Wow! Can't believe another week has gone already!
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave me feedback, you'll be please (I hope) to know that not only have I finished this chapter but I've almost finished the next one too! Still not as far ahead as I'd like, but getting there - though I'm sure certain people would tell me that so long as I have something to publish on Sunday who cares!
Thanx again - and enjoy!!
Chapter Thirty-Seven
After Stella had given Hermione a brief hug and a reminder that they were meeting on Sunday she took the lift back up to her office and the four men accompanied Hermione to the shopping precinct at Washington Square Park. As they left the building there was a minor debate amongst the men about how they would get there - weighing up the pros and cons of going by taxi, by tube, or giving the two Muggles another taste of magical transport - which was interrupted as Hermione made the decision for them and headed in the direction of the subway, forcing them to run to catch up with her. As a result of all the talking done that morning it was well past lunch time by the time they left the subway and Danny and Harry insisted on getting something to eat. Don suggested picking up hot-dogs from a vendor on the way, earning him a displeased glare from Hermione who insisted they should find something more filling, and a lot healthier, for their lunch and dragged the men to a sandwich shop she saw across the road, giving Danny a quick kiss when he grumbled at being made to have an apple with his sandwich.
When they reached the archway Harry turned to Mac and Danny with a grin.
"It's best if you take it at a run if you're nervous." He told them as he then ran at the left side of the arch and disappeared into the stones of the arch.
"Prat." Hermione called after him affectionately. "True though." She admitted to the two men beside her before taking each of their hands and giving a tug to warn them she was about to follow Harry, only to have Don run ahead in front of her.
As Danny and Mac ran at the wall with Hermione - trying to ignore the logic that told them the impact would hurt - they noticed that this magical barrier had a different feel to the one they'd passed through at Central Park to get to the Quidditch game, though this was as far as either man analysed the sensation as they were more amazed by the fact that they'd avoided a collision with the stone wall. Don was standing just in front and to the side of them giving them a knowing smirk before directing their eyes to the street around them. The Plaza was bustling with people going from shop to shop, the mass of people looking something like a fancy dress party with some looking quite 'normal' in suits or jeans and jackets, while others went around in robes of various colours - Danny swore he saw one woman in a red robe that then changed to blue to green. Some carried around brooms while others carried around large bird cages with kestrels inside while many of them wore pointed witches hats.
The buildings the people walked in and out of were just as varied - tall, fat, slim, short, some even lopsided - all forming uneven lines up and down the street, a few leaning so far over their fronts their roofs were almost parallel with the sloping roofs of the buildings opposite. Mac was absently wondering how the buildings didn't collapse entirely as there were no visible supports keeping them upright - or sideways, as it were - when this thought was interrupted as a man was spat out of a door three shops in front of them, only for the building to disappear when the man tried to re-enter. As Mac looked back at Don to see if this was normal he noticed that the detective was now wearing the same blue robes as the Aurors last night, reminding the criminalist that there was a dimension to the other detective that he'd yet to fully discover - one he'd been completely unaware of before.
The two Muggles' attentive observations of their surroundings were interrupted by a noise from the darkened alleyway to their left that sounded like a mix between a growl and a purr. The noise apparently took Flack by surprise as the wizard quickly spun round drawing his wand as a silver-grey paw appeared out of the shadows as a sleek, finely muscled cougar stalked up to them, still emitting that strange purr-growl sound from its throat.
"Oh, knock it off!" Hermione chastised the large cat just as the three men made to move between her and the advancing animal. At the rebuke the muscled predator visibly slumped and gave what sounded eerily like a mewl as it slouched on its hind legs. "Prat." She told it.
The way Hermione spoke to the animal was with the same tone she often used with Harry and made the three men look more closely at the animal. It's underside was completely white changing to the silvery-grey coloured fur down it's legs and across it's back. The paws and ears were tipped a darker grey, as was the fur around it's nose and mouth. Oddly, the eyes of the cat were also ringed by the darker fur, giving the visual impression it was wearing glasses, while on it's brow there was a jagged stripe of almost black fur that looked remarkably like a lightning bolt.
"Harry?" Danny asked as he cautiously moved closer to the animal.
"Danny, Mac, Don, meet Theron - it's Greek, meaning hunter." Hermione proudly introduced her friend's animagus form.
"Amazing. This is really Harry?" Mac asked as the animal passed the crouching Danny, playfully knocking him off balance with a kick of one of his hind legs, making his way to Hermione and butting his head against Flack's leg on the way.
