This is the second of two chapters I will be posting today. If you came straight here, you need to go back one! Enjoy!
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Taking the powder and throwing it down, she pronounced her address clearly, just as she had told Theo, before disappearing.
When she stepped out into the living room, she moved quickly out of the way so Theo had enough room. While she moved towards Draco, no, Malfoy! When she moved towards Malfoy, the flare behind her only gave her a millisecond before her guest cursed.
"Salazar fucking Slytherin." It was said in absolute disbelief.
Hermione hazarded a look at the man. He wasn't looking at her muggle house or her furniture, no, he was looking at what was left of his best friend. Gaunt and void of most muscle, the body on the couch was disturbing, even to Hermione, a health care professional who had emergency experience. The heart rate monitor and I.V. bag was hovering above his head, adding to the overall feel of despair. His Slytherin mask wasn't in place, and Hermione had a front row seat to the emotions playing on his face. She walked over and put her hand on his lower arm. It caused Theo to jump, having forgotten that he wasn't alone.
"Who does this? Who DID this?" He asked forcefully. She removed her hand and took a slight step away from the livid man. He picked up on the movement and his anger faded into a more manageable level. "Forgive me Hermione. I know it wasn't you. What can you tell me?"
"I will tell you everything I know, but let me tell Tansy.."
"Tansy's here?" He interrupted her, his voice had a hint of excitement.
"Yes, she is." She replied. Turning to the hallway, she called out, "Tansy?"
The elf popped into the room. "Yes, Miss Mia?" Seeing the man behind Hermione, she squealed. "Master Theo!"
"Hello Tansy!"
"Tansy, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind making us some lunch? I am going to talk to Theo about yesterday, and neither of us have eaten." She asked politely.
"Absolutely, Miss Mia. Turkey is Master Theo's favorite." The elf beamed at her master's friend.
"It still is Tansy, thank you." Theo smiled at her remembering. With that Tansy left for the kitchen.
"Master Theo?" She queried as she summoned her reading chair from the corner, placing it next to the recliner.
"Honorary, purely. I was over his house constantly growing up. Occasionally for weeks at a time, she was the nanny elf assigned to us." His mouth quirked in a brief smile.
Hermione only smiled in response, she didn't have anything to say. Tansy saved her by coming back into the living room with her tray hovering behind her.
Directing it to the coffee table, she uncovered it to show two sandwiches and two sides of chips and fruit.
"Looks great, thank you for your hard work." Hermione thanked the elf as she picked up one of the sandwiches, taking a seat in the recliner.
"Yesterday, I came home from work later than normal, but in time for a crack of apparition and thump outside my door. Initially, I thought someone dropped off a package. However, when I opened the door to retrieve it, he was laying there, haphazardly. I thought he was dead. I called Harry and Ginny to come help. We spent about 3 hours getting him to the point of being able to use Skele-gro." Waiting for Theo to finished chewing, she added. "I can show you the memory through Legillemency or I have copies of the evidence photos. Whichever you prefer." She took a bite of the turkey avocado club sandwich. She was not disappointed, it was fabulous.
"Photos, if you don't mind. I know enough about healing after abuse than I care to remember." His response was something that Hermione wanted to give more thought on without asking. The information was forthcoming and personal.
"Understandable." Setting her meal to the side, she stood going back to the end table where Harry had left copies for her. Walking back to her chair, she passed the stack to Theo.
He put down his lunch in favor of taking the photos and notes. His face morphing from anger to resignation, and back again, as he looked the photos over.
"I know some of these; oil, feet, and fists," holding up a few of the photos as he spoke, "But these? These small round burns?"
"Cigarettes. They are the only thing Harry and I could think of. Muggles smoke them. Smaller than a pencil, they contain addictive properties." Realization dawned on her face. "Theo, are these not in the magical world? I know about them because of the muggle world, but I haven't paid attention to people using them in the magical."
"I think I know what you are talking about. I have seen them, but I couldn't tell you where to get them. Not in an apothecary." He looked unsure, as if trying to figure it out himself.
"I need to tell Harry!" Getting up, she went to her floo, throwing the powder in to call Harry's office.
"Harry! Do you have a moment?... Ok, that's fine… Oh, ok. Great… Yes, I will see you then. Bye!" The one sided conversation was awkward to listen in on. Soon enough Hermione was returning to her chair, processing this new information.
"May I ask what had you needing to inform Potter?" Theo asked politely, not looking to step over any boundaries.
"Oh! My apologies, Theo. In cases like this, you try to develop a profile of the perpetrator. Like the cigarettes. If they can only be purchased in the muggle world, the person has to either be magical and familiar with it, or muggle. And the cello tape!" She spoke loudly as she thought about the evidence the collected.
The floo flared behind her and out stepped Harry.
"Hey Hermione, Theo. What is it you wanted to speak about?" He asked the two sitting individuals. Tansy arrived at this and handed Harry his own sandwich, sans the chips and fruit.
"Theo just brought up a good point. The cigarette burns, Harry. And the cello tape!" She told the raven haired man enthusiastically. "They have to be familiar with the muggle world or are a muggle. Oh! Tansy told me over breakfast that she can feel him and go to him now that Malfoy is here. Before, when she initially came to me, she couldn't. Wards Harry!"
"So you are thinking muggleborn or half-blood?" He asked back, making sure he understood what she was trying to convey.
