Chapter 36 – The Peril Of Yellow
Grimmauld Place
Things had been quiet since Voldemort's failed attempt to crash a packed tube train a few days ago. Dean had been quiet after saving his mother and the rest of the commuters on that train. It had been a draining experience for the green ranger both psychically and mentally. He seemed reluctant to share what he discussed with his mother so the teens hadn't pushed him to open up before he was ready.
Someone else who had retreated into their shell was Hermione. She kept insisting that she was fine but even Ron could tell there was something wrong. Following a rather tense dinner, the boys elected to send the other girls in to have a chat with the yellow ranger.
It was after dark and Hermione was reading a book by candlelight in her room. There was a soft knock at the door, distracting her attention from her reading, "Can we come in?" Cho asked as she and Ginny stepped into the bedroom.
"Looks like you already have", she replied shortly, "can you make this quick, I want to finish this before going to bed".
"Hermione that book must be nearly a thousand pages", Ginny eyed the thick tome on the bed. The other two girls climbed on the bed and sat down cross-legged, "Is everything alright", the white ranger continued, "you've been quiet every since that train incident".
"And don't say you're fine", Cho added forcefully, "even Ron's noticed you've been acting weird so something is clearly bugging you".
"Is it my idiot brother", Ginny continued, "cause I'm more than happy to give him a slap for you".
"It's not Ron for once", she replied and the other two girls snorted. Hermione fiddled with her hands nervously before continuing, "After meeting Dean's family and seeing what nearly happened to his family it got me thinking about my own". She took a deep breath and continued, "I've only told Trini this, so don't hate me for keeping it from you".
Hermione explained to her two team mates how she modified the memories of her parents and gave them instructions to move out to Australia. It had been a few months since she had done that and the guilt was gradually receding as she was confident they were safe. Now she was more concerned about finding them after Voldemort's defeat. Cho and Ginny listening carefully and didn't judge the yellow ranger for her actions, "You made a brave call Granger", Cho said softly, "I wish I knew where my Uncle was but I know he can take care of himself".
"And that's why I did it", Hermione added, "Sensei Ling and other Weasley's can look after themselves. According to Dean his birth was never magically registered so the Ministry has no way to track his parents". It was a weird quirk of the Ministry that Hogwarts picked up on the birth of a magical child but the magical government had no idea until the child reached school age. All purebloods and most half-bloods registered their child directly with the Ministry but muggleborns never usually bothered, "I do have another request", Hermione continued.
"Anything", Ginny replied.
"I've got an Uncle but he's not aware that I'm a witch", Hermione began, "I might be a little paranoid but I'd feel safer if I knew he was safe".
Ginny and Cho looked at each other before nodding in agreement, "I'm sure the boys won't mind", the pink ranger replied, "how about we go tomorrow?" Hermione brightened up at the news and smiled in agreement, "Now how about we act like the teenage girls we're meant to be".
Hermione frowned, "What did you have in mind?"
"Well normal girls gossip about boys and stuff", Cho smiled, "so tell me, is Weasley senior a good kisser".
"Eww I don't need to hear this", Ginny shot up from the bed and put her hands to her ears, "that's my brother you're talking about", she quickly headed for the bedroom door.
"Now you know what it's like when I see you and Harry kissing in a dark corner of the house", Hermione called out as the door shut behind Ginny. The two remaining girls laughed before Hermione added, "Thanks for being so understanding Cho", she reached across and hugged the older girl.
Cho stiffened a little at the contact but quickly returned the hug, even after being friends for several months she was still getting used to Hermione's hugs, "That's what friends are for", she stood up from the bed, "now get some rest, we've got a big day tomorrow". Cho shut the door behind her and Hermione settled down for her first proper night's sleep for several days.