Theron sat in front of Mac looking at the detective with the now familiar brilliant green eyes, mirth dancing within them. Suddenly the big cat was standing on his hind legs, his large front paws falling gently on Hermione's shoulders as he leant his head forward to affectionately rub his forehead against hers. Hermione brought her arms up to embrace the cat twice her size before taking hold of his legs and pushing him upright - as far as she could anyway.
"I love you too, you silly boy."
Once back on his four paws, Theron moved in a circle around her, brushing his body against her legs before heading in the direction of the main shops, stopping to look back at the other four expectantly before indicating towards the shops with his head as if to ask why they weren't moving.
"Right. Well, I need the bank first to get money for my wand, so we'll start there I think." Hermione suggested as she took each of Mac and Danny's arms her voice bringing all three detectives back to the reason they were at the shopping precinct in the first place.
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Anywhere else and the quintet might have looked strange walking up the street as the light coloured cougar dodged between the legs of the blue robed Auror and the young woman who walked closely flanked by two men in casual Muggle clothes, but on these streets no-one so much as batted an eye at them. The clothes were not so unusual as many of the other shoppers were also dressed in Muggle clothing as they travelled between the magical and Muggle areas of the City, and the presence of the cougar was never remarked upon as there seemed to be other animals walking around, or flying around as the case may be.
They reached the Bank and stood outside the imposing doors as Mac and Danny read the warning notice for all who enter. Don made to go up the steps and into the bank with Hermione when she stopped him.
"Wouldn't it be better if you stayed out here and kept those three out of trouble?" She asked the Auror.
"I'm supposed to be guardin' youse, not them." Flack argued.
"The Goblins are hardly going to allow anyone to attack me within their bank - it would be bad for business. Besides, it's not as if you can come with me to the vault - unless the rules here are different than back home - and I'm not sure it's wise to leave two Muggles alone out here, what if someone notices." Hermione argued back.
When Flack was unable to immediately come up with a counter argument Hermione gave him a victorious grin and proceeded into the bank and out of sight. Don gave Theron a sharp look when he heard a hissing sound come from the large cat that sounded suspiciously like laughter and was seriously considering stepping on it's tail when the cat suddenly stood up and began pacing round the three men, his tail swishing as he looked at Don - almost as if he knew the man's thoughts. Theron continued pacing, occasionally looking towards the doors of the bank as if calculating something before deciding to settle beside Danny just in front of the steps. The emerald eyes looked once more at the door and then to Danny who was looking down at him, curiosity shining within the blue eyes. Even so, Danny was still shocked when the animal suddenly swiped the back half of his body into Danny's legs, knocking him onto the ground.
"Hey!" Danny exclaimed, then the next second "whooaa" as he was hit by the sudden sensation of falling as his stomach jumped up into his throat and the initial fright gave way to trying to stay balanced. The sensation was so fierce and so sudden that Danny was sure he would have fallen flat on his backside - if Theron hadn't put him there already.
"Danny?" Mac asked worriedly, wondering what was suddenly wrong with him - or rather what had happened to Mia.
"Is she ridin' a rollercoaster down there?" The New York native asked incredulously.
"It's kind of a drop down to the vaults." Don replied cryptically. "Didn't she warn you about that?"
"I'm not sure she knew what was comin' - and I think she wants ta hurt youse for that." Danny told Theron, only to be given a grin and that hissing laughter once again. "Is she goin' ta be returnin' the same way?" He asked Don who gave him a sympathetic nod to confirm that she would. "Think I'll stay sittin' here then." Danny decided as he absentmindedly rubbed the cougar's head as it sat beside him.
Mac smiled at the odd sight before turning his attention back to the shopping precinct and the shoppers themselves. It occurred to him, as he watched a woman walk out of what had to be a boutique followed by a stack of at least five packages of various sizes trailing after her seemingly of their own accord, that he had accepted the fact of magic - and seeing magical occurrences - far more quickly than he had originally expected - and with almost no questioning, except for the how's and wherefore's. He suddenly realised that it was a sign of his feelings deepening as he fell more in love with Hermione, one that he'd been ignoring. He turned his attention back to Danny as the younger man sat on the stone steps talking to Don as he petted the large cougar beside him. The man was beautiful by anyone's standards and Mac felt graced to be one of the two to hold his heart, but as he sat there now Danny shone with a relaxed confidence that made him breathtaking, and that Mac had never seen him possess before.
