Chapter 11

Hermione forced herself to laugh at something Harry stated, thought having returned to the person or rather, the woman who was mysteriously absent from Sunday brunch. An oddity to be sure, as Hermione couldn't remember a time since the end of the war that Minerva hadn't attended.

Hermione's comment on the topic though, was supplanted as George brought the topic to the forefront. "So, noticed that McG isn't here." The ambient noise across the entire gathering became non-existent, "Is she upset with me for what happened last Sunday?"

"Don't be foolish," Arthur admonished between bites, "she sent word yesterday that while she and Hermione had managed to dissolve the containment spell, she was too far behind to attend this weekend and in probability the next one too."

"Sounds like she was agitated, George." Ron stated as he swallowed some pancakes, "As I can't imagine she'd have that much work after just a week of her schedule being messed up."

"I wouldn't have thought so either," Hermione interjected before the conversation went down a path she wouldn't let it go down, "but I did spend the last week in Minerva's company. I was shocked at the overwhelming volume of correspondence she receives during the course of a day. Not only is it pertaining to Hogwarts, but the Wizengamut and Wizarding policy. She was working on it before I would wake, and long after I fell asleep. I don't know how she manages with so little sleep."

"I think she single handedly keeps Fenton's Remedies in business, as she never missed classes no matter how late Fred or I would spook some of the classrooms causing her to descend from the Tower. We did it off and on for over two weeks, and each time, she caught us. I swore at that point, she was supernatural. There were two of us, and we were plum exhausted."

"If it had been after the incident with the stunners, I'd have said it was because Dumbledore had given her Fawkes tears to save her and it stemmed from that." Harry chimed in, "As I felt completely re-invigorated after the incident in the Chamber for years."

"She didn't have phoenix tears." Molly corrected, "As Albus was wanted at the time when Minerva was struck by the stunners, making Fawkes unavailable."

"I always figured she had the tears too," Charlie stated as he heaped another helping of mash onto his plate, "as it would be next to impossible otherwise to have survived, and not to have had any permanent damage. Mikela's uncle was hit with three stunners and died from arrest within an hour."

"Did Helena administer tears somehow once she arrived at St. Mungos?"

"She wasn't transferred to St. Mungos for hours after the incident."

"Then Poppy must have administered them, or had Fawkes go to the infirmary as there is no other way she could have survived." Ginny stated drawing several affirmations from around the table.

"Well that would explain why she doesn't seem as though she's aged the past several years, as it is an elixir and slows the aging process for several years following their ingestion." Fleur relayed.

Arthur and Molly shared a long look before Molly cleared her throat, "Minerva hasn't changed since Arthur and I attended Hogwarts."

The entire table stopped eating, all eyes, including Hermione's landing upon the Weasley matriarch. "Magical persons do age differently," Ginny breathed.

"Okay but it's been what, thirty almost forty years since you both attended Hogwarts?" Charlie asked.

"We graduated forty-three years ago." Arthur answered, "And your mother's correct, Minerva looks very similar to how she did when we attended Hogwarts."

"Similar or hasn't aged?" Hermione asked, knowing very well what had undoubtedly retarded the aging process if that was what had happened.

"One can't tell very well with Minerva, dear. She always wears very formal wear, hiding most of her body except her hands and face. But her face has remained quite similar and has not softened any with age."

"It's probably her animagus and its nine lives." Hermione lightly stated, causing a round of smiles and the conversation to shift away from Minerva, despite its remnants echoing long after in Hermione's thoughts.

xoxox

Hermione hadn't stopped the frown from passing across her face at Filius' answer, nor at his subtle redirection that the Headmistress would not be available for the next two weeks and to come back at that juncture. She had tried to cajole where Minerva had gone, but Filius deftly moved past her attempts as if she was a novice attempting to learn magic again.

And in short, it pissed her off.

She had just been here, for a bloody week.

Had had breakfast with Filius on two different mornings with Minerva.

"Filius, look, I'm sure you are doing as she has asked. I am merely wishing a few minutes of her time to ensure that too it well after having dissolved the containment spell."

"It is beyond me, Hermione." A note of sincerity broke through previously stoic features, "You know the scant amount I know. She left this morning prior to breakfast and stated it would be well into the week after before her return. However, as I'm sure you ascertained last week, there are others she may have confided in regarding her whereabouts and the reason behind her…hiatus."

"Thank you." Hermione breathed, her cloak brushing along her ankles as she quickly spun away and hastily began descending the stairs as she inwardly debated where Helena would be at – home or St. Mungos…or somewhere else.

xoxox

Helena felt utterly and truly torn as she stared at the borderline desperate woman before her.

"It's obvious by your lack of response that you do know where Minerva has gone. Just…" Hermione felt the words hitch as she pushed on, "is she alright?" Brown scanned across blue eyes, "She missed Sunday brunch which hasn't happened in the past two years. And I just wanted to be certain that there wasn't a complication from that blasted containment spell…" Her voice trailing off at seeing the truth spark behind Helena's eyes, "there was…"

And Helena turned away to keep from divulging more, despite not saying anything.

"What happened?" Hermione questioned, reaching for Helena's shoulder.

"She made a decision." Helena stated pushing her own feelings aside on the topic as she desperately tried to remember why Minerva had done what she had, and forced herself to turn around.

