Murders most foul…

63. Rich Gifts Wax Poor

'Is that a new wand, Ron?' Hermione asked.

Ron was swishing a slender, delicately etched wand with what he thought were graceful sweeping movements – narrowly missing little Farida's face as she chased Magda through the living-room at Folkvangr.

'It is now,' he said proudly and grinned at Bill who'd made it for him.

'What happened to your old one?' Hermione asked, hands on hips – already knowing the answer…

'Dunno… Been gone a few days and then Bill showed me THIS beauty!' He swirled the wand round and round in the air, trailing delicate yellow sparks. 'Hazel and dragon heart-string.'

'Charlie's lined me up with a supply,' Bill said with a smug smile. 'Useful having a brother in the dragon trade.'

Hermione was impressed. 'So is this evolving from a hobby into something larger?'

'Well… Doesn't look like I'll be back at Gringott's anytime soon. And Ollivander's isn't what it used to be since Garrick died…'

Hermione privately disagreed. The wand she'd bought from his nephew, Aloysius, had been a revelation.

'I'm rather steeped in wandlore myself and have crafted a few wands of my own for fun,' Thelonious said, turning Ron's new wand over in his hand and studying it with a practiced eye. Bill looked a little uneasy at Thelonious inspecting his handiwork. 'This is very fine…' Bill visibly relaxed. 'Though - using dragon heart-string with HAZEL is a somewhat unusualchoice.'

'It's a local wood,' Bill stressed. 'I was being… ecological.'

Thelonious nodded sagely. 'Yes, I also noticed a lot of ash and applewood when I was staying at yours. Dogwood, too…' He glanced at Ron who was rounding up the children to take to Wisteria Cottage – the day was warm enough for a paddling pool… 'I wonder if dogwood and dragon heart-string might have suited Ron a tiny bit more, actually… and there's a fine oak tree halfway to Tinworth. I could see that working as well. Bit sturdier. Less jolly. But very effective.'

Bill looked like he'd swallowed a bug but nodded in reluctant agreement.

Ginny strolled in from the garden holding Lily's hand. Lily's eyes were streaming and she had a tissue clasped to her nose. 'Poor thing. Got herself a summer cold,' Ginny sighed. 'Looks like she'll miss out on The Rattenfanger.'

'The play in the park!?' Hermione exclaimed. Had that already come around? This past week had been devoted to rest, recovery… but with everything unresolved, it had been far from relaxing. At least that was how SHE felt… Draco, too. And Harry and Troyanda13 remained as alert as ever. Niko and Gunter were in picture-world right now… searching for Salvedra.

'The big kids want to see The Rattenfanger,' Ginny asserted, 'except for mine as it turns out. Albus and James have gone fishing with Ted.'

'That's nice,' Hermione smiled, quietly stewing. She had no desire to have Rose, Scorpius, Hugo and Vithu gallivanting around a large assembly – lots of strangers, too many unknowns. Had Draco already given his consent?

Draco was in the kitchen chatting to Ziff and Henrik. For the first time in a couple of days his face was warm and alive. It helped that Ziff always made him laugh.

'Draco tells me there's a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car at The Burrow!' Ziff said. He manically stroked his goatee beard – something he often did when over-excited.

'No,' Draco grinned. 'It's vintage but not antique!'

'Do you think Arthur would mind if I had a look at it?' Ziff asked, eyes agog.

'I suspect he'd be only too happy to show it off!' Draco said. 'We'll pop over this morning if you like.'

Ziff beamed and Hermione couldn't help but wonder if his joy was partly inspired by the knowledge that Tuyen was at The Burrow today… enjoying an impromptu 'potions class' from Molly with Kai and Ernie. Fleur was also due to join them once she'd dropped Louis off at Wisteria Cottage… Alfred, Hermione was relieved to learn, had gone to Borehamwood with Oleg. Gwen was missing them dreadfully. Hermione hadn't heard from Gwen herself but she hoped this was a good sign.

'Did you know the kids are going to see that Rattenfanger thing today?' Hermione asked Draco. Her tone was a little more challenging than she intended and he looked taken aback.

'No,' he said bluntly. 'I'd forgotten it was on.'

'I know we promised Hugo, but I – I'm not sure…'

'They can't go,' Draco said in definitive tones.

Hermione chewed her lip nervously. 'How do we break it to them?'

'I'll do it.'

'Poor Draco,' Ginny said from the doorway. 'He gets to be bad cop, eh? Used to be YOUR job, Hermione.'

