Day Fifty-Four


The Arcadia's nose cut through the calm Rabaul's bay waters, like a majestic white spear cutting a peaceful blue blanket in two. The young couple stood on their usual spot in front, the wind lifting around Hermione's curls and messing up with Draco's perfectly coiffed blond hair.

Draco was mostly curious to discover if this island also lived in a primitive century as their last stop Kiriwina had, silently hoping to find a more modern place. Salazar, if my old-self heard me talk, thought the wizard, worrying about basic muggle amenities. Nowadays, he came to appreciate the perks of the muggle devices and even consider them essential. My father would have a stroke on the spot...

With a slight curling of his mouth, Draco noticed the electricity poles in the distance, a car or two driving on seemingly paved roads. The buildings appeared more like the usual brick constructions instead of the palm tree structures from Kiriwina, "Look love, these people are living in better conditions."

Hermione didn't react straight away, looking mesmerised at another point as far as the eye could see. She whispered enthusiastically, "Draco, do you know we crossed a bay with two volcanoes guarding the cove?"

Draco blinked confused, "I don't know what volcanoes are, I see several mountains." He spotted the conic shapes at the entrance while crossing, like two silent sentinels watching over the opening of the bay. Still, they looked like ordinary mountains, nothing special.

"They are mountains which can spit scorching hot lava out of their crater, capable of wiping out entire villages if they go active," Hermione remarked mindlessly. She sought the third low shape a little away from Tavurvur volcano. She pointed behind her, "That one called Tavurvur, for instance, erupted nine years ago together with its partner on the other side." She turned at the waist to point out the second peak, now behind them.

No longer at ease, he warily surveyed the surrounding landscape which formed a collection of valleys and peaks in a mix of brown and greenish colours. The frown on his forehead deepened the longer Hermione explained, "This entire region is called a caldera because it houses multiple volcanoes. Those two I just pointed out are the most active. But look further down. That smaller rounder mountain top you see? That's another volcano, a dormant one, called Kombiu, the mother." She laughed, oblivious to his growing unease. "She's the mother, and there are the North and South Daughters somewhere too, but I didn't memorise their names or the specific location."

"Active volcanoes?" A minor panic mixed with total confusion, neither Hogwarts nor his private tutor ever told him about lava spitting mountains. "Are they active today?"

"I don't think so. Otherwise, I guess P&O would have skipped this port." She squeezed his hand briefly before she laced their fingers together, "Don't worry, Draco. Come on, let's go downstairs."

Draco glanced warily at both mountains on his way to the stairs, Rabaul sounded less appealing all of a sudden.

The group for the Rabaul Highlights tour was divided into two minibuses, Draco nodding good morning to the two brothers from the helicopter trip at Honolulu who sat down next to them.

Hiding behind her wizard, Hermione stashed away the ice-cold water bottles inside her bag. She murmured a cooling charm, renewing the one she cast on the bottles she brought from the ship, as usual, prepared for the rainforest climate inherent to the island.

"You're a genius," The way his witch planned ahead each trip still surprised him, even after fifty-four days. He planted a quick peck on her cheek just in time. The bus jerked into motion.

Travelling up a very steep and bumpy hill, they were brought to the first stop overlooking the harbour and further down the volcanoes Tavurvur and Vulcan. Draco took his camera and shot a picture of the Arcadia docked between a sea of tropical trees, rose flower bushes, and both volcanos standing highly in the distance. He needed visible proof of what a volcano was, his mother would never believe it otherwise.

Suddenly, the earth beneath his feet trembled lightly. He grabbed Hermione's arm as a reflex, cursing, "What the hell happened just now?" His witch shrieked alarmed over the low zooming sound that stopped at the same time as the shaking.

A deep baritone spoke louder behind the blond, "Don't get scared, people. This was a minor earthquake, we've been getting those often, lately."

"Earthquake?" Hermione was everything but at ease, and her discomfort did little to soothe Draco's stress which only increased from watching her pale.

"If you all follow me, I'll explain this and the other phenomenons concerning our very active volcanoes." The dark-haired sun-tanned man in a red polo shirt and black shorts pointed at a wall of tv screens and weird-looking machines with rotating drums and metal sticks scratching irregular lines over the paper.

