"Uggh. Where is she?" Hermione groaned out loud, luckily in her fake voice. Someone beside her heard and she was scared that they would shine the light onto her. They obviously heard what she had said and fell for the fake voice as they just turned to her and said. "I know, they have probably apparated by now. This is all pointless." He proved his point by waving his torch around lazily.
Then Hermione got an idea. "Do you mind if I borrow that?"
"Knock yourself out, you won't find them they're gone." He then instead of handing her the torch, he dropped it to the floor and wandered off. Normally Hermione would find that rude but she was more than thankful he did that now. Picking up the torch she pretended to search with it for a while. She eventually stopped and flicked it off.
Hermione remembered reading about Morse code during the holidays back in her Hogwarts years. She would visit the Muggle library and read up on all the science, history, geography and other educational subjects. This was so she could embrace her Muggle life whilst coinciding with her magical one. Those lessons proved helpful now, but she hadn't read up enough on light signals. Turning bright lights on in a funny pattern and order was too complex for an afternoon's worth of reading. So Hermione just switched the torch randomly on and off, hoping that Ashley would at least see it as an attempt at Morse code. Wizards wouldn't know what Morse code was.
Hermione did this for five minutes straight and there was still no sign of her protector. The man from before even asked her why her light kept flickering and she told him it was probably low on batteries. When he offered to grab another torch she repeated his statement that they are probably gone and that she just wanted to be seen as though she was doing something. The guy bought it and she continued the flickering. Just when Hermione began to give up another torch began acting similarly to her own. It was about fifty yards away and flickering in much more of a conceivable pattern as her own. Ashley would of course be trained in all sorts of morse code practices, Hermione just hoped this was a message and not a clueless wizard who couldn't operate a torch very well. Hermione turned off her torch and ran, not caring if she was heard or if she drew attention. If they haven't found her already by torchlight then she doubted they would find her now. She got to a few metres from the light and then exclaimed "Ash?"
The light shone on her and the familiar voice of her protector answered. "There you are, you wanna run that plan by me next time, I could've prepared better."
"It was on the spot. Besides, you would've died otherwise, you should be thanking me."
"Thank you...and what the hell is up with your voice?"
"Oh, sorry." Hermione removed the spell and spoke in her normal voice "Better."
"Much better. Now let's go" Ashley then grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the army of torches. They used the torch to lead themselves away. They found the gravel road and used it to get as far away as possible.
The suddenly a light shown them both in the faces and they stopped dead. "Clever plan Granger, you almost made a mockery of my team. Weren't careful en-" He was interrupted by a swift kick to the jaw, knocking him unconsciously.
"I don't hold back either, dick." Ashley warned him.
Both girls continued until they found the main road. Then when they were well lit and relatively safe, Hermione grabbed Ashley and apparated.
…
Tonks arrived in the lobby of the Ministry. The place was dead at night and relatively less protected as normal due to the big mission the aurors were on. What a night to break some friends out of prison?
AN: Chapter 11 done.
I put so much effort into this chapter, I hope it can salvage this story a little bit. It is a slow-burner at times and it does seem illogical. As I said before there are no plot holes or mistakes in what you've read so far, although it may seem that people doing magic when not supposed to is a plot hole. I promise you, those occurrences will be explained, I do improvise a lot but the main narrative is always planned and developed properly. If you keep reading you will soon understand why random bursts of magic go unnoticed.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review, favourite, follow: they are all great and I would love to have them but people actually reading this story is the priority atm.
TBC...The Redemption