'I'm just living up to expectations,' snapped Draco.

Ginny arched her eyebrows. 'Bit unfair on Louis, though. He'll be the only kid there at this rate.'

'It's still NO.'

Ginny shrugged. 'Ah well… maybe Lily can go with him if she ever stops sniveling. And I'll break it to the kids, Draco. You're off the hook.' She switched her attention to Hermione. 'I'm being badgered by your daughter to BAKE, would you believe? I understand it's somebody's birthday tomorrow…' She nodded towards Draco with a sly wink.

'And now you've ruined the surprise,' Hermione said in droll tones.

'Hardly a surprise,' Draco laughed. 'Rose has asked me non-stop for three days what my favourite kind of cake is.'

'She even asked me!' Henrik piped up. 'Fucked if I know…'

'Well. I should warn you, Draco,' Ginny said pursing her lips. 'I'm not the best baker.'

'As long as you don't poison it, I'll be more than satisfied,' Draco said tartly.

Ginny tossed her red hair and stomped out of the kitchen, loudly instructing the children to line up in the garden for side-Apparition.

'When's Neville here?' Draco asked Hermione once they were alone.

'Soon. I think Harry's coming, too.'

'Moral support? Or is he going to try and break Ephraim out and smuggle him to Paris?' Draco asked with a smile.

The main reason the kids were being corralled for 'pool day' at Ron's was because Hermione was headed to the Ministry to see Ephraim – on his request. She'd felt unaccountably nervous ever since waking up which had only served to exacerbate her now habitual morning sickness.

Draco gave her a long look. 'It'll be okay…' He folded her into his arms.

'No, I'm looking forward to it – sort of. Means I can find out what the hell Ephraim gave Katya that made her normal…' Hermione sighed deeply against Draco's shirt. Everyone now knew what Katya had done… that she was likely communicating with Dolores via her little sketch-pad. Molly had hunted high and low for the darned thing, but it had completely vanished and Katya had retreated to the living-room at The Burrow with the door firmly closed.

The situation was untenable…

'Now Selwyn's gone, I think we risk St Mungo's,' Draco said tentatively. 'The healers could help her more than we can.' Hermione could sense darkness bubbling up inside of him whenever he spoke of her. It was worsening… despite his best efforts, on the face of it, to stay patient... But Hermione knew he just wanted her gone and didn't dare speak it out loud.

As though on cue, a trilling laugh and soft padding feet announced Magda's arrival. She jumped up, arms outstretched, demanding a hug. Her face cracked into the sunniest smile when Hermione reached down and picked her up.

Oh god, Hermione thought guiltily, cuddling another woman's child. She wanted Katya gone too… more than anything.

XXX

Despite many years working in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione had never ventured this deeply into the Wizengamot dungeons. Neville and Harry clearly knew where they were going as their route ventured deep into the bowels of the earth, progressively darker, steeper, more winding. Hermione plodded behind, scared of losing her footing on the slippery stone path.

The black rock walls down here were shiny with musty damp and a strange thrumming periodically rattled in the distance. Underground trains? Hermione wondered. Although they were undoubtedly deeper than the Tube…

Torches flared in sconces attached to the walls but the light seemed to dim the deeper they went. And a sharp, acrid smell assailed her nostrils. The sanitary system clearly didn't function as well at this depth. She fought a bout of nausea and trudged wearily into the darkness wondering if Ephraim had come to regret his decision to hand himself over to the Ministry authorities…

Harry and Neville were waiting for her.

'Cell K,' Harry said, indicating a short, dark corridor.

'Aren't you coming?' Hermione asked.

'Not allowed, apparently.' He cast a sidelong glance at a hulking prison guard who bore a passing resemblance to a troll, slumped on a bench against the far wall.

'I'll press your case with Ephraim,' Hermione assured him. 'I suspect the cells at Auror HQ are better than this!'

'Fucking Ritz in comparison, frankly,' Harry said in mordant tones.

Neville had already negotiated their entry with the troll-like guard.

'Ten minutes!' He rolled his eyes. 'Ridiculous…'

Hermione could already sense Ephraim's blueness… long, thin tendrils reaching out towards her. He'd heard her voice.

A green flash released a hefty bolt on an oversized, iron door and they stepped inside.

The cell was small and narrow with scuffed, murky-grey walls and comprised a single bare bed and a small, roughly-hewn bedside table supporting a plain white jug and washbowl. It was illuminated by a single candle.