Portsmouth, England
When the rangers landed after teleportation, they found themselves on a chalk hill overlooking a city. They could also see the open sea stretching out in front of them for miles. The only blip on the horizon was a small island a couple of miles out to sea. Part of the city appeared to be a port, several white coloured ferries were moving around in the body of water down below. The main thing they noticed was the hazy air that hung over the city. Even though it was a sunny day, everything looked a little grim and grimy, "No offence Hermione but I can't image you living in a city like that", Ron turned his nose up slightly.
"Careful Ronald that's my home town you're talking about", the yellow ranger replied sharply. "Portsmouth's not that bad, sure it's a little dirty and run down in places but it's nothing a good coat of paint can't fix". She quickly got her bearings and directed the rangers in a particular direction, "I lived in the city until I was about four years old, that's when my parents decided to open their own practice in Winchester but my uncle still lives here".
"How far away did we land?" Harry asked.
"About a mile", Hermione stated, "Uncle David lives in a small town overlooking the city itself".
The teens continued to walk across the hill side until they came across one of the tourist attractions in the area, "No way, is this an actual fort?" Dean gazed up at a medieval style building but with several modern cannons sitting in the openings.
"Yeah there's several of these lining this hillside", Hermione answered, "Portsmouth the home of the Royal Navy and this formed part of the old defence system".
"Encyclopaedia Hermione to the rescue again", Harry whispered to Ginny but unfortunately for him, the yellow ranger heard him. Before she could reply, a large explosion rocked the city below and they could see smoke rising from the harbour. Their communicators buzzed, indicating Gormal activity, "Can't we have one day of peace", Harry muttered and was about to teleport to the harbourside.
"Wait", Hermione called out and looked at the fort behind her. This time they saw some kind of shell fly through the air and down towards Portsmouth. Fortunately the explosive shell landed safely in the water, "Quickly into the fort", the yellow ranger said and sprinted towards the building.
They ran through the gate and into a gravel covered courtyard where a Gormal monster was terrorising the tourists inside. The Gormal had a black body with silver boots but his defining feature was his upper body, which was shaped like a giant cannon. After clearing out the civilians, the rangers stood defiantly against the monster, "Well aren't you the sorriest bunch of kids I've ever seen", the monster boomed, "looks like Corporal Cannontop is going to have to teach you a lesson".
"We'll see about that", Harry and the other ranger's prepared their morphers, "Mystic Squadron, Transform".
"White Ranger, Tiger Power".
The teens morphed, pulled out their Star Rods and immediately went on the attack. Ron and Dean slapped the monster across the chest with their weapons but they were immediately pushed back, "He's tougher than he looks", Dean began, "and he looks pretty tough already". Cannontop twisted his neck, aimed for Ron and fired his cannon. Thinking quickly Ron used his staff to force the iron ball over the wall where it exploded.
"Careful Ron, don't forget about the city below", Ginny reminded him.
"Oh yeah", the blue ranger replied sheepishly.
The momentary distraction was all that Cannontop needed to fire his weapon again. This time he hit the blue ranger directly in the chest and Ron found himself pinned to the ground with a heavy iron ball, "I can't move it, not even my Chi will make it budge", he groaned.
"And you won't be able to", Cannontop chuckled, "now how about your sister". Ginny turned around just in time to get a cannonball to the chest and like her brother, she was also pinned to the ground.
Seeing his friends falling around him, Dean slammed his staff into the ground, "Alright you might have taken out two of my friends but can you take out two of me". A second green ranger appeared on the battlefield and they both pointed their staffs at the monster.
"Oh no whatever shall I do", Cannontop bawled, "how about this", without hesitating he fired a cannonball at the real green ranger and soon Dean joined his team mates on the ground.
"I don't understand, nothing's affecting this guy", Harry groaned. Underneath his helmet his eyes widened as Cannontop unleashed another barrage of shots against the three remaining rangers. Both Harry and Cho tried to use their skills as seekers to dodge the attacks back soon even they fell victim to the attack. They were both hit and were pinned down underneath the heavy iron balls.