Though Mac had noticed the younger man becoming more relaxed into himself since finding the second part of his heart. And Mia was the second part of Danny's heart, just as she had become the second part of Mac's heart. Yet the older man still felt reluctance within her. Not necessarily in how she felt about either of the two men, but there was something that was holding her back - and it wasn't to do with the dreams, at least Mac didn't think so, and he resolved to find out what the source of her reluctance was soon so that he and Danny could find the way to reassure her. As he was thinking Danny suddenly turned his head to look back at the building behind as if looking for Mia, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Danny? Is she alright?"
"Yeah, she's fine." Came the distracted answer as Danny continued to watch the building for a moment more.
Danny could feel Mia within - though it felt as if she were further away - and he felt her remorse at something she'd found, something that also made her feel regret and Danny wished he was with her to take away that pain. Danny looked back up at Mac and knew the older man could see the half-truth in his face when he saw concern cross the handsome face, but Danny was surprised when he thought he saw jealousy flash within the hazel eyes a moment later. As intriguing as that was, Danny wasn't going to mention anything right now - he didn't know what had made Mia feel the way she did, but knew it was personal and she wouldn't want it discussed here. Any more than Mac would want his inexplicable jealousy mentioned.
This time Danny was expecting the sudden sensation of flight as he felt Hermione steel herself for the unpleasant ride on whatever-it-was, and he rose to his feet and walked up the rest of the steps to the doors of the bank as he felt Mia nearing. The doors opened and Hermione immediately moved into Danny's open arms, laying her head against his chest, as always allowing the contact to soothe their emotions. No words were needed, and neither saw the second serving of jealousy this caused the oldest of the triad. Though Mac was able to crush that emotion when, after just a few seconds, Hermione left Danny's arms and walked down the steps to him seeking the same comfort which Mac was more than willing to give as he pulled her into his own arms.
"Are you alright?" He whispered in her ear.
"Can I tell you about it later?" She asked just as quietly as she indicated Theron with her eyes.
Mac gave her a smile of reassurance, glad that she wasn't intentionally excluding him from whatever had affected her in the bank, and he reluctantly released her when she made to move out of his arms once more. Danny had followed her down the steps and gave her a similar smile, which she returned before rounding on the cougar and narrowing her eyes at the cat.
"You and I are going to have a talk later." She informed her friend and the others watched with amusement as the large cat seemed to crouch down and look sheepishly up at her at the rebuke.
"Where to first?" Danny asked, his excitement at experiencing magical shops returning.
"The wandmaker's first." Hermione replied. "Then we can see where anyone else wants to go."
As it turned out the wandmaker was only a few shops down and Hermione was surprised neither she nor Harry had paid it any attention the last time they were at the Plaza - it was called Ollivander's. She looked at Don, the question easily readable on her face.
"It's the same family, cousins I believe. They've been makin' wands in Manhattan since 1676, shortly after the Dutch handed their territories over to the English." Flack explained.
"They've been making wands for that long?" Danny asked.
"They've been trading in London since 382 BC." Hermione informed them as she opened the door and led them all inside, then watched as Theron returned to the form of Harry. Hermione reached out and picked up one of the boxes and quickly smacked Harry over the head with it.
"Ow. Most people would say thank you, you know." He groused as he playfully rubbed at the spot - not that she'd hit him remotely hard enough to do any damage.
"Undo it." Hermione demanded.
"Can't." Harry gave a huge grin as he dashed out of reach and made a show of looking round the store while Don took the box from her hand and replaced it in the pile he thought it came from, trying not to laugh as Harry got the best of her.
Mac gave her a questioning look as Danny shared Don's obvious amusement at the sibling's antics and Hermione gave a sigh and a shake of her head in response to the unasked question before giving her attention to the shop. It looked very much like the one in Diagon Alley with stacks of long thin boxes piled higgledy-piggledy, and filling every available space. Mac and Danny each looked around in curiosity, though Don was quick to catch Mac's hand before he managed to actually touch one of the boxes, as the sound of voices drifted from the back of the store. From behind one of the stacks at the rear of the shop there appeared two gleaming eyes the colour of pale moonlight as a man walked out towards them and they could see he had a mass of shaggy salt'n'pepper hair with a matching beard. This man was definitely related to the Mr Ollivander in England going by the eyes alone, but this was confirmed when he opened his mouth, showing another family trait.
"Don Flack, Maple wood, eleven and a half inches with a dragon heartstring core as I recall. And Mr Potter, Miss Granger, an honour. I'm afraid I don't know you two gentlemen." Ollivander addressed the two Muggles.
