Story title: the Gentleman Prefers
Chapter 20; entitled: Skunked Again
Author: billybobcsgun36 - - id# 641050
Word count: 3,068
Category: AU - Alternate Universe;
Wherein Hp characters don't follow cannon in their behavior.
Warning #; I will pick and choose items from JKR last two books as it suits my fancy, and disregard other bits of cannon just as easily.
Standardized disclaimer: is there anyone on this planet that doesn't know who has all legal copy rights to Harry Potter, with us in fan fiction just burrowing it for our own amusement and that of our readers.
AN/ its Friday time for another update - but this time I have a rquest - please review, it helps more than you know.
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Roll film
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Once Becca managed to resuscitate Hermione - the two witched rushed back to the Gardeners cottage on the Prewett estate. The first floor showed an empty cot - a hard-wood high back chair and nightstand - - all devoid of any trace of Neville. They hurried through the tunnel into moon room only to find it spotlessly clean and rearranged back into a Wolfbane plant herbarium – complete with once again working moon-lamps.
In a tiny cotton and wood framed partitioned cubicle - next to the entrance, sat a propped-up Viktor Krum on his camp-cot …with a lit oil lamp between the two cots on a cozy little night stand - listening contently to the news on the Wizarding wireless. Looking up at the two witches as they entered he said is sad soft voice.
"He's no here. Das-Mann der-Honor – a real pity - dat you-two couldn't leave well-enough alone."
"He spoke to you before he left?"
"JA - he did, das-mann felt obligated das explain him-self. He loves mine …elfin Becky – und leaving you hurt bad – I could dell," Viktor said in broken English.
"Do you have any idea where he took the others?" Becca asked fighting back tears - as Hermione stared at the empty wooden slab where Ron's body had once laid …silently sobbing.
"I overheard das house-elves talk - - dey-say about going to de 'foundation stone, first home', whatever dat meant. Neville tell me before he go - dat in your heart I had more priority denn -de Weasel - - did – are du choosing me after all?" Viktor said in heavily accented broken English.
"I'm sorry Viktor, we've already had this discussion and you and I are incompatible,"
"But Neville say - -"
"Neville has been wrong about any number of issues during this adventure," Hermione said shaking her head sadly. "I admit to having trouble expressing any noticeable outward signs - of my preference to be with Ron over other men. He has …and rightfully so - felt second place for many years now - over my often disproportionately …near-total support of Harry. I know that has to change, big-time. Had I been more straightforward in the past, in demonstrating his priority in my life - - then my 'brother interview' would not have been so ruinous- for us".
"Tell me dis not helpful - -"
"You and I don't fit".
"No-no, I accept dat you be wit-him, - - but you should tell der Weasel dis – not me".
"Easier said than done," Hermione lamented. "When it comes to Ron and my feelings – I'm a coward."
"You coward –nein, Viktor snarled weakly. You dis more prefect din Athena; never-ever …wrong!"
"Damnit – this is why I can't be with you - - I'm not a bloody infallible Goddess". Hermione shouted at Viktor - suddenly blindly furious. "I don't walk on water - - I muck-up things all the ruddy time".
"We have to find our men, and sort this out. I for one – don't intend my new spouse to slip right through my fingers the way Hannah let him do." Becca said coming out of her own regret filled reflections. "But the question remains - - where to look? What does a house-elf mean when referring to a foundation stone?
"He wouldn't go back to his Gran's old Manor house, that's too obvious. Besides; I handled Augusta's estate when she passed; it was my first pro-bono publico …estate case. The Manor house was sold to Alfred Enoch and his Family. So Neville can't have gone to that first Home …for is no longer empty.
"Nein- nein, stop thinking wizard," Viktor interrupted in a weak whisper. "Better das find out what dis meant by first home to das house-elf. Their cultural reference …nein human",
"Viktor's right, but I can't just pop over to Hogwarts library for a-bit of Elf-lore research", Hermione moaned.
"Pack your things Hermione, I happen to know personally - the European expert on House Elf culture and their social traditions and I'm sure she'll help me – for a price".
"Mama?" Viktor whispered softly almost to himself - with a shudder of dread
"I beg your pardon," Hermione asked, partially coming out of her weeping-depression to look hard at Viktor. "What's this about your mother?"
"You'll either have to pretend to be a couple or not come along". Becca said thinking out loud while straightening her shoulders and gathering her resolve. "Maybe it's better for everyone that I face her alone",
"Face who? Are we going to battle?" Hermione asked feeling confused.
"In da way das JA …yes vee are," Viktor said softly.
"Isn't your mother in Bulgaria?" Hermione asked.