"We're at the Rabaul Volcano Observatory where we measure daily the volcanic activity on our island. As you probably know, our two volcanoes Tavurvur and Vulcan, are still very active. The last eruption date was 1994 when both decided to erupt within about an hour of each other. Fortunately, our eighty thousand residents were evacuated on time. However, a few houses still bear the scars of the heated encounter with the orange burning sea of molten rock." The two groups practically hung at the guide's every word, aside from one or two wandering tourists. Those people showed more interest in the photos hanging on the wall and the lined up series of portable radios.

"My name is Mikhail, and I'm a member of the volcanologist team full-time in attendance on this island." He pointed to the furthest screen, "Each of these screens represents one of our eleven stations spread over the island to measure the seismic activity daily."

One of the brothers beat Hermione in time to ask the mutual question, "How do they transmit their data?"

Draco listened carefully to Mikhail's explanation, the line between his eyebrows deepening the more the man explained. "The telemetric sensors communicate with our equipment here through VHF or UHF radio waves. We still use two mechanical seismographs to register the strong motions." One platinum blond eyebrow rose to question silently, Hermione mouthing a 'later' as a promise to explain what in Salazar's name were HF things and telemetric sensors.

The entire complex shook again for a few seconds. Despite the reassuring words from the guide from before, the group froze warily between jiggling objects, and two thin-looking sticks scratched crazy small lines on the massive rolling paper drum. A few women screeched in panic.

Mikhail remained unphased by the newest quake, even slightly excited to have a hands-on example. He pointed to one of the tv screens retrofitted high on the metal wall, "Look at how these blue lines get thicker and wider? They measure the intensity of every tremor. We can see the data be confirmed on our seismographs, the pen on the top draws the lines over our paper roll. The wider, the heavier. We just felt a light 3.5 on the Richter scale." The guide rubbed his hands with a smile, however, his enthusiasm wasn't mirrored by the audience.

"On these screens, we also monitor the temperature of the hot springs and the fumaroles - openings in the crust through which hot sulphurous gasses emerge. Those are also signs of an impending eruption. Further, we even have an in-house developed method for seashore surveying, where we measure the rise of the tide beyond the normal levels."

Draco cleared his throat, "How hot are those hot spring fumaroles nowadays?" Sulphurous gasses was something he understood from Potions, how hot water could be a sign was less clear.

"You have hot springs and fumaroles, mister. But both are hot." Mikhail smiled widely, "And toxic. But not too hot."

The brother wanted to ask another question, but Draco interrupted, "Not hot enough for an eruption?"

"No, mister. Don't be alarmed, these mini earthquakes are a routine occurrence. I don't expect your trip today to be cut short by an unexpected eruption." The guide chuckled, amused. The rest responded with nervous smiles. "Are there any other questions?"

Hermione had a few more, but Draco's discomfort made her reconsider. She bought a book from one of the volcanologists hoping to find her answers there. The tour guide didn't even need to gather the group, it was as if everyone wished to leave the place as fast as possible.

Their next stop was at the Japanese Submarine Base Tunnels. Built beneath the town of Rabaul to protect their base against the air bombardments from the Allied Forces, the series of tunnels housed facilities like hospitals, barracks, storehouses and command centres. They walked through white, painted concrete bunkers. All the while their tour guide described how it was linked to other tunnels hewn from the existing rock formation, or even crude structures supported by palm beams. Quite impressive in its own right.

"Remember Pearl Harbour, Draco?" Hermione remembered him of their visit to Hawaii's War Memorial. "What I told you about the Japanese involvement? Well, these tunnels are connected to the same Pacific war."

"They weren't stupid, at least. Those Japanese people could move around without risking being blown up. Look at some of these walls, I guess some are high as the ceiling of the Potions room, if not higher." They stood back outside, walking between the old remains of Japanese war weapons and half-destroyed bombers.

Their guide, Micheline, elaborated, "More than 170,000 soldiers were found here alive and well despite the extensive rain of bombs dropped over these grounds. It's estimated to have been more than twenty-thousand five hundred tons - all of them surviving because of this ingenious network of tunnels. Everything was housed within these walls, which is a total estimate between the five-hundred to eight-hundred kilometres of tunnel."