"Or pureblood, familiar with the muggle world. But that is more unlikely than plausible." She responded in thought.
"If you don't mind me weighing in, there are very few wards that would allow you to feel magical signature behind them but not find them. Even through a bond. I can do some research at work and see if I can create a comprehensive list." Theo suggested, and at Harry's slightly confused look Hermione cut in.
"Theo is a curse breaker for… " trailing off when she realized she didn't know where he actually worked.
"Gringotts." Theo supplied. "I am a curse breaker for Gringotts."
"And Melisandre goes with you?" Hermione couldn't help but ask, curiosity shining through. Each time she had reached out to him, Melisandre was the owl that returned, not a Gringotts' owl.
"Actually, yes. I think she thinks she has to work as well. Though I doubt you are surprised." He said with a hint of humor. Hermione chuckled and shook her head.
"Melisandre?" Harry asked.
"My owl. She been with me since 5th year and she is quirky. That is putting it mildly." Theo smiled a large, toothy grin at that. "Anyway, I can do that, but it will probably take a week or so. Would that be ok?"
"Yes." Both Harry and Hermione responded.
"If Tansy is willing, we might be able to experiment to see if there is a different feel to them. It might provide insight." Hermione suggested looking at the two men.
Tansy must have come into the room invisible because the empty food plates and trays disappeared. Looking at the time, Hermione was surprised to see it was going on half two.
"Oh! I need to get started on Malfoy's potion and keep working." She stated, feeling terrible she had lost track of time.
"I need to head back, but I will put your thoughts in the file. Thanks Hermione, Theo." Turning to face the kitchen, he yelled louder than necessary, "Thanks for lunch Tansy!" Waving goodbye, Harry left her house.
"I can help with the potion. Two sets of hands are better than one. I'm not Draco good, but I'm no slouch. And you can trust me as I have a vested interest in it being correct." Theo told her.
"Don't oversell yourself. I am fine with that. We can start now, but I may need to leave if I am required back at work." Getting up, she straighten her clothes as he followed her lead.
Guiding him into the hallway, she entered the first door on her left. What was supposed to be a bedroom, has a long wooden table down the middle with three potions stations. Where the closet was supposed to be, an open design pantry held all of the ingredients she had on hand. Along the wall to the right, shelves created long lines, the length of the space, with all of her equipment, from cauldrons to vials. The wall directly across from the door held bookshelves that looked to be sorted in reverse by levels of difficulty.
"This is also not completely legal, do be sure not to mention it." Teasing him, she walked to the middle station which Tansy had used the night before.
Looking up, she broke in to Theo's perusal of the space by saying, "The recipe we will be using is going to be in Moste Potent Potions, second shelf from the top, right of the window. Ingredients are on the shelves to your left. We should have everything."
While she collected the equipment and started the fire, Theo found Hermione's bookmark page and gathered the needed ingredients.
"This is an extreme formula, how did you find it?" He asked her. The look he received was one of guilt.
"Ah, my fatal flaw." A blush rose high on her cheeks. "I will occasionally get so wrapped up in researching, I forget to eat. I modified the potion to be a lower strength. Full strength is a bit brutal. He will need a stomach soother with it."
"No issues. That is quicker than this one." Theo said reading the instructions. Verifying he had everything, he laid out the bottles in order of brewing. "Knives?"
"Leather roll to the right of the cauldron." She supplied, bringing a granite mortar and pestle with her.
The two worked in relative silence preparing the ingredients, the only noises where those coming from the cauldron. When they were at a period of prolonged simmering, they repeated their steps for a stomach soother. Before they knew it, they were letting the potions cool for bottling.
Tansy cleared her throat in obvious effort not to startle the two.
"Would Miss and Master be ready for dinner?" She asked, looking between them.
Looking at his watch, Theo realized the time. "I'm sorry Tansy, but I must be going. Porter is waiting at home. I had asked him to make pot roast for this evening."
"Yes, Master Theo" the elf bobbed her head. "Miss Mia?"
"I could really go for some chicken alfredo if you are able." She suggested. Having an elf to prepare meals was something she found she enjoyed. Harry wasn't joking when he said he did the cooking. She tended to order take out.
"Yes, Miss Mia." With that, the elf disappeared.
"Look at you, Miss Elf Rights."
"Oh stop! Harry said it will make her feel useful." She laughed at Theo's teasing. "Thank you for your help today. I truly appreciate it."
"It was no problem at all, Hermione." Theo smiled at her. "Would you mind if I came back, maybe next week?"
"Sure, though I am thinking he will be in a healing sleep for at least a week. If you don't mind that he may not be awake, I don't mind the company."
Walking back to the living room, he continued to speak. "Ok, I'm ok with that. You wanted to discuss one of your patient's symptoms regardless. We can plan for that." He smiled at her. "I had a good time, you are not bad to brew with."
"Thanks, you aren't either." She responded, smiling as well. Stopping their walk in front of the floo, both turned to watch the man on the transfigured bed.
"He is alive, and that is what matters. We will figure out who did this to him. Which reminds me, the list of wards."
Realizing he had almost forgotten, he thanked her for reminding him. "I'll see you next week." He told her, picking up a portion of powder. Throwing it in, he stepped through the flames as she echoed his sentiment.
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I had a hard time writing this and having it feel like it fit properly. Please review to tell me what you think. Did I leave something out?
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