"She does that frequently, but I'm more concerned with how it affected her and I'm guessing myself in conjunction with the containment spell. As I thought the spell I cast helped to dissolve the spell."

"You have been freed, and…"

"Don't patronize me." Hermione's voice overriding Helena's. "I am aware of the final outcome, and from her ambiguous letter and now your obfuscation, it's become apparent more happened after I passed out. What I want to know is what did happen? And if she is alright?"

"The potion didn't work." Harold's distinct cadence rumbled from behind Hermione, "And they left, with you in tow after administering a dreamless draught."

"What?!" Hermione practically screeched, "Where…what…?!"

"God damn you Harold!" Helena snapped over Hermione's one word questions. "She asked you…"

"You asked." He countered, voice holding firm. "And she," his eyes momentarily flickering over to Hermione, "has a right to know what happened Friday eve, and what Minerva sacrificed for her so she could have a normal life."

"Sacrificed?" Hermione barely pushed the word past numb lips, "What do you mean sacrificed?"

"Go ahead, Harold." Helena spat, "Tell her everything."

"I'm not suggesting we break Minerva's trust, but Hermione has a right to know what happened to her and what it required to break the containment spell; whether Minerva wishes to divulge it or not, as Hermione was a part of the containment spell!"

"But in telling Hermione, we will be breaking her trust!"

"If it were anyone else, then yes it would be, but Hermione was connected to her!"

"Hello!" Hermione yelled over them, "You realize I am right here!"

Neither Helena or Harold turned, their gazes remaining steadfast upon the other.

"And I can hear you!"

"She'll never forgive me." Helena's shoulders sank at her utterance, in proportion with her voice.

"Yes, well, you can do what you always do." A hint of a grin pulled across his features as he finished. "Blame me."

"What in blazes are you two on about?"

Helena turned to Hermione, "The simple truth is that the potion didn't work Friday evening. And after we assessed the effects, we realized that no potion would. She can't be pulled through phases as we can, as her body is already naturally aphasic."

"Then why didn't she sever the string?"

"Because she opted to remain human."

Dimly Hermione began to process what Minerva stated and that her blood chemistry had been altered and what that truly meant, "Versus being a unicorn? She's a human, and I don't see how her blood chemistry being slightly different would cause her to be naturally aphasic."

"It's more than slightly altered, Hermione." Harold corrected, "If one would look at her blood only, you'd think she was a hybrid."

"But that's impossible." Hermione countered, "I mean…everything ever written states that…"

"We are acutely aware." Helena interjected. "However, it doesn't mitigate the facts."

"So what, she…" Hermione pushed her logical mind forward with the scant facts at her disposal, desperately trying to work out what had happened. "Found a way to become aphasic to enable her to cut the string?"

"She did, through making a deal with…"

"A unicorn." Hermione finished recalling Minerva's statement about knowing a unicorn. "But I don't see what that would accomplish, as she can't just become aphasic if she hasn't been."

"She's a hybrid, Hermione. It isn't that she can't become aphasic. She has chosen not to be."

"Okay then, why not stop being aphasic after separating the thread again?"

"Because being aphasic is part of being a unicorn, and she walked away from that life over sixty years ago instead choosing to live a human life. And to become aphasic, means now, she'll have to keep her promise and live between both worlds."

"How? Transform between a unicorn and human? Is that even possible?"

"Apparently, unicorns are not solely four-legged creatures, but live among us as humans."

"But why ask her to live between both worlds when she has lived solely in our world and not in theirs?"

"Because of a commitment made when she was much younger." Helena carefully answered.

"And how is living a life between two worlds a sacrifice?"

"Rather the commitment," Harold answered drawing a look from his wife, "as she returned to their world and now must abide by their customs, including becoming betrothed within this coming week."

"Betrothed within a week? Are they mad?"

"Minerva stated that while living amongst them for a time, she learned what the betrothal process was and that it wasn't like what we are accustomed to. And that it is for life."

"You mean to tell me, that for us to have the blasted string cut from our forearms, Minerva now has to be married for life to a…someone that is in actual point of fact a unicorn? And what, she'd just vanish for a week, return and be betrothed?"

"Most people are not aware of her personal life, so in that aspect, it'd be rather simple."

"Except that she'll be married to someone who she…" Hermione's voice caught as she finished, "won't be in love with for the rest of her life." She paused a solitary heartbeat, mind morosely repeating the notion of what else Minerva would have to endure within her life because of a satchel, a string, a curious boy and dreadful timing. "Is there no way to prevent her from marrying?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Helena stated not willing to divulge the rest of the story.

"So, this time away is…what precisely? Enabling her to become engaged?"

"By betrothed, I meant more along the context of married versus engaged."

"Married? You mean to tell me, that the next time I see Minerva, she'll be married?!"

"Yes."

"No." Hermione countered as she began shaking her head as a wave of nausea swept over her, "No. I won't, she can't…" Her voice raspily continuing on, "give up her happiness for me. After all that happened to her…"

"Hermione," Helena laid her fingers on Hermione's arm stilling the younger woman's movements, "she's already made the decision. There's nothing to be done."

"Nothing?!" Hermione snapped jerking her arm away, "Bullocks! Where is she? There has to be a way…" Hermione felt the tears push past her lashes and land upon her cheeks as she cried out in desperation, "There has to be a way to help her."

Xoxox

a/n: :)