"Ya wouldn't." Don answered evasively as a second man appeared from the back giving an identity to the second voice they'd heard moments ago.
Harry and Hermione were both surprised to find the man who'd sold them their first wands in America, but it made sense that he would seek out family to be with after his experiences at Malfoy Manor. The elder Ollivander still looked quite frail, yet he did look better than the last time Harry had talked to him at Shell Cottage and the familiar pale eyes lit up slightly in recognition of the two teens - though his face took on the usual expression of sympathy and discomfort as his eyes slid past Hermione in the now-customary manner of those who'd been at the small residence just outside Tinworth at the time she was being initially treated.
"Mr Potter, Miss Granger, a pleasure to see you both again." The older man greeted them.
"Mr Ollivader, how are you sir?" Harry asked in response.
"Well lad. I'm doing well." There was a slight pause. "Thank you." The two words were said with solemn respect and Harry realised the thanks were once again for the man's freedom. "Now what brings you two here?" He went on to ask.
"I was hoping to get a new wand." Hermione explained.
"Vine, ten and three quarter inches, dragon heartstring. What happened to that one, Miss Granger?" The aged wandmaker asked Hermione, half-looking at her in the same evasive manner as Kingsley was earlier.
"I accidentally snapped it last night." Hermione said in answer - and to their credit none of the men with her gave any reaction to this lie.
The American shop owner's eyes light up at the prospect of finding such a witch a wand and he disappeared behind the counter, coming back up a moment later with a box which he presented to Hermione as he opened it allowing her to take the wand inside - an eleven inch holly wand with a dragon heartstring core. Hermione gave the wand an experimental swish only to have a portion of one of the stacks in front of her explode into shards, sending wand boxes everywhere. The younger Ollivander quickly took back the wand and disappeared once more to find a more suitable replacement. This time when she tried the wand a gale force wind swept through the store knocking the unsuspecting occupants off balance. When the third wand she was given did nothing at all the elder Ollivander joined in the search, producing a nine and three quarter inch fir wand with a Veela hair core. However, this wand turned the room upside down so it appeared as if the occupants were standing on the ceiling instead of the floor.
After another five unsuccessful attempts, the two Ollivander's put their heads together, having a private conference for many minutes - occasionally looking back at Hermione - before finally turning back to their customers, the younger of the two looking at the only witch present in open curiosity.
"My dear, are you sure you need a wand?" He asked her.
"I'd prefer to have one." She answered evasively.
"But do you need one, to do magic?" The elder wandmaker asked.
"No." She finally, reluctantly, told them - only to have the two wandmakers look to each other and nod as if confirming what they already knew.
"Perhaps she could have one anyway, for show." Mac suggested, thinking of how to keep her wandless ability an advantage should she need it again.
"As I once told Mr Potter, the wand chooses the person. It is not always clear why, but perhaps has something to do with who it is best suited to. It is not uncommon for a witch or wizard to need to change their wands during the course of their lifetime as life's circumstances alters them - or their magic grows." The elder Ollivander told the group at large, his head bent directing his words at the counter in front of him as the younger disappeared once more and returned with the third wand they'd tried.
It was an easily concealed nine inch wand made of blackthorn with a Thestrel hair core. This time Hermione actually tried a spell with the wand rather than simply seeing how the wand would act. A flock of brightly coloured Bullfinches appeared and began circling overhead, and Hermione wasn't sure if the wand had helped or not but recognised Mac's logic of having a wand to disguise her proficiency in wandless magic. As she made to take out her purse to pay for the wand the shop's owner quickly stopped her.
"Oh no, no need. Take it as a gift, for all you have done, and for the life of my cousin." He told her sincerely. "Besides, it is quite appropriate really. I obtained that hair on a visit to England to see my cousin, it's from one of the herd at Hogwarts."
Hermione thought about pointing out that it was actually Harry who'd saved the elder Ollivander, but then thought better of is as she saw the determined expression on his face. Instead she gave her thanks and put her new wand away in a signal for the others that they were done just as Harry turned back into Theron and headed towards the door with the others. As Hermione reached the exit herself she was suddenly stopped by the voice of the elder wandmaker.
"Miss Granger." He started. "I hope … you are well?" He asked her haltingly, looking at her directly for the first time - his eyes full of pity.
"Yes sir. I am quite recovered now." She told him in her best reassuring voice while trying to ignore the familiar look before returning the man's respectful nod and closing the shop's door behind her.
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