Edmund and the young witch were on their own again, in a wood near Lestrange Manor. A tear rolled on Hermione's cheek, and she wiped it out with determination.
"What do we do, now?" The young king asked.
"We go and rescue them."
"What, just like that? No. we need a plan!"
"Edmund, they're right here! You saw them in the monk's vision. We can't afford to wait."
Edmund was about to say something, but changed his mind.
"Please..." she said in a trembling voice. "They're like my family. And I need Ron."
He took a deep breath.
"Fine." he said. "You're right. We'll go, and we'll find a way."
She silently thanked him, and then got closer to the mansion, hiding behind a bush. Edmund joined her, and observed the building.
"The dungeons must be underground." he commented. "How are we gonna get in?"
"Look. There's movement. Can you see their... servants? They're all carrying something. Some of them are carrying bags."
"What do you have in mind?"
"This could be our way in. we get there, we take a bag, and we get in."
Edmund nodded, and they did as they said.
"Keep your eyes down." Hermione said as she took a heavy bag.
Edmund listened to her, and they entered the manor easily. They dropped their bag, and silently walked to the dungeons. While they were passing a closed door, they heard someone screaming out of pain.
"Please, stop!" The voice sobbed. "I beg you!"
And then another scream. Hermione grew extremely pale, and her eyes filled with tears. Edmund forced her to continue. They found the stairs to the basement, and got down. There, they discovered multiple cells, stretching to the far end of the corridor. They silently decided to check every cell. Hermione would take the ones on the right, while Edmund checked the ones on the left. Most of the cells were empty, although there were signs of a regular presence. They were moving quickly. Hermione suddenly stopped in front of the door. She had just heard someone coughing.
"Ed!" She whispered.
The young king turned to her, and joined her. She hesitated.
"You've got this." Edmund said. "You can do it."
"Alohomorah." She said, pointing at the lock.
And when the cell door opened, she thought she was gonna collapse. A group of red-haired faces turned to her. Ron was the first to react.
"Hermione?" He asked like he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Ron!"
She dashed to him, and soon found herself strongly held in his arms. It was comforting. She was home. Ron's embrace was soon followed by Mrs Weasley's. Neither of them had held her so tightly in their arms before.
"Hermione, what are you doing here?" Ron asked.
"I'm getting you out, silly!" She said, half crying half laughing.
"Are you all here?" Edmund asked.
"They took Fred..." George said in a faint voice. "They're hurting him."
"Took him? Away from the castle?"
"No, he's still around."
"They come and pick one of us to work for them, from times to times..." Ron explained.
"All right. Hermione, get them out of here. I'll find Fred and join you. Let's go, we have no time to waste. They could work out they have intruders any minute, now."
And as he said these words, an alarm went of. They were flagged. Edmund swore. It was Miraz's castle all over again. He suddenly felt a tiny hand pulling his arm. He turned to discover a little girl with a shaved head.
"Micha?" He said. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. S. sends me to say it's working. The priestess has left her trance."
"This is great!" Hermione said. "Very good news. But if we don't escape this place, it's gonna be complicated to put things right."
Edmund suddenly had an idea.
"Micha, do you think you could cause a diversion?"
The little girl seemed absent for a moment.
"Mr. S. said he can start the children of the earth protocol. But you should find a way to block your ears."
Hermione saw the only candle of the cell, and transfigured it into ear plugs, which she passed to Edmund and the Weasley.
"Let's go." she said, gesturing her words. "Together."
They climbed up the stairs to the manor's hall, where a group of death eaters, Rodolphus Lestrange first, was waiting for them, wands out. In front of Lestrange was Fred. He was on his knees, pale as death, and the dark wizard's wand was pressed on his throat. Hermione slowly lifted her wand, and then shouted:
"MICHA!"
The bold girl stepped out of the group, and came in front of the death eaters. She looked at them with fire in her eyes, and then opened her mouth, letting out a loud screech, which caused the wizards to drop their wands to try and cover their ears. Despite their ear plugs, the Weasleys, Hermione and Edmund also needed to cover their ears. The young king dashed to Fred, who seemed in great pain like the death eaters, and helped him up. The wizard leaned on the young king, and they all ran away. They soon reached the cover of the woods, while Micha kept screaming without ever pausing, causing the windows to explode.