"Nein, mit-mama was one of many wives mine-papa has had," Viktor declared sounding ashamed. "Dis da reason dat I half-brother to Becky ; Same mama – different papa's".
"We need to find a secluded spot in Dartmoor forest and set up the Potter war-tent as Neville so kindly suggested. We can use it as a base of operations as it's not too far from Plymouth and Bole castle. Yes–yes, I like that idea".
"mit-etw …I mean - - do I have to… go?"
"She is your mother Viktor, stop acting like a baby."
"Das Veela die scary!"
"Alright then - you can stay in the tent. You big die-feigling!
"Nien –coward!" and what followed was a big sibling argument in a stream of pure Bulgarian - and away from the broken-German spoken at Durmstrang, - - - a fact that always amused Hermione – for now that she knew where the school was physically located – she always thought that either Finnish – or - to a lesser extent, the Murmansk area - old Imperial Wizarding Russian - would have been more appropriate.
Standing near the doorway and watching Becca and Viktor have a sibling argument reminded Hermione of the verbal squabbles that Ron use to have with his sister Ginny, and just the thought that that would never happen again made Hermione feel very-very sad.
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Twenty-two days later - in a very familiar tent - deep in the moors of Dartmoor.
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Hermione couldn't help the feeling of - Deja-vu. Here she was once again hiding-out from the Ministry – with two others. The gender mix had been reversed - but the surroundings were the same? Thank-god Becca could go into the local village for groceries and she didn't have to catch and burn (not cook –burn) the local fish. Viktor had her old solo bed and she had rather firmly claimed Ron's upper-bunk.
Every couple of days, Becca made the painful pilgrimage to the Bole estate for fresh research materials. Hermione had gone with Becca exactly once and had sworn to never do that again. Viktor had been right; a half-Veela in person – is intimidating beyond belief – polite with absolutely prefect manners – the perfect hostess in every way –a beautiful – elegant – platinum blonde – with elf like pointed ears - seductress. But there was also an aura surrounding - Boadicea Bole - that was beyond-powerful – not to be denied - - -scary.
During the one and only audience, Hermione shared with Milady Bole – She learned that to a House-elf the foundation stone was the very special place where a new elf-clan first formed. The first home was yet another term for the human concept of the foundation of a building where an old Wizarding family crossed the invisible line separating nobility and commoner.
OoOoOoOo - - Begin flashback.
"So how do we find the exact spot where a particular elf clan was formed?" Hermione asked slightly trembling as she had on day one at Hogwarts when confront a powerful looking professor McGonagall. Becca had been briefly dismissed to visit her younger sisters –while lady Bole 'got to know better' her daughters only female friend in recent history. - Pauline Fossil - as introduced by Becca.
"You don't – house-elf's were first brought to England during the second Roman invasion under the emperor Claudius. You say you're a friend of my daughter - helping her in this ridiculous attempt to bring back from the dead - my oldest son Viktor. I've read in the newspapers recently of the silly battle the Avalon are having with the reformed Death Eaters movement - over the Arthurian Myth resurrection potion. I sincerely hope you are not a part of that nonsense".
"No Milady – our current research is not based on recreating - the Lazarus potion," Hermione said feeling very small.
"That's good to hear?" Boadicea purred softly. "Your clearly too young and bookish to be an expert in potions like my Becca - so what role do you have in my daughter foolish obsession?
"Research and translations," – Hermione replied automatically shaking her head trying to clear.
"Don't brother child, you cannot lie to me. I'm a half-Veela and I have all the powers of my pure blooded sisters".
"But I thought that Veela's had not effect on women" – Hermione said weakly.
"A common misimpression", Boadicea replied. "For a quarter-blood Veela or below that's true enough, but enemies of my kind, - my dear - come in both human genders. Among the full Veela's - - children such as my daughters would be put-down as genetically defective – myself included. My mother however …as do I - share a weakness for powerful human wizards. With a lifespan of nearly two-hundred and a body that does not show signs of age until mere hours before death. I have enjoyed the bed of several human-wizards and only moved on to a new spouse - when they provided me with proof beyond doubt - that they no longer loved me.
"My previous husband; Hugo, for example - betrayed me with other women and was politically dissatisfied that I dare to give him a non-Veela son …instead of the daughter he ordered me to produce. I suspect he wanted a Veela to control a rival in finance through marriage". My main reason for the abrupt end of my one year marriage to that mongrel cru Hugo - was his presumption to treat a Veela as chattel.
"So you divorced him?" Hermione asked.
"I neutered the dog, took away his bloodline's ability to sire other children – except through my son Viktor. Put him in hospital enough times - that he begged me to let him and his clan go".
