AN: Remember at the first chapter when I said there would be violence in this story? This chapter is a good example of why there's a warning and an M rating! (Before my shippers get excited, remember, Tom and Hermione are about 13-14 at this point in the story (this is set after September 19th and before Tom's birthday). I can promise one thing in this story…if there is any graphic smut, it will be AFTER everyone is legal. At least in the wizarding world.
This M rating in this chapter is for fantasy violence, mentions of violence, and torture. All mistakes are mine and anything you recognize belongs to JKR.
Hermione chewed her breakfast serenely while the Slytherin table quietly exploded around her with gossip.
She seemed to take no notice of it. An owl dropped a letter on her plate and she opened it with her wand, neat as you please.
Tom hid a grin. He had his own air of ease to project and grinning like a madman wouldn't help.
He bit into a sausage and chewed it thoughtfully. "Was that from Olivander?"
She nodded. "He finally got back to me about his great-grandmother. She was a Ravenclaw of course; most of that family has been in house of the Eagle. Bit odd really. Eagles are spirits of the air in Chinese legend…and if we were using the old English version, the four houses would stand for the four elements…and Ravenclaw would be the area of air…color of blue…I really think that's too close to coincidence."
Tom nodded, thinking of the books the Flamels had let them read. "That would make Huffelpuff Earth, Gryffindor Fire, and Slytherin Water?"
She nodded excitedly, forgetting her air of casual indifference about the upcoming duel with Rosier. After all, this was a new theory and the duel was really a foregone conclusion.
"The colors even match…a phoenix might be a better choice for fire, but I suppose the founders couldn't resist the play on Godric's name."
Tom grimaced. As a rule, Gryffindors annoyed him.
Hermione didn't slow down. "So taking that into account when studying alchemy…it changes some of the essential trials…"
Tom nodded, "Only if you agree that in place of the elements themselves you need to place a characteristic from each house…or are the trials doubled? Could they actually be both physical and philosophical at the same time?"
"I'd say you try with the base element first, it's one of the cardinal rules after all, physical is more base than mental…but wait…does that mean that there are four meanings to this as well?"
"Or three. Four elements, three levels…makes the number seven."
She looked at him in wonder…and something else. "Merlin, you are right!"
He smirked. "Not Merlin…just close."
She swatted at him. Then she rolled her eyes and groaned. "Do you realize how much more work this is going to be?"
TRTRTRTR
They were still arguing lightly about it when they showed up for the duel.
"I think that translation of Corpus Hermeticumis a bit off." Hermione was barely paying attention as they walked into the room. Rosier was growling from the corner.
She put her things down in a corner and continued. "I think the The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus actually backs up the idea of the trinity…and according to Isaac Newton.."
Tom cut in "Newton was a Squib…"
Hermione countered with "It doesn't make his theories less valid."
Abraxas wandered up to them and smiled. "I believe, my young serpents, that you have a small matter to attend to before you can resume this fascinating discussion." His tone let Tom know that he was at least somewhat aware of their line of research. It didn't bother him as much as it once would have. They were yards ahead of anyone else looking for a way to make the stone. It would be difficult to catch up, even with Malfoy's wealth.
Hermione looked slightly put out, but she turned her attention to Rosier. Mulciber was his second, and Lucius was along to make sure things stayed 'friendly'. His phrase…certainly not Tom's.
Pluto Rosier was a tall man…well-muscled, with excellent reflexes and a sure knowledge of the darker side of magic.
Tom didn't show it, but he was a tad bit worried for Hermione. She was bright…Merlin she was bright. But he wasn't certain that she had the raw power and reflexes to take on someone like Rosier in a proper duel.
She didn't back down though…he had to give her that. She looked very small and young. Not even the billowy school robes did much to add to her size.
Abraxas looked unconcerned. "Very well…official rules via the 1876 decision of course…"
Rosier huffed. "I want Nuremburg rules."
The blond gave him a withering look. "Want all you like, you won't be getting them. Bit difficult to explain to even Dippet if Hermione followed the letter of the Nuremburg rules and skinned your face for a trophy."
Rosier sneered "You are just here to make sure she wins then?"
"I'm here to make sure whoever wins is known amongst the Slytherins."
Hermione took her place and let out a great sigh. "Is there any way we could hurry this along? I have experiments that I want to do later."
Rosier gave her a lecherous glance. "You're almost old enough to experiment with."
Tom turned his head, considering. There weren't that many good places in Hogwarts to hide a body, but surely he could improvise.
Hermione had the temerity to laugh. It was a free thing, the sound of a woman who was truly amused. She shot him a grin. "You know, for a moment, I thought about going easy on you…just to spare your pride a bit." She turned to Abraxas.
Her voice was like steel. "Moderator and seconds to the side please."
Mulciber looked like he wanted to slink off anywhere else. It didn't matter to Tom. If you could hide one body, surely finding room for two wouldn't be that hard. A little creative transfiguration and people wouldn't even notice. The real problem was finding a place where it wouldn't be hit with a finante…
The two bowed and curses and hexes filled the air. Tom and Abraxas had shield spells in place but Mulciber went down without a sound as Hermione hexed Rosier with a barrage of wicked wand work.
