Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, locations or prior storylines associated with it. That is all the intellectual property of the wonderful JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended, nor am I making any money from this story. I am just playing in her world.
The Four Horsemen © The Sexy Muggle Librarian
Chapter 29: Learning the Ropes
Once they had recovered enough strength, the group made their way into Malfoy Manor to find Lucius and Narcissa waiting for them in the library.
"So," Lucius began. "I am to assume that there was a reason to the four of you lighting the magical skies up with enough energy to draw a multitude of creatures here. Please assure me that this was all in hopes of finding Scorpius."
Draco winced as Hermione glared at him.
"You didn't tell them?" she said lowly.
"Tell us what, dear?" Narcissa asked pleasantly as she pinned Draco with a glare.
Draco cleared his throat nervously. "We found out where Scorpius is, and he is safe." As Lucius turned his glare to him, Draco hurriedly told them of their time with Merlin and finding out that they had to learn to control their elements to defeat Blaise and company. He smirked when he left his parents speechless.
Finally, Lucius found his voice. "You mean the family stories that the Malfoy's are related to Merlin are actually true?"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "You doubted the family lore?" he said dryly.
Lucius smirked in return. "It would not be the first time our history has been slightly embellished."
"Dear?" Narcissa interrupted. "If the stories about Merlin are true, then perhaps we should provide him with the books."
Draco furrowed his brow as the rest of them shared confused glances. "What books?" he finally asked.
Lucius sighed. "There are a few one of-a-kind tomes that have been passed down in the family from our very existence. However, no one has been able to read them. It is as if they are keyed to a specific person."
Hermione's eyes lit up. "You believe them to be books on elemental magic, correct?"
"Astute as always. Yes. I do not know if they will open for anyone but a Malfoy, but feel free to try," Lucius responded as he quickly Accio'd the books. They landed softly on the table in the middle of a seating area.
Draco and Hermione sat on the loveseat directly in front of the tables, while Harry and Ginny settled in the chairs that sat on either side. Draco reached for the books, but withdrew his hands before casting a revealing spell on them to ensure that there were no traps built in.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Doubt books in your own library?"
Draco just shrugged. "With my family's history, one can never be too careful, Potter," he retorted with a smirk. "They seem clean."
"Well, get on with it then!" Hermione insisted, quivering with anticipation.
Harry and Ginny laughed at her excitement. "You had better get on with it, Draco," Ginny said. "She's liable to hex you if don't hurry up."
Draco just nodded. He understood Hermione's feelings; they matched his own. Quickly, he laid his wand hand on the book and waited. Nothing happened. He tried to open the book to no avail. "I don't understand," he muttered.
"Perhaps you need to try to open it with your elemental powers, Draco," Hermione suggested.
"Sure, I know how to do that," he responded dryly.
"Draco, dear?" Narcissa interrupted. "Why don't you just follow what feels right. You were born into these powers, so it would stand to reason that some part of you knows what to do."
Hermione laid her hand on Draco's knee. "Just breathe. Close your eyes and imagine what the wind would feel like." Draco turned to her, an eyebrow raised. "What?" she responded. "I figured that it would be like meditating. Do you have a better idea?"
He just rolled is eyes as Harry and Ginny began to cough to cover their laughs. "Really, Malfoy," Harry said. "You should listen to her. Her ideas may not always be logical, but I've learned that they usually work out."
Ginny nodded. "He's right, Draco. You might was well try it."
Draco drew a deep breath and closed his eyes in concentration. He brought forth the images of the wind swirling around him and then imagined the wind touching the book and picking it up. At the gasps in the room, he opened in eyes to find the book hovering over the table.
"Good, son!" Lucius praised. "I suggest you try to open it with the wind."
Draco nodded and pictured the book opening and watched as it wobbled in the air and then thudded back down to the table. He shook his head in frustration, but he could almost feel the wheels turning in Hermione's head. "What idea do you have now?" he asked reluctantly.
"Maybe it will take all of us to open it? It seemed as if it wanted to open, but there was just not enough power behind it."
Ginny shuddered behind her at the words. "Beware of things where you can't see where they keep their brain," she muttered in remembrance.
Lucius, Narcissa and Draco looked at her in confusion.
Ginny sighed and explained, "I was possessed by Tom Riddle my first year by the book you slipped into my cauldron, Mr. Malfoy." If her voice had a slight edge to it, everyone ignored it. "My father issued the warning about not being able to see where something keeps it brain after that."
"I do apologise, Miss Weasley. I cannot say that the person I was would do anything different, but I have changed and am horrified at what I have done."
Ginny smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. I appreciate that."
Harry pursed his lips, but let the conversation slid over him, determined not to let the past affect the present. Thinking back to the problem of the books, he looked at the people surrounding him before clearing his throat. "Ahem. I suggest that if we are all going to attempt to open the books using our powers that we move outside. I do not really believe that Lord and Lady Malfoy want anything to happen to the interior of the Manor. Whilst air is fairly tame, I am not sure if I am able to call fire without such an incident."
