Disclaimer: As usual, I haven't suddenly morphed in J. K. Rowling overnight, so I don't make any money off of this.
Author's Note: Sorry this is a little later than planned; I'm working on getting my own work published and I had a manuscript rejection last week—now it's revision time, so I've been more occupied with that.
Chapter 25: Limbo
Harry took the letter, seal, and envelope back to the Ministry that night. The owl they received from him the next day confirmed that the handwriting matched that on the package intended for Kingsley earlier that year, and he was looking into any suspicious deaths that had occurred recently in order to find a pattern.
Charlie and Millie returned to the Burrow after Millie reiterated her willingness to take the job at Hogwarts. "Of course life here is dangerous," she said. "You guys have magic all over the place. I could get hit by a car in London just as easily as a stray spell. Doesn't phase me."
Hermione had been glad to hear her friend's sentiments. She was looking forward to having Millie around—it would be nice to have a friend her age in the castle, particularly one for whom the magic world was not second-nature.
Charlie and Millie's departure left Hermione and Severus free to worry. It was Sunday, the day they typically reserved for each other, and they had nothing to do but discuss the letter and its contents.
"Who could it be?" Hermione wondered out loud, wracking her brain. "Most of the former Death-Eaters who hate you are in prison, they've eliminated a few suspects on the list you gave Kingsley, and I can't really think of anyone who'd want me dead enough to do something like this, except for Dolores Umbridge."
"And she's under house arrest and is incapable of the advanced charm work or the potions brewing," said Severus. "She could have hired someone." He frowned. "She doesn't really have it in for me, although I might be collateral damage. We could even consider that the true target is someone else, such as Harry, and our deaths would be intended to cause further pain."
"True, although given that it would have forced me to kill you, and then slowly die in agony while re-living my worst memories, I think I might be the one targeted here."
Severus pulled Hermione closer. "Reluctantly, I have to agree." He pressed his lips to her hair and closed his eyes. Then he stiffened. "Hermione. Anyone who knows us realizes that the likelihood of one of us detecting the dark magic on the letter was quite high."
She groaned. "Then it's a threat. We're both experts in potions, I'm reasonably close to an expert in charms, and you're an expert in dark magic. It had elements of all our strengths. Someone wants us to do something for them, and they'll kill us if we don't acquiesce."
The fire in the fireplace flared green, and Harry stepped through. "We think someone wants to hire you two," he said.
"We just came to that conclusion," said Severus. "How did you?"
He sat down on a chair and took a deep breath before beginning. "Our curse-analyser has concluded that the compulsion magic on the seal would likely only work for that one thing. You'd only be forced to do whatever single task had been ordered, and then you'd snap out of it. It's better than what we'd seen a few months back, so obviously they're making progress, but it has a strong, easily-recognized signature. They want help. Two potion-makers and one charms-master have disappeared in the last four months, only to turn up later as dead bodies." He looked at his best friend and her husband. "They're going after you two next."
"So what do we do?"
"Stay in the castle, have your mail monitored, and wait for them to contact you," said Harry.
"You want us to be bait," said Severus. "That makes sense. Should we appear to cooperate with them, in order to get you further information?"
"We'll decide that when the time comes," said Harry. "Meanwhile, we'll be searching for them. If you have ideas, Severus, I'd appreciate them."
Hermione groaned at the prospect. "I'm not exactly good at dissembling," she said.
"No, but you'll look the part if you're terrified of them killing me," said Severus. "Anything else will be chalked up to that."
She stared at him. "How can you be so pragmatic about this?"
He shrugged. "I lived like this for years, my dear. It comes back. And it's the only way to handle this situation if we're to have any hopes of making it out alive."
"And that means we wait," said Harry.
"I hate waiting," Hermione muttered.
"So do I," said Severus. "Anything else, Harry?"
"Not so far as I know," he said. "I'll be going then. Don't hesitate to Floo, Owl, or, in a pinch, send a Patronus."
"Now what?" Hermione asked after Harry left.
Severus pulled her close. "We wait. But no one said waiting had to be boring." He kissed her thoroughly, and drew her into their bedroom.
What he left unsaid was the realization that they were both being plunged back into uncertain danger.