Hermione recognised the passionate way of explaining things, this woman was a guide who loved her job. The numbers Micheline mentioned were impressive. Nearly the entire group studied the white walls with renewed interest, "There are portions of this network which are four levels high. Some were big enough to allow short U-turns with small aircrafts, you also had HQ's, machines, and as I said already their own hospitals. Between the catacombs of Rome and these tunnels, I doubt which of the two is the longest."

The guide gave them some free time but urged them to return to the bus after ten minutes. As the passengers stepped onto the bus one by one, she handed them a banana to still the hunger. The ride, however, was bumpier than before and Hermione noticed the guide exchanging worried looks with their driver. At a particular moment, the witch was nearly certain the rough travel was increased by a new earthquake. Luckily, Draco was unaware, and the Gryffindor decided to leave him unknowing.

Finally, at their destination, the group left the bus and admired the boiling springs in front of Mount Tavurvur. The boiling springs were ringed by rock dyed orange from the sulfur, while a column of steam rose in the air from its opening. Micheline warned, "Please refrain from dipping in the water. You'll experience severe burn wounds, the water is easily eighty to a hundred degrees celsius, or two-hundred and twelve degrees fahrenheit."

Draco shot picture after picture, glad to have a magical camera at hand and able to capture the steamy pools with the Tavurvur in the background.

"One last warning, please refrain from approaching a fumarole. Those openings you see over there," Micheline pointed out to a tiny heap of rock through which a column of white smoke escaped, resembling the volcano but in miniature shape. "They release steam and toxic gasses like carbon dioxide or other sulphuric fumes. Take your pictures from a distance, if you please."

Draco and Hermione continued to explore the landscape, noticing how one of the hot springs bled into the caldera. True to his Slytherin nature, the blond stretched his hand to feel the heat, on their way back to the group.

"Draco!" Hermione smacked his hand away, "Are you crazy? I can't heal burn wounds with the few potions I brought!" A new smack landed on his body, this time on his shoulder.

"Witch, I'm no Longbottom. I was just feeling out how warm it felt from afar." He snickered but caught her hand mid-air before it stroked for the third time. "It's insanely ho-"

Their conversation was cut short by Micheline, who asked everyone to gather together. "Guys, I think we should get back to the bus." She barely finished speaking, before the ground started to shake violently, the zooming by now familiar to Draco.

"Fuck, Hermione, we need to get out of here." He took her hand and started to run towards the bus, intending to hide behind it and use their fastest way out.

"I know, but we can't Disapparate. We would attract too much attention." In a matter of minutes, the bus was full, ready for departure. The shaking had stopped, but a loud horn was audible.

"This isn't good." The guide commented worriedly. "Folks, I'm hearing your ship blaring. It means that for some reason, it wants to depart ahead of time." Her phone rang, and after a short conversation, she confirmed her suspicions. "The volcanic activity is increasing unexpectedly. The tour operator is calling back all excursions. We need to ge-"

A few women yelled. Just a few feet away from the bus, a smoking rock landed on the ground. Their driver didn't wait for further instructions but took off at high speed down the bumpy road, every passenger bumping up and down in their seats.

"Hermione, I don't want to be roasted alive." Draco held on tightly to the seat in front of him with one arm, while he pulled her tight to him with the other. His breathing sped up as if he had run a marathon out of sheer anxiety.

"We will only attract attention, how will you explain us disappearing. Those two brothers know us by now, for example." Her anxiety wasn't much better. Their bus deviated from the path like a slithering snake, to avoid collision with falling debris; behind her, the Tavurtur spat grey smoke as giant piled mushrooms into the air.

"We'll obliviate them when we have the chance." Draco ducked to pick up his wand from her bag, Hermione through her sunhat over the wooden rod. "Hermione!"

"WE CAN'T!?" A few heads turned her way, surprised by the rise in her voice. Blushing, she bowed her head, covering her eyes with a hand. Hermione seethed in a lower tone, "Which part of drawing attention, don't you understand?"

A rock fragment landed really close to their window, and she shrieked, grabbing a cursing Draco by his shirt.

The driver took a sharp turn and caused almost all passengers from the right side to fall into the aisle. The wizard prevented a collision with his neighbour just in time, holding tight to the seat in front of him. His core strength was tested to its maximum, the turn threw Hermione onto his lap. He grunted, "How much longer?" Grunting, he pulled himself back straight in the seat and set his witch back on hers.