Neville went in first and his shadow loomed large and overbearing, casting Ephraim – a surprisingly shrunken-looking figure on the bed – into momentary darkness.

He was barely recognisable at first because he'd grown a beard, threaded with grey… But his eyes were as blazing blue as ever.

He reached out to shake her hand and his skin was cold. Indeed, she could sense he was cold from the inside out… the dampness of his surroundings was penetrating the very heart of him.

'Good to see you,' he grunted and he fell into a bout of coughing. Hermione suspected he hadn't spoken in a long time. 'You look well.'

'I can't say the same for you,' she said, patting her skirt demurely as she conjured chairs for herself and Neville and sat down. 'You look terrible, Ephraim. And this place is dreadful!'

He sighed and nodded. 'Not quite what I hoped… but pretty much what I expected. The new Minister for Magic never really liked me you know.'

'I don't think many people did,' Hermione said. 'Not truly. They were either in your debt or scared shitless.'

Ephraim's face crinkled into a smile and his eyes twinkled, blue glowing orbs shining out of the gloom, when he looked at her.

'I have something I need to tell you… both,' he said, finally acknowledging Neville's necessary presence – the Ministry had demanded Hermione had an officially-approved companion. 'Dark Flux… most of the harvested supplies were exhausted I believe but I suspect two batches remain and you should know about them.'

Hermione prickled with anxiety. There was a weightiness to Ephraim's demeanour that struck her as honest here… a desire to offload his guilt.

'As you know, Hermione, we were working with Troobles – a test batch of goods was manufactured and put into storage.'

'Where?'

He shook his head. 'I don't know.'

'How can you not know?' Hermione said scathingly.

Ephraim stared at her. 'Because I wasn't paying attention. Too many fingers in too many pies. I trusted Torquil to manage the businesses while I played politics.'

Hermione shook her head in despair. Would George know anything? He was working with Troobles. But he'd have said if he did…

'You said TWO batches,' Neville said pointedly. 'What's the other?'

'We had a harvesting facility in New Zealand. Classified.'

'Wanaka,' Hermione said in clipped tones.

Ephraim's teeth gleamed white. 'Indeed. Well, we mothballed the site because its returns were disappointingly frugal… but there was a small stock remainder I believe, though I'm not sure where it ended up. Sylvestra would know because I think it was used for… well… you know…'

Hermione's lips tightened. 'For murdering innocent Muggles?'

Ephraim couldn't hold her gaze and shuffled uncomfortably. 'Which might mean there's none left. But I thought you should know about it because I can't account for it.'

A thought occurred to Hermione. 'The workers at Wanaka were manufacturing tiny tubes… they had no idea what they were going to be used for… Do you know?'

Ephraim nodded. 'That was Selwyn's idea, actually. A Herb Healing nasal spray; to relieve Hayfever symptoms. But the required scale was beyond our capabilities… We'd never have made sufficient quantities of Dark Flux to make it viable.'

Hermione chilled. Viable, in this context, meant mass-produced murder… It occurred to her that Ephraim didn't know they had Anna's papers… the means to achieve precisely this.

'I wish you'd reconsider giving yourself up to Harry,' she said regretfully. He was ready to spill… given the right circumstances. 'I promise you'd be better-treated than… here.' She wrinkled her nose as she surveyed the dank, miserable cell.

'They'd execute me.'

'You could cut a deal. Information for immunity.'

'Your friend might have influence, Hermione, but he can't FIX an entire trial - and you know it.' Ephraim shook his head and folded his arms. 'No… I'd rather moulder here and survive, thank you. I've always liked the idea of living, come what may. Where there's life there's hope, as they say.'

'There's – there's something I need to ask you…' Hermione said, realising time was running out. 'We have Katya.'

Ephraim's eyebrows shot up.

'And – like you said – she's not well… that much is all too obvious, sadly.'

He narrowed his eyes. 'Does she know about you and Draco?'

'Yes. I've told her. And so has he…' She didn't feel it necessary to explain further. 'The thing is… you used medication to keep her…' she paused, evaluating her words carefully, 'balanced.'

Ephraim's face hardened. 'Hermione. You have to be very careful. I love her. But I also know what can go wrong… things that – that have gone wrong in the past. I'd advise you to steer clear.'

'Oh, I am! But what I want most is for Katya to feel BETTER.' She tried to muster a genuine smile.