Draco looked at Harry in amazement at the declaration that he didn't believe that he could do something. Shaking his head he said, "I agree. We can simply cast a protection circle outside to cloak our magics from anything that would be able to sense them."
"That would be most advisable, Draco," Narcissa agreed. "If someone is able to sense the elemental magics, then it would alert Mr. Zabini that something is amiss. I am assuming that you do have a plan to catch the man."
The four of them looked at one another and Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Dear Merlin, you don't have a plan yet. How in the name of all that is magical did you manage to defeat the Dark Lord, Potter?"
Hermione bristled and straightened her shoulders. "Narcissa, we just learned about these powers less than 48 hours ago. We need to see what we are capable of before we can plan accordingly," she said precisely before turning and walking out the door.
Narcissa winced as the younger woman walked out. "Oh dear. I put my foot in it, didn't I?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, ma'am. You see, Hermione is the one who always made the plans. Without her, Tom Riddle would be ruling the world." He looked at the door Hermione had walked out of. "We had better follow her. Draco, I do believe that you are in for a sleepless night. If I know her, we'll have a fresh battle plan by the time the sun rises tomorrow morning."
Draco sighed as the three of them rose from the couch. "Somehow I believe you are correct, Potter." He glanced at his parents. "Mum, Father, we will return."
"Don't destroy the gardens, Draco," Lucius cautioned as the group made their way out the Manor.
H~P
Following Hermione's meditative technique, they did find that calling the elements was indeed instinctual. It was the control that was giving them the problems. By sunset, they were ready to drop in exhaustion.
"I want to try a fireball again," Harry said stubbornly.
"Are you sure," Hermione asked as she sagged to the ground, dripping sweat.
"Yes," Harry responded as he concentrated on his hands, a large ball of fire appearing there. Confidently, he through it at a cropping of rocks, only to have it bounce off and land in a large bush of silver-coloured roses.
Draco screamed like a little girl in panic. "No!"
He didn't have to worry about the fire spreading as Ginny promptly dumped a waterfall's worth of water over them, only to hear Draco moan as if in pain.
"What's wrong, Draco?" Hermione asked.
"Mummy is going to murder me in my sleep," he whimpered.
"Why?"
Draco turned incredulous eyes toward her. "Those are the most prized roses in Britain, hell even on the Continent. Do you know how rare those roses are? There is only one other person in the world that has managed to breed actual silver roses. Most only achieve a lavender colour, not actual silver. Even the Dark Lord knew that if anything happened to those roses, Mum would kill him in an instant. It took her twenty years to achieve this." He dropped down to the ground. "Now, thanks to the bumbling boy wonder, all of her hard work is gone. I'm dead. I knew it was a bad idea to practice here," he muttered.
"Maybe we can fix them?" Harry said slowly, raising his wand.
"Don't even think about it, Potter," Draco growled.
Hermione pursed her lips in thought before walking towards the roses and placing both hands on the carefully maintained soil. Closing her eyes, she thought as hard as she could. Please fix the roses. Please fix the roses. She felt power moving up through her right hand, traversing across her chest and down out of her left hand. She kept up her mental chant until she heard gasps behind her. Opening her eyes, she found that the roses were back to their pristine state and settled back onto the grass.
"Wicked," Ginny whispered. "That was…beyond words. Trust Hermione to learn how to control her powers first."
Hermione shrugged and smiled. "It was all about intent. I just wanted to heal the roses."
Ginny gasped. "That's it! Intent is the key to control. I think I know how to open the books." She smiled, "Accio Malfoy book on elemental magic." In a minute she had the book in her hands and she set it in front of her. "Okay, everyone take their cardinal direction and as one we are going to surround the book with our elements. Think of opening the book as you do this," she instructed.
Draco shrugged, willing to try anything at this point and looked at the book. "I'm willing to try. On three?"
Ginny smiled. "Three, two, one, go!"
A breath of air flew through the gardens, followed by a trail of fire, a trail of water and a cloud of dust. Against all odds, they seemed to meld together in a whirlwind around the book. As the group of them watched in amazement, the energy flew into the book and it opened with a flash of light.
No one moved. Finally, Hermione couldn't stand it and she walked over to the book. Gingerly, she began to read the pages. She only skimmed a few pages before realising exactly what she had in her hand. "Oh, this is more than a guide on elemental magic. It's a book on the weaknesses of the Horsemen!"
Her words caused a rush of hope to rise in their chests, knowing that they now had the tool that they needed to stop the destruction of the world.
~H~P~
AN: I know that this isn't a lot about them controlling their powers, but trust me chapters 31 and 33 will make up for that. I have to admit, I love hearing Draco whine about the roses. That is my favorite part of this chapter! As always, thank you for the faves, follows and reviews! They really make my day.
Jj – Once you get to this chapter, thank you so much for your reviews. I couldn't respond back since you were anonymous.