"I see the harbour." Their driver forwent his usual defensive driving style and ignored all the traffic signs using even one-way streets as shortcuts. His brakes screeched when he struck them hard at the entrance of the Arcadia, opening the doors nearly immediately. The panicked group almost trampled over each other on the way out, Hermione using the confusion to disapparate the two into the hallway of the ship.

The wizard caught her hand and ran towards their usual stop at the nose of the ship, "Hermione, the city will be harmed if we don't do anything. That grey cloud is gaining speed at a frightening pace."

She cast a silent notice-me-not followed by a muffliato, "We could try a protego maxima, but will it form a barrier wide enough?"

Draco didn't respond. He simply accioed his wand and pointed at the centre of the village, screaming from the top of his lungs, "Protego Maxima."

Next to him, Hermione added "Fianto duri." The wizard scrunched his face, confused, "Flitwick used it to fortify the shielding charm, making it last longer."

Their efforts paid off on short notice, the pyroclastic flow cloud somehow split in two and continued its destructive path around Rabaul's village. In the meantime, both wizard and witch renewed their spells, temporarily brought out of focus by a jerking Arcadia set in motion.

In the distance, an orange river appeared at the mouth of Mount Tavurvur, "Look, the lava is coming."

"Can our shields stop that?" Draco's stretched finger pointed towards the fiery stream. For some reason, the Slytherin had the feeling he was fighting a mighty adversary.

"Not for long, but at least we're buying them some time to evacuate." The witch lamented between the recasting of her spell. Each time, a sliver of silver joined a nearly invisible wall surrounding Rabaul's outlines. At the same time, she saw people gather in busses and cars to escape the imminent inferno.

Renewing their disillusionment charm, Draco pointed his wand towards the sky deck of the Arcadia and cast a protego maxima over their vessel, followed by Hermione's Fianto Duri. The blond shrugged, "Just in case."

Proud of his quick thinking, his witch pecked him on the lips, "Good call."

-oOo-

It seemed an eternity, but the Arcadia gained speed, leaving behind a lava-spitting mountain. Strangely enough, the orange flow split in two and created a two-forked stream around the village. The captain issued a ship-wide announcement that all passengers were accounted for and no casualties had been reported. However, they couldn't explain the dispersing cloud that spread all over the caldera except the village. Several experts were looking for a reason, but it remained a mystery.

"We might get our arses kicked for this intervention, love, but I don't regret giving those residents the time to escape." Draco chuckled with a smug demeanour. He knew he hadn't breached the Wizarding Secrecy Act, nobody saw them perform magic, and their actions saved lives. He leaned over the rail, watching the passengers below their balcony wander, discussing the exciting episode

"We won't," Leaning onto him, arm laced over his, Hermione spoke with determination, thinking about appropriate measures if Shacklebolt would dare to condemn them for their actions. The witch nudged her wizard, "Have you noticed something?"

"What?"

"Together, we are a force to be reckoned with." She bit her lip, scrunching her cheeks into a giddy smile.

"Want to test that power inside?" Holding her hands in his grip, he pulled her inside, throwing her mercilessly on the bed. While he pulled her clothing off a piece at the time and kissed the naked skin, he couldn't stop revelling in how much he actually enjoyed performing magic with her at his side.


A.N.:

One: Facts: The eruption I describe here is completely fictional. Mount Tavurvur is one the most active volcanos from the Papua New Guinea region, but I'm writing this story in 2003 and its eruptions were in 1994 and 2006. The eruption of '94 is correctly described as a duo eruption from both volcanoes one hour apart from each. Yet, aside from material damage, only five people died. Plus they had 19 hours of warning compared to my fictional no warning at all. Keep it in mind, I reserve the right to bend some details for creative purposes, as long as I don't rape the truth about very important historical facts.

Two: I don't deserve you, my dear readers. My writing muse simply abandoned me since the last update, while I knew what I wanted to write. Now with our involuntary isolation, I'm forcing myself back on the horse. To give everyone some entertainment and me something to do. I can't thank you enough for your patience and forgiveness.

Last: There are four sea days ahead, the next port is Kagoshima, Japan followed by Nagasaki, and I'm always happy to receive some ideas for these boring sea days. And yes, Japan has many volcanoes, but I have taunted Draco enough with hot lava, don't you think? Many gratitude and love to you, take care of yourself and your loved ones.

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