Chapter 54: Unsavory Discoveries
Hermione and Severus heard Erheldt and the others before they saw them. Hermione spun in his arms, the back of her body lying flush against the warmth of his dark robes and she smiled as he placed his long arms around her waist, holding her protectively. She hoped that the blush across her cheeks wasn't a dead giveaway of what they'd been up to moments before.
Erheldt was wearing a giant metal faceplate that looked as though it had been torn off of a suit of armor. He also had a number of things gathered in his arms, from a couple of different looking spears to a longbow and a bunch of odd-looking strands of what looked to be bells slung around his neck, even though they were completely silent as he walked. He held a small chest against himself, keeping everything in place as he walked. Anya came next, a belt around her waist with various bulging bags tied to it. There were a couple of bracelets adorning her wrists and forearms and there were a few rings on her fingers that had not been there before. Sanguini brought up the rear and Hermione nearly burst out laughing. The tall, thin vampire was bent over nearly to the middle as he held a large sack against his back. Even though he did not have the customary bandit mask on, he looked uncannily like a cartoon robber from Saturday morning cartoons come to life.
"We grabbed what we could," Erheldt said tiredly, his eyes widening as he pointed at the basilisk that Hermione had closed. "Is there a reason why your door is...smoking?"
Severus looked somewhat skeptical at this, but a quick glance toward the smoking stone snake proved that Erheldt was not joking at all. Wisps of grey poured from the serpent's nostrils and mouth, giving it an almost draconian appearance. A strangled cry formed at the back of Hermione's throat, and she backed away towards the open door and the shimmering ward that kept the air in the study separated from the toxic fumes beyond.
Logically, she knew that it wasn't real, but all she could think of was the giant fiery snake's head coming for them as they'd flown through burning piles of garbage that horrible night in the Room of Requirement. That massive face, full of fury. That horrible expression as it bared its massive fangs. The feral, reptilian joy of the strike. It was coming, coming to kill her...to kill everyone she'd ever loved...just like Nagini...and she'd done nothing, she was nothing...she was...
"Hermione! NO!" Severus cried out, moving so quickly that he was a dark blur.
He grabbed her and pulled her back just as her wrist slid through the translucent barrier.
Hermione blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears.
"It's my fault...all my fault…" she mumbled, burying her face in his robes.
Severus smoothed her hair gently and wrapped his arms around her tightly.
"You may be a glutton for punishment, Hermione, but running off into a toxic maze is extreme, even for you," he said sardonically, but there was no true bite in his voice.
If anything, Hermione was almost certain that she could hear fear in the way he spoke to her, as well as how firmly he held her against his body, partially in comfort, but also as though he was desperately seeking comfort. As she pressed her face against him and turned her head to the side, she could hear his heart beating wildly, like that of a mortal, and knew then that she was correct.
"It's okay, Severus. I'm okay now," Hermione reassured him, "You're right, I was being an idiot."
"You're putting words in my mouth, Hermione," Severus said, arching an eyebrow at her, "You may be a know-it-all and a typical headstrong Gryffindor at times but you are anything but an idiot."
"Are you two finished with the goo-goo eyes and ready to get out of here? This thing isn't getting any lighter!" Sanguini whined, pretending to struggle with the heavy bag on his back.
"What did you guys put in there anyway, lead bricks?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
"No, but I think there's a small gold chest in there somewhere," Erheldt replied, frowning, "Why, are lead bricks known for their magical properties?"
Hermione shared a look with Severus and shook her head.
"Do not concern yourself with the specifics, Erheldt. Time is of the essence. We should head back before we run into Baron Von Asshat again," Severus said darkly.
Hermione snickered quietly into his robes for a moment until she was able to collect herself again.
With a deep breath, each of the vampires steeled themselves and then ducked through the doorway and out into the poison-filled hallway. Hermione was glad that her beaded handbag magically absorbed the weight of the many things inside as she watched Erheldt and Sanguini struggle to carry the things they'd grabbed from the room. Belatedly, she realized that maybe they could have placed their items in there as well, but then she remembered that the bag only opened so wide, which would mean that it would take awhile to get everything inside, and time was definitely not something that any of them had on their sides.
In any case, they moved quickly in the halls, and though they did not meet anyone or any thing, Hermione had the unsettling feeling that they were all being watched.
One by one, they all tumbled out of the door into the front hallway, exhausted. Stanley squeaked loudly, running to Hermione's ankle and hugging it tightly.
"Hello to you too, my little hero!" Hermione said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, relieved that she could breathe normally again.
"What do-" Erheldt started, but no one ever found out what he was about to say next.
The locks on the front door began to click and slide back one by one as someone on the other side of the door fumbled with what sounded like a large ring of keys.
"Shit!" hissed Anya, "Garbor is back! Run!"
No one needed to be told twice. Hermione scooped Stanley up and placed him up in her chest pocket. Severus thoughtfully cast a Silencing Charm on both Sanguini and Erheldt to stop the clanking as they moved. They ran back down the hallway towards the dining room with the curtain at the end of it. Everyone crowded behind it, breathing a sigh of relief when the long, velvet material touched the ground, obscuring their feet.
"Well, now what do we do?" whispered Sanguini bitterly. "Oh, I just know we're going to die in here! Or worse! Become new food for Garbor's….monsters!"
"Shush!" Severus replied quietly, "I can hear footsteps!"
Everyone held their breaths again, though this time it was for a completely different reason than before. Footsteps rang out in the hall and they listened intently for what was being said.
"...will find that I am a generous master, Pansy," Garbor was saying.
Hermione's eyes widened with shock as she looked up at Severus, noticing that he'd begun to look rather ill. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He squeezed it back gently, but he turned his gaze down to the floor, unable to look at her.
"Well, that's all well and good," Pansy's voice echoed as they passed the dining room and moved further away, "but when am I going to eat? I'm starving!"
"I believe I have a solution…." Garbor's voice was indistinct, now, even with superior vampiric hearing abilities.
Finally, the sound of indistinct voices and wood shifting under weight as Garbor and Pansy climbed the stairs was all that they could hear.
"We must leave before they reach the colosseum at the top of the stairs and find out that I am not there!" Anya whispered urgently, her eyes wide and full of fear.
There was a loud WHOOMP noise as Sanguini dropped his bag of stuff.
"Ow!" Erheldt exclaimed from behind his hand. "Why did you-?!"
"Look!" Sanguini cried hoarsely, his voice breaking as he pointed one pale finger at the object behind them.
It had been obscured by the lack of light behind the curtain, but as everyone's night vision kicked in properly, it was almost easier to see than the light of day.
Hermione turned to look, as did the others. Her hands flew to her mouth and she gasped, at a loss for words.
"That bastard!" Sanguini growled through gritted teeth, his fangs extending completely. "All this time, and I never knew! He was going to reveal it earlier before we interrupted him, too!"
Severus squeezed Hermione's hand firmly as they all stared at the tank that stood before them.
Sanguini pressed his fingers against the cool glass, bending forward until his forehead was pressed against it as well, his shoulders drooping with pain.
"Oh, my sweet, dear Musette," he said softly to the figure that floated inside, "What has that monster been using you for all of these years?"