'She's scaring the fuck out of everyone!' Neville interjected, opting for plain-speak instead. 'How do we make it stop?'

Ephraim closed his eyes for what felt like an age and then inhaled deeply through his nose. 'It was a long and complicated procedure finding a potion that worked. Many of the ingredients that worked best were tricky to get hold of.' He pressed his fingers to his eyes and looked weary. 'Have you got something to jot this down?'

Neville conjured a scrap of parchment and a quill. 'Fire away.'

'Okay… you need borage – lots, if I remember rightly – and rhodiola. A trace of skullcap and a smidgen of kava, a liberal amount of first dew and either ground tooth powder from merpeople – very difficult to get hold of - or dried Graphorn feces. The feces was slightly less effective but adequate if the potion was perfectly brewed. All these ingredients have to be distilled in a solution of Occamy egg whites – or, at a push, Erumpent horn fluid. The potion has to be stirred with feathers from the Golden Snidget. It's a rare bird but there's a thriving black market. Knockturn Alley will see you good on that I'm sure…'

'Do you recall any of the measurements?' Hermione asked, feeling daunted and wondering if a Muggle medicine might suffice instead.

'I'm afraid not.'

There was a loud thump on the grille. 'Time's up,' droned the guard.

A bereft look stole across Ephraim's face and Hermione could see the depths of his loneliness.

Serves you right, she thought.

'Will you come back and see me sometime?' Ephraim said, staggering up from the bed. She heard his bones creak. 'Both of you. Either of you… Draco, too.'

Neville gave a short, sharp laugh. 'Don't take the piss. We all know it's only Hermione you want to see.'

But Hermione wasn't so sure.

'Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Ephraim,' she said.

He smiled ruefully. 'Thank you, Hermione.'

XXX

It had been a sunny morning but cloud had rolled in thick and fast and hung low and ashen-grey in the sky. Hermione looked out of her kitchen window as she made up sandwiches for lunch with Neville and Harry hoping it wouldn't rain and ruin Ron's 'pool party' for the kids.

She presumed Draco was still at The Burrow but Harry came into the kitchen with a piece of paper in his hand…

'Draco's not happy. Says Angelina popped to The Burrow and mentioned the kids were at the park watching the play.'

'Really?' Hermione threw the butter-knife into the kitchen sink. 'We said we didn't want them going!'

Harry looked apologetic and she realised she was effectively dissing his wife.

'Oh hell. I guess I'd better get over there,' she groaned, putting a bottle of juice back into the fridge.

'Draco and Henrik are already there. He says Henrik stopped by to get his gun!' Harry pulled an aghast face. 'Bit extreme… He's left a note for Niko and Gunter, too. Tells Gunter to head to The Burrow to watch over Katya.'

'But what about Molly's potion class?'

XXX

Hermione, Harry and Neville headed into Ottery St Catchpole, cutting through the school playground where a campervan bearing a 'Merry Plays make Merry Days' banner was parked adjacent to the school building, and crossed the road to the park.

The 'Rattenfanger' play was in full swing... a throng of children close to the action were squealing with hilarity as a masked Pied Piper in a hooded cowl – The Rattenfanger - strutted across a stage tooting (very tunelessly, Hermione thought) a wooden pipe. He was being preyed upon by a line-up of huge Rats who kept sneaking up behind him to pull a dangling cord that inflated his trousers. The Rattenfanger was oblivious to their tricks and kept tooting as his trousers got bigger and bigger and bigger…

Hermione instantly spotted the tall, silver-haired frame of Draco at the fringes of the audience. He looked bored and anxious, never taking his eyes off the children crammed close to the stage.

'Hey!' she said, poking him in the back.

Draco swung around and his face melted into a relieved smile. 'Look what I got roped into,' he said peevishly.

'Oh, I bet you're secretly enjoying it.'

Draco curled his lip contemptuously. 'Seriously? They're rubbish!'

'Well, the kids like it,' Hermione said, peering over his shoulder at Rose – her voluminous red hair bouncing as her shoulders shook with laughter.

'It's nearly over, thank god,' Draco groused. 'How was he?'

'Lonely. And his cell is MISERABLE.'

'How tragic,' Draco said sarcastically. 'Did you get the potion recipe?'

'More a long list of impossible ingredients.' She smiled. 'Your potion-making talents are going to be severely tested.'

She gazed into his eyes and sighed. Even when he was tired and grumpy he sent her heart spinning.