"At ease rangers", Cannontop chuckled, however, he paused to have a quick count, "wait a minute, there should be six rangers, I can only see five".
"That's because you missed me", Hermione stepped in front of her team mates, in one hand was a Star Blaster and in the other was a Star Dagger.
"Hermione run, he's too strong for us", Harry tried desperately to free himself.
"That's because he's somehow neutralising our Chi attacks", Hermione began to circle the monster, "I'm not sure how but his body and cannonballs are immune to our Chi".
"Good guess girlie", Cannontop chuckled, "what makes you think you'll be any different?"
Behind her mask Hermione smiled, "Because unlike my team mates, my Chi affects the very fabric of space and time. Not even you're strong enough to resist that". Cannontop was slightly nervous but he didn't show it as he unleashed another barrage against the yellow ranger. Just like before he couldn't land a single hit on the girl, in fact he could barely keep up with her.
Cannontop was getting tired and his rate of fire was slowly falling, so much so that he lost concentration. It all happened so fast, a shot from the yellow ranger knocked his cannon into the vertical position just as he fired. Hermione plunged her Dagger into his neck, locking the cannon in place, "Curse you yellow ranger", Cannontop growled, "but you're not strong enough to finish me off".
"You're exactly right", Hermione took a couple of paces back, "but you're about to finish yourself off". Cannontop was confused but her words until something hit him on the top of his head and got stuck in the barrel of his gun, it was his own cannonball, "You forgot that what goes up, must come down", Hermione chuckled.
Cannontop staggered around for a few seconds until his own shell exploded. His barrel was split apart like a banana skin, rendering his only offence weapon useless. A side effect of this was that the cannonballs pinning the other rangers in place disappeared, "Brilliant idea Hermione", Harry gave her a one armed hug, "although I'm not sure why I'm surprised".
"Let's just get rid of this guy", Hermione said and turned towards Cannontop, "your bombing raid's over", her hands began to glow yellow as a ball of energy appeared in front of her. The other five rangers did the same until six balls of light hung in the air, "Mystic Chi Bomber, Fire", the yellow ranger called and launched the energy ball at Cannontop. The monster cried out in pain and fell to the ground in a ball of fire.
The rangers took a step back and breathed a sigh of relief, another one of Voldemort's monsters had bitten the dust.
After demorphing the rangers continued their journey towards Hermione's Uncles house. Soon they came across a large house sitting in prime position on the hill, "Your Uncle lives here?" Cho whistled.
"The Grangers aren't short of money", Hermione shrugged, "unlike some braggarts we know, I just choose not to mention it". The teens moved towards the front door but they immediately noticed that the driveway was empty, "That's odd, someone should be home", she added. Hermione pulled a key out of her beaded bag and led the others inside.
"Looks like no one's been here for a few days", Harry looked at the collection of post on the doormat.
Hermione was getting nervous, what if something had happened to her Uncle? She crossed into the kitchen and took a look at the calendar, "It's alright", she called out, "Uncle David and Aunt Claire are on holiday". She leaned on the counter and let out a deep sigh of relief. It was then that she felt Ron snake an arm across her shoulders.
"You alright?" Ron asked, "at least we can ward the place without disturbing him".
"Yeah you're right", Hermione said with a shaky voice, "best get started", she quickly dashed out the kitchen and towards the front of the property.
Ron watched her go and leaned against the marble counter top. Despite what some people thought about his emotional range, he knew exactly what was bothering Hermione. Trini had called him on his first night back in the UK and told him what Hermione had done to her parents. Since that call he resolved to do whatever he could to locate her parents but due to the constant monster attacks, he hadn't found time yet. Suddenly he had an idea, it was time to call in some extra help. He pulled out his communicator and found the right person to call, "Billy, it's Ron", he began, "I need your help with something". Hermione would have her parents back one day, even if it was the last thing Ron did.
A/N – Its taken hundreds of chapters but I've finally managed to base a chapter in my home town.