"Why were you not imprisoned?"
"Here in England my kind are rare and few – but there are as many Veela in Eastern Europe as there are vampires in Transylvania, at my request - the Veela clans hunted down the Krum's in Bulgaria like you Britain's hunt fox. There is no crime in a blood feud in my country. In Greater Russia we are a race to be reckoned with",
"Then why did you come to England?"
"One day in Bucharest, I accidently bumped into an Englishman. As his accent was cute I took him to my bed for a lark. I have played that same bedroom game with him for years now. Regretfully my children with Lord Bole have very-little Veela blood in them and as their part human nature would make their lives very difficult if we went back to Bulgaria – so we moved here. Your British wizards are far more tolerant of a half-breed Veela like-me; than Eastern Europe ever was – the British even find us breathtakingly desirable. Besides; I'm frankly curious as how my daughters will survive without the benefit of my Veela powers".
"It's an odd thing really; Beaufort didn't really care-about the gender of his offspring's with me – so naturally - fate gave us primarily girls. He has remained both devotedly faithful and surprisingly randy for a human his age and for that reason alone – I chose to stay with him".
Hermione blushed hard in the presence of this blatant seductress – who seemed to ooze sensuality and magical power.
"Of my daughters …so-far ", Boadicea smirked with a deeply lustful …anticipatory smile. "My Becca is regretfully the weakest Veela I have ever given birth to, as such - I've been desperately worried that she will not be able to find a life-mate. So I must ask you, the marriage certificate she showed me – is it genuine?"
"Yes Milady,"
"When do I meet him?"
"I honestly don't know Milady" Hermione said fighting mentally to break the thrall she was under - using the same methods she used to fight-off the imperious curse. "Neville Longbottom only recently found-out that Becca is a part-Veela and fearing that his love and recent marriage with Becca was the result of a Veela Thrall – has- -"
"- - Bolted",
"Yes madam."
Milady Bole chuckled for a solid minute – greatly amused by this news. "This kind of thing - happens to Veela's more often than you might guess - my dear child. Do I correctly assume that the house-elf terms; foundation stone and first Home are your only clues - to my new son-in-law whereabouts?"
"Yes Milady," Hermione reluctantly spat.
"Impressive, you're actually fighting the thrall – oh well done. My husband and daughters have learned to block my thrall but you – mere Muggle-born witch, as I say - very impressive. You must be the most stubborn witch who ever lived".
"So I've been told," Hermione replied slowly through grit-teeth.
"Well before you injure yourself – I must confess that as a house-elf expert, I can't help you find my daughter's run-away husband. You see my dear, when a house-elf bonded-by-blood to a new master refers to the foundation stone – the elf is generally not referring to the elf-clans first-home; instead he-or-she is speaking of the master's foundation stone".
"The Longbottom foundation stone?"
"Yes child, and don't brother digging about for it at Augusta's old manor house. That dwelling was built in 1889 and although old, the noble family of Longbottom dates back centuries before that was built".
"Then this visit was all for nothing," Hermione said sounding frustrated.
"Not entirely, it depends on how good you are in doing research". Boadicea retorted kindly. "I can honestly boast of having more knowledge on house-elves than any other person now living. But part of my attraction to Lord Bole, beyond his talent in the bedroom - is in the fact that he too is an expert in his own specialty, even Muggle's regard him as the final say on the subject.
"What subject is that?" asked a mentally exhausted Hermione.
"Why genealogy of course - the science of researching the Family trees of both wizards and Muggle's - there is none better than my Beaufort in genealogy research – with our reference library the best in the world for that kind of research. There's no bigger collection anywhere in the entire United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. If you want find the first home of the noble house of Longbottom – the information is to be found in my husband's library," Boadicea boasted rather smugly.
OoOoOoOo - end flashback
Eighteen long days after that painful interview, with her old war tent stuffed to overflowing with genealogy books of all kinds and shapes, Hermione was no closer to finding the crossover place where the Longbottom's became a-part of the Wizarding nobility - than on day one. Exhausted both physically and mentally – having spent another entire night going through the vague Longbottom family history yet again. Hermione got up on tried legs for yet another cuppa of coffee. Viktor and Becca had both called it a night several hours before and therefor Hermione was the only one awake to hear.
"Hello – hello there – in the tent – is anyone awake?" A soft definitely young and female voice declared from just outside the entrance flap. "I'm looking for a seventeen year old witch by the name of Hermione Jean Granger – have I come to the right place?"
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End Trans – for now
A notes/ I love using HP actor's real names in my stories.