~A/N~
Here is the next chapter! I am working furiously to get more of this story done for you! :D
So, there will be some action soon! That's all I will say!
Keep in mind, I'm literally making up this story as I go along. XD Apologies if it's rubbish in some places. :P
Is the end near? You'll just have to wait and see! XD
Here it is!
Enjoy!
~End of A/N~
Tuesday.
August 11, 2005.
Over fourty-five Mutt attacks...more than fifteen kills and thirty attacks where the victims survived, just barely. After centuries without a single toe out of line, now, in less than nine months there are almost fifty attacks. To say that the Clans are worried would be an understatement. The past three months there have been over thirty attacks. And with each attack, the Mutts are becoming more and more aggressive. Lucius has been doing his best to keep order, but when you are faced with those you love being carted away by Medi-witches, unsure if they will make it or not, you don't think clearly. Perseus, Pansy's father, ran every magical test he could think of to identify the Mutt who left a threatening note in my office. He came up with nothing. That scared the Clan's even more. According to his findings, the Mutt who wrote it used complex and sophisticated charms to hide his identity. These Mutts are clearly not rabid, leaderless, wild animals. They are well organized by a man who knows what he is doing.
Just as I had promised Dray, I have been working overtime to try and find anything I could to help them identify as many Mutts as possible. But, lately, I can not deny how exhausted I have been. I see traumas everyday, I saw terrible carnage during the war, and yet for the first time in years. I found myself crying over a file of one of the young men killed by a Mutt. He was a member of a Clan close to ours, he was the nephew of the Clan's Sjef.
Sjef Andonov and Lucius met when they were in school, their father's knew each other through business relations. When they were young, Sjef Andonov and Lucius would go to Quidditch matches in Bulgaria. They made a pact, when they were older and were leaders of their Clans, they would always stand behind each other. So the day that we got word of his nephew's death, we all went to Bulgaria to stand with them. We stayed for the funeral. Lycan funeral's are traditional Norse funerals. The body is laid either on a funeral pyre or a ship, and then is set ablaze. At times, they do not burn them. Some prefer to be buried more modernly. In a handmade casket, with their grave goods. Their sword, a few personal possessions, and something that represents their family and Clan.
Kosta, Sjef Andonov's nephew, chose the pyre. He was then buried with his sword, a necklace from his mother, a ring from his father, a dagger from Sjef Andonov, and a shield which had the Clan's insignia on it. That night was one that can never be forgotten. It was also the night I had discovered that Dray had a funeral planned out, his funeral. By the age of thirteen, a Clan member must have funeral instructions in written form. Should they die, their families would know what they wanted. Looking over Kosta Andonov's file, it brought it all back. And I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
The Clans have met once a month since April. Each time they try their hardest to come up with a plan to handle the Mutts. And yet each time, something else happens and they have to replan everything. Every time Lucius and Dray are away at a sammenkomst, Cissa and I pray to the Gods that this will all be over soon. We can't bear being away from them for so long. But we know that we must, the last thing they should be worried about is us.
I sat down at my desk and sighed, running a hand through my hair, and leaning my head back. Aside from being beyond exhausted the past couple months, I've been nauseous. I may be a Healer TH1 and Healer GH1, however, I can not tell if it is from stress or if I am coming down with something. I've done my best to hide it from Dray, but truth be told, there isn't really anything that you can hide from a Lycan. I took a deep breath and tried to relax. Stress can be very hard on one's body. But before I could truly relax, there was a knock at my door. I opened my eyes and looked to see a very pregnant Sabrina standing there with her hands on her hips.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at home resting." I said as I sat up straight. She just chuckled.
"There is only so much resting one woman can take. Besides, I had an appointment. The little one will be here soon, and for the love of the Gods, I hope she doesn't stay in there any longer than she needs to. I'm a bloody planet right now. Anyways, you look like Thestral shit." I snorted and then leaned back in my chair as she walked in and sat down in a chair in front of my desk.
"Well, thanks. Feel like it too. There better not be a war, I don't think I could handle much more." She nodded and rubbed her swollen belly.
"Have you thought about taking some time off and focusing on just Clan work right now?" I looked at her and then sighed.
"I have, but with Healer Buckingham out sick, it would be a bloody nightmare to have two Trauma Healer's down. However, if Draco get's his way, I'll be home for a month." She chuckled and nodded.
"I swear, the man is becoming more and more attentive and protective with each second that passes. At first I thought it was because of the Mutts, but why would I need protection from wooden floors? He won't let me walk around the Manor barefoot. What are they going to do? Bite me?" Her eyes narrowed at me and then they widened.
"Do you trust me, Hermione?" She asked with a straight face. My brows furrowed and I nodded.
"Yes, of course. Why?" She then pushed herself up from the chair, walked around the side of my desk, and held a hand out to me.
"Come with me." I took her hand, but still had a confused look.
"Okay, but where are we going?" She took a deep breath and then spoke.
"To take a test." My brows furrowed more, but I followed her. Something told me that whatever the test was, I wouldn't fail it.
Thursday.
September 1, 2005.
(DRACO P.O.V.)
