Chapter 21
Chapter 21
They were staying deep in the Amazon Rainforest, no knowing how they had got there. Mr and Mrs Weasely had managed to construct a small camp, with the help of Percy, Hermione, Ron and Hermione's parents, with Ginny looking after Fred, Luke and Harriet, but one person was missing: Amelia.
It was dawn in the rainforest, and all around them, Hermione and Ron could hear the ominous chorus of the exotic creatures, which resided here. The humidity was almost unbearable, but Hermione had though of a spell, which created a force field around the caster, making them impervious to high levels of humidity in the air. There was one drawback to the spell, however; no one could hug each other whilst under its effects, as they would simply bounce off the other person.
"We'll just have to take out berries, Ron – I really don't want to stay out here for too long. You know what your dad said," said Hermione seriously, glancing around, snatching a couple of scarlet berries from a spiny bush.
"Relax – I really doubt Death Eaters would look for us out here," Ron said, trying to comfort Hermione. However, she still looked anxious, so he added, "Besides, wearing those black robes and hoods, can you imagine how much they'd sweat here?" Hermione chuckled, making Ron smile. Unbeknown to anyone else, the pair had agreed once more to marry as soon as they escaped.
"I guess we should go back anyway, you know, before the others start worrying," Hermione said, sighing heavily. With that, the pair started carefully treading their way back to camp, and although they didn't know were it was, they could soon hear a baby's cry: the triplets must have woken up!
"Hello? Is anyone up? We've got breakfast!" Ron shouted as they entered the camp's confines.
"Yeah, I'm up – everyone else have gone somewhere – they didn't say," said Ginny, emerging from a shack, with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Don't you even know why they went somewhere?" Hermione asked.
"Sort of – there was a flash of green light, but I don't know what it was" said Ginny, trying to remember the mysterious flash, "Are those scarlet berries? Give me some! We might as well eat now – we don't know when they'll be back." Ron tossed a few berries randomly at Ginny, several landing on the dust-ridden floor. "Thanks for that, Ronald," she said, making Ron grimace by using his full name. "Oh, by the way, you two should go check on the triplets – they won't shut up and I can't stand it any more! They're worse than a chorus of banshees being bitten by rabid dogs! They have actually put me off ever having a child of my own," finished Ginny, somewhat wistfully Hermione saw a smile flicker across Ginny's face, however, she didn't linger, as the triplets had now started wailing louder, reaching an ear-splitting volume.
Whilst Ron and Hermione were sorting the triplets out, Ginny stuffed the berries in her mouth. When she finished, her thoughts turned to the future: when she would get out of here: what she would do: what life would be like until Harry returned to normal (Amelia hadn't told anyone about her trip to the Deathly allows).
Hermione and Ron calmed the babies quickly and found Ginny outside, close to tears.
"What's wrong, Ginny?" said Hermione, shooting dirty looks at Ron for not saying anything.
"Nothing – I just choked on the berries – that's all," Ginny said, saying the first thing that popped into her head.
"Well, if your sure," Hermione said reassuringly – she knew that wasn't the reason, whereas Ron simply smiled, shrugged his shoulders and walked off. "You'll have to excuse your brother, you know, emotional range and sensitivity of a teaspoon," Hermione said, sighing. Ginny laughed, and left Hermione, going into her shack to get some sleep.
"Ron!" shouted Hermione, seeing Ron was about to leave the camp. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Ron turned around with a look of surprise adorning his face.
"What've I done to upset you?!" he shouted back in a startled voice
"Nothing," Hermione sighed. "You're not going to find the others, are you?"
"Naturally – I want to know what they are looking for."
"No need – they're right behind you," Hermione said calmly, however, the expression on her face changed as she saw Percy carrying something large. "Go help him Ron!" Hermione shouted, running up to them, slapping Ron playfully around the head.
"What is it Percy?" Hermione asked in as panicked voice.
"We've found Amelia," Percy said, a sad look in his eyes.
"Is she –"
"Dead?" Ron interrupted Hermione, earning himself another slap.
"Yes – we think the flash of green light was a killing curse.
"But how did she get here? You can't apparate when you're, you know –"
"Dead," Ron interrupted again, earning another harder slap for himself. Percy laid Amelia's body on the floor, and Hermione bent down to examine her.
"Nos Victum Nex," Hermione whispered. There was a collective gasp from the group as the silver light from the spell entered Amelia's mouth, but nothing happened. "She hasn't been cursed or anything – why isn't this working?!" Hermione said, starting to sound hysterical. She touched Amelia's bare hand with her fingertips, and her thoughts were suddenly invaded by Amelia's voice.
"Hermione," Amelia's voice sounded, in its usual mystic tones.
"Yes?" Hermione whispered out loud. Everyone looked at her strangely – they couldn't hear what she was hearing.
"I'm not dead, but I will be soon." Amelia continued.
"Can't we save you?" Hermione whispered in reply.
"There's only one way, but it is dark, Hermione, and I don't want to resort to it."
"Tell me – we might be able to do it!" Hermione replied. She could hear Amelia sigh.
"It involves a spell – a spell which will age my children by a decade, but the life taken from them will be used to restore me."
"I'm sure Percy will use it! He wants to save you!"
"I don't want to take my children's' lives, Hermione, you have to understand…"
"No – I know the spell. You just told me telepathically, even if you weren't aware of it!" Hermione said, and she broke contact with Amelia. Everyone was looking at her, questioning her moment of madness, but she just stood up and marched to the babies' cot. "Percy – use this spell and it will restore Amelia," Hermione siad, thinking of the spell and its unfortunate side effects. Somehow, Percy must have got the message telepathically, because he nodded and his children started growing quickly, their legs and arms expanding, hair lengthening until they reached the physical age of 10. Amelia's eyelids fluttered and she screamed as what must have happened in order for her to awaken…
A/N Extra special thanks must go to Mr Tump Kooniart and VampirePrincessElvira for being such fantastic reviewers. The end of this story is nearly here - please review to tell me your thoughts!
Amelia: If you don't review, I might have to die again...PLEASE REVIEW!!
Hermione: Calm down Amelia! I'm sure the nice readers will review.
Ron: No they won't!
Hermione: Shut up, teaspoon!