Tom found himself getting physically aroused in public for the first time in his life. Merlin! She was magnificent. She played dirty from the start and never let up. Half of the curses were illegal, and some of them were things she must have invented because he'd never heard of them.
Rosier never stood a chance.
Hell, a grown Auror would have had a hard time. Her style was like nothing he'd ever seen before. It reminded him a bit of how muggles fought in the dirty dives of London…no rules…just fists and blood and teeth being spit onto the ground. And then she'd pull out something elegant like llemonic…a curse that wafted a choking mist into the eyes and face of the opponent. Three reductos later and even Tom was strengthening his shield.
When it was over, the wizard was disarmed, covered in boils and missing his robes (Hermione had charmed them to attack him as a final distraction…it had been brilliant.).
With Mulciber already down, there was little to do…they were in no danger of dying so they left them on the floor of the abandoned classroom.
Abraxas had a pensive look on his face.
Hermione quirked a brow as she picked up her books.
The blond smiled. "It's nothing. I just wish I'd invited a couple of other witnesses. When the others see this, I'm afraid they won't believe it…"
Tom shrugged. "Undersell it then. Just smirk and tell them she won. Leave it at that. Then when Rosier and Mulciber find their way to the hospital wing people will draw their own conclusions."
Hermione nodded. "That will do. I don't really want to have to babysit our house when you graduate, but someone has to. I certainly didn't want someone like Rosier taking the place, even for a year."
Abraxas smiled. "Well put. It needs to be someone who will continue to put the house first, above their petty rivalries, and who will uphold our unbroken streak of house cups..."
Tom cocked his head to the side and whispered to Hermione, "Two years is an unbroken streak?"
Abraxas sniffed. "It will be three if we win the Quidditch cup."
TRTRTR
The first game of the season was Slytherin verses Gryffindor and the stands were packed with students, parents, and alumni.
Malfoy had been driving the team in a way that reminded Hermione sharply of Oliver Wood in his prime.
She thought Tom looked rather dashing in his green robes and black gear.
Across the pitch she saw the Gryffindors suiting up. Hagrid was rather unmistakable in the stands, but Minerva's tiny form was in scarlet robes on an older broomstick. They shot across the pitch like lightning, with Slytherin taking the quaffle twice in the early moments, only to be denied by the Gryffindor keeper once and a beater the second time.
The Gryffindors attacked, and Glenda Goyle proved her worth as Slytherin keeper and tossed the quaffel to Nott. Weedy he might be, but the boy stuck to his broom like a burr. He and Tom threaded their way through the traffic, dodging bludgers and chasers with Malfoy helpfully aiming the bludgers at any opposing member of the red team that came into range. Hermione was glad to see that Minerva was as light and maneuverable as Tom was. She dodged with ease.
"Ten Points for Slytherin!"
Hermione cheered with the rest of the crowd, coming off her seat. Her eyes turned skyward. She didn't see any sign of the snitch.
What she did see, nearly out of habit, was a man in red and gold colors who wasn't watching the game.
He moved furtively through the crowd as the stadium erupted in cheers once again. Hermione didn't wait. She rushed to follow him.
He was heading into the Slytherin dressing room. She pulled out her wand and cast a hasty invisibility charm.
He headed to Tom's cubby without searching so he had done his homework. She felt her teeth bear themselves as his hands ran over the boy's well-mended shoes. She wordlessly cast a full body bind on the bastard and then tied him securely.
She levitated him behind the stands and cast a neat circle of protective enchantments before she cast the countercharm for the body bind curse.
"I certainly hope you aren't one of Grindelwald's top men. Be a bit depressing if it was this easy." It was a shot in the dark, but it paid off when she saw him wince.
"Name?"
He stared at her, tight lipped and silent.
She leaned in and smiled nastily at him. No one touched Tom. It was her job to protect him. "You will be telling me everything you know. You can make it easy or hard, it doesn't matter much to me."
He smirked, but still said nothing.
She shrugged and slapped him….hard. Beginning with physical violence was good. He wouldn't have looked more shaken if she'd hit him with a codfish. Blood trickled down from his nose.
She smeared the blood across his lips.
"Name?"
He sat, tight lipped as ever. She pulled out her wand.
"You think a little girl frightens me?" His accent was thick, but perfectly understandable. She gave him her best smile.
"Probably not, but that goes to show that people are often afraid of things they shouldn't be afraid of…and forget to be afraid of things that are truly frightening."
The man tried to laugh at her, but her wand was suddenly cutting off his airway.
His eyes panicked while his body fought to breathe. She smiled again. She released the air. "Twenty seconds. That's really not that long, but it feels like an eternity doesn't it?" He was taking deep breaths, trying to get his heart to slow down. She knew. She hadn't learned this technique out of a book.
She traced his cheek with her wand, looking into his deep brown eyes. He was handsome enough, in that dark, brooding way Bulgarians were known for. She thought that the heavy beard he wore hid a bit of his good looks.
"Name?"