I flipped through a few pages of the file and then scanned for any sign of a name, a place, a date, something that could tell me who the sodding bastard that threatened my mate is. But, like I had feared, I found nothing. I had been at this since about nine o'clock in the morning. And according to the clock on the mantel, it was almost midnight. Mia had eaten dinner and then went to bed, she was exhausted. Luckily, with the help of mother and father, I had convinced her to take some time off from St. Mungo's. She would be safer in the Manor, and it would be nice to see her everyday.
I ran a hand through my hair and then heard light footsteps outside of my study doors. I smiled. The doors opened to reveal Mia in her night clothes, robe, and slippers. Her hair was slightly a mess and she had a tired look in her eyes. But I could tell she had gotten some sleep.
"You're still looking through all of that? Didn't you and Lucius go through it all already?" She asked as she made her way over to me. I sighed and nodded.
"I was hoping to find something that we had missed. Unfortunately, there isn't anything." She nodded and then sat on my lap. I held her and kissed her neck, something I do all the time now. It's comforting to the both of us.
"I could take another look at the traces of DNA on Kosta's clothes, see if Harry could run it again. I've asked Sjef Britnell to send me the clothes of the latest victim. There could be some usable DNA." She said looking at the desk with her brows furrowed. I leaned my forehead against her shoulder.
"Ten new Mutt attacks in not even a month. I hate this." I said against the silk robe. She leaned her head against mine and nodded.
"So do I. And to think, seven months ago we were worried about a Marriage Law." I chuckled.
"Correction: you were worried, elskede." She rolled her eyes and chuckled.
"Ok, Mr. Malfoy. I was worried, but you were too. I know you were." I smirked and nodded slightly, as I looked into her gorgeous chocolate brown eyes.
"I was. But, I'll be forever grateful for that damn law." She smirked and then kissed me.
"As will I." She said as we leaned our foreheads against each others. We sat there, content and peaceful. Just enjoying the feel of being close to each other. But we heard a POP, and looked over to see a worried and scared Mitzi standing there in front of my desk. The poor girl was shaking in her socks.
"Mitzi, what's wrong, sweetheart?" Mia said as she stood up and walked over to the little elf. I followed her and crouched down next to her.
"Mitzi was jus cleaning Einarr's litter box, when an Owl arrived. The Owl flew away before Mitzi could gives it a treat. But when Mitzi wents to pick up the letter, it shocked Mitzi." She said holding out her hand. There was a red mark on her palm. Mia grabbed my wand and healed what looked to be a burn.
"Where is the letter, Mitzi?" I asked as I put a hand on her arm. She pointed out the study doors.
"Mitzi left its where the Owl dropped its." I looked at Mia, she had a worried look on her face.
"Which room?" Mia said in a calm and soothing voice, trying to stop the little house elf from shaking.
"The sun room, Mistress Hermione." I nodded and stood. Mia went to walk out the door with me but I stopped her.
"Stay with Mitzi, I'll get it." I said before kissing her forehead and making my way to the sunroom. When I walked in I saw the letter lying on the floor next to the window where the owl must've dropped it. I knelt down and looked at it. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with it. I held my hand about an inch above it, I didn't feel any kind of energy coming off of it. So I picked it up. It didn't shock me. I went back to my study, finding Mia sitting on the couch with a slightly less scared Mitzi. Mia saw me and stood up.
"It didn't shock me. My guess is, whoever sent it wanted one of us to be the one to pick it up first." She nodded and then stood next to me. I slowly opened the letter and quickly noticed what it was. It was written in Old Norse Runes. Mia's brow furrowed and she looked at me for an explanation.
"They're runes. We are taught to read, write, and know what each one means when we are young. However, runes are to be used by Clans only. Whoever is leading the Mutts, they grew up in a Clan." She bit her lip and took a deep breath.
"What does it say?" She asked as she looked at it.
"Those who were quick to deal out death and judgment will be the ones to fall at the edge of our blades. We grow stronger everyday, and soon, we will strike at your true heart. Like an ice cold wind, you won't see us coming. But you will feel it. You'll know who we are soon enough, forrædere." I sighed and had to suppress a growl. Mia held my arm in a tight grip.
"What does that last word mean?" I sighed again and then practically threw the letter down on an end table.
"Traitors. It means traitors. This sodding tosser is absolutely delusional." She rubbed my back and then hugged me.
"We will figure this out, Dray. I promise." She said before kissing me. I sighed and held her.
"You should get some sleep, elskede. I have to go show father the letter." She nodded but didn't let go right away.
"Come to bed soon." I nodded and then kissed her before making my way to mother and father's wing.
~A/N~
Oh boy, more threatening letters! And I wish I could've written the letter in Runes, all of my notes for this story are in Old Norse Runes. XD
-Hermione is experiencing something strange.
-Someone smart is at the other end of this.
-Poor Mitzi caught in the crossfire.
-Prego Sabrina.
What test did Hermione take?
Who is writing these letters?
Will they really find out soon who is behind all this?
Is there some action around the corner?
Will there be a war? Clans vs Mutts?
Who is the Villain's little helper?
Find out soon!
Review and stay tuned!
~Cass~
(P.S. Remember, the end is just the beginning. There will be a sequel! :D )