He glared at her, and she made him feel like his lungs were on fire…just for a second.
His eyes widened. He'd been prepared for lack of oxygen.
She smiled sweetly and hit him with a spell that made him feel like he was drowning…that terrible burning from being under water too long…
She leaned down and whispered, "Don't make me get creative. Answer my questions and I'll give you over to the ministry."
He looked at her incredulously. She smirked. "Trust me, they are by far the more enjoyable alternative."
She turned around. "Why were you at my boyfriend's locker?"
He grunted. "I was lost."
She hit him with a spell that made him feel like a madman. She left it on for a full minute.
He was wide eyed and sweating when she took it off. "I can tell when you are lying. I can also leave you under that spell indefinitely. No one knows the counter. I could hit you with it and leave and there would be nothing to link me and you."
He choked and pissed his pants. "Sergi…my name is Sergi."
Five minutes later she was the proud owner of a shoe very much like Tom's and every bit of information he had on Gridelwald (obviously it wasn't much; the tyrant had expected the man to be caught). The former Bulgarian soldier was on his way to immigrate to America, convinced that his lifelong dream was to introduce the New World to the joys of his mother's sausage recipe.
Tom and the rest of the Slytherin team strutted into view. He knew something was wrong the moment he saw her, and Abraxas followed.
Tom wiped a small streak of blood of her cheek. She shook her head. Then she put on her fake smile. "Did you win? I missed the last…"
Abraxas sighed. "You have no proper feeling for a good match! Of course we won!" His eyes didn't match his tone. She pulled Tom and Abraxas in for a hug and quietly told them "later".
TRTRTRTR
He waited, but only because it was obvious the blood wasn't her own. She looked slightly spooked, but well enough physically.
She was waiting outside the dressing rooms for him. Alone.
He hissed, "Why didn't you go up to the castle?"
She frowned as the blond prefect came out, shower finished in record time, his lovely locks still dripping.
He put an arm around their necks. "Come! I have a special treat in the common room!"
He wasn't too loud, but anyone in the remaining crowd could testify that the three were heading to their common room for the expected victory party.
She pulled them into the first empty classroom she came to.
"We have a problem. Grindelwald tried to slip a portkey into Tom's cubby during the match." She held up the shoe.
Abraxas took a breath in through his teeth.
"A portkey would work on the grounds."
She nodded. "I know. And this one would have gone straight to Grindelwald. But the funny thing is that I don't think he expected this to actually work. Half of what the man knew about Grindelwald was phony. He was a stooge, recruited simply to get in and drop this. If it worked, well then it was wonderful, if it didn't, it let everyone know he was stalking Tom."
Tom's voice was ice cold. "Except he's not stalking me. Where is this stooge?"
She dimpled. "On his way to America. He thinks it's his life's dream to open a sausage shop."
Abraxas and Tom stared. She sighed. "I'm very good with memory charms of all sorts. Why just obliviate when you can convince them they are a muggle and that they want to go to another continent?"
"Neat…not precisely legal…but very neat." There was a level of admiration that Abraxas had never shown for her before in his tone. She smiled.
Tom ran his thumb across her cheek where he'd seen the splattered blood. "I assume the blood was his?"
She snorted. "Every drop. As I said, he was a stooge. It was almost too easy to catch him."
"Any chance Grindelwald wanted him caught?"
"Every chance. But I think it was to send a message to Dumbledore."
Abraxas frowned. "Why him?"
Tom gave her a warning look. She left the thought that they should bring Abraxas closer into their circle in her head.
Tom hesitated a long moment, and then gave her a slight nod.
"Dumbledore is probably the only wizard alive who can beat Grindelwald at the moment."
Abraxas' eyes widened. "He's going to challenge him?"
Hermione shrugged. "They have to meet eventually. Neither has wanted to…they knew each other once. They were friends." Her voice dropped on the last part. She cleared her throat before the boys reacted.
"I think we're being targeted because we got in the way of an attack on Dumbledore."
Abraxas' brows snapped together."Not because of what happened to your parents?"
"That has no direct bearing on it. The prophesy that indirectly led to my parent's deaths has been fulfilled." She added a quelling note to the end of that speech. The time was coming when she'd either have to give them some pretty spectacular half-truths or gentle lies, but she wasn't looking forward to it.
"Why bring me in on this now?"
She sighed. "Because you have been our ally and friend since we began Hogwarts. Things may get more dangerous now. Perhaps not, since you've already been targeted as well…."
Tom smiled, and it was perfect. Exactly the kind of smile you'd want your most trusted friend to use. "You deserved to know either way." It was just the right thing to say as well.
Abraxas nodded, but he looked pleased.
"Well, now that the dirty deeds are done, it's time for the three of us to look fabulous at the victory party."
She rolled her eyes. Fresh from the showers, glowing from their win. They were lovely. Tom offered her and arm and she twined her own through it.
He raised a brow when Abraxas offered his arm as well.
He patted her hand in a comforting manner. "You never said darling…how did you get his blood on your face?"
She looked up at him. "How do you think I got the information?"
AN: There you go. Two updates in a week! I intend to update again this weekend.