'Harry didn't persuade him to testify in Paris?' he asked, knowing the answer was likely a negative.

'Harry wasn't even allowed to come in! Draco… He said there's two missing batches of Dark Flux—'

'Have you guys seen Bill?' Fleur asked, looking flustered. 'He went to get an ice cream about half an hour ago.'

'The queue's huge,' moaned Ginny, ambling over. She gave Hermione and Draco a piercing look. 'By the way, Mum took Vithu and Hugo back to Wisteria Cottage. Vithu grazed his knee in the playground and Hugo was bored.'

'That's nice of her,' Hermione said. But then she thought about what she'd just said. 'Isn't she teaching potions?'

'We finished early,' Fleur said brightly.

'I've asked Gunter to sister-sit,' Draco muttered morosely.

'I saw the note… but who's there now?'

'Ziff and Tuyen…' Draco raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'REALLY?' Hermione laughed.

'Oh, there'll be none of THAT going on,' Fleur sighed. 'Kai's there, too. She didn't want to come and see the boring play…' She made a passingly good effort at an impersonation of Kai's teenage drawl…

Hermione was distracted by an urgent desire to pee… an increasing problem she was finding. She couldn't recall needing to go to the toilet quite so much with her previous pregnancies. She noted the long line of ladies snaking around the Public Conveniences building.

'I'm going to sneak into the school to use their loos,' Hermione whispered to Draco, squeezing his hand.

'Is it open?'

'I think so.'

'I'll come too.'

'No, no… looks like ye ole Rattenfanger's building up to his grand finale! I won't be long.'

Hermione headed into the school, through the main doors into reception. There was nobody in the Head's office to her right and the guest toilet on her left was locked. She'd have to use the children's toilets in the corridor behind the hall.

'You alright Mrs Weasley?' came a friendly voice as she entered the hall. It was John the school caretaker. He was descending a ladder. Hermione looked up and saw a big net, stretched across the arc of the ceiling, crammed with brightly-coloured, gift-wrapped tubes.

One of the Rats climbed down from a ladder positioned close to the stage at the far end of the hall and waved in thanks to John before slipping away.

'Are the toilets open in the main block?' Hermione asked John.

'Should be,' John replied. He grinned at the presents. 'What do you think? As soon as the kids are in, we drop the net and it'll be raining presents!' he chortled.

Hermione could see a hundred and one health and safety reasons why this was a terrible idea – chaos and concussion chiefly amongst them – but she was too desperate to get to the toilet to discuss further.

Afterwards, as she washed her hands, she looked at the 'Merry Plays make Merry Days' campervan parked outside the window. It was a fairly warm day but far from sunny… but for some reason the acting troupe had used clothes, rags and a towel to 'sun-block' all the windows - including the windscreen and the windows at the back.

She decided to investigate and purposefully pulled open the door leading to the breezeblock corridor – but was suddenly thrown backwards by a tumultuous blast...

She smashed into the toilet doors and lay winded on the floor, dimly aware that a large, brown furry figure had stepped into the room … She could hear him sniggering as he gazed down at her with beady, black eyes.

She blinked repeatedly and her vision gradually shifted back into reality.

JOSEP...

She instantly tried to jump up but he was projecting an unseen force that pinioned her limbs to the floor… He stepped closer but to her surprise a loud thwack propelled him forwards and an irate voice was yelling at him.

'Get away from her, you creep!'

It was John the caretaker wielding a broomstick…

NO, Hermione tried to shout, but the words jammed in her throat. John had no idea who he was dealing with…

John raised the broom and again struck the monstrous rat with all his might, but Josep brushed it off and sprang to his feet, facing down the confused caretaker. John swung the broom with even more venom and then screeched as Josep snatched the broomstick with a loud, earthy growl and reversed its momentum – driving it into John's chest.

John gasped, eyes bulging fearfully, and a gobbet of blood spurted from his mouth…

Freed from Josep's invisible bonds, Hermione clutched her wand and Apparated outside to the van. Her pulse was racing... palms sweating.

This whole damn thing was a set-up! A trap that half of Ottery St Catchpole was walking straight into...

She could see a crowd of villagers brandishing balloons and streamers following The Rattenfanger across the road in a gaudy parade. He was luring them into the school, she realised, where the gifts… the GIFTS!... would be released. HELL. What was in those packages?

She hurried towards the railings that fenced off the school from the road and tried to identify someone, anyone she knew… adults were largely lingering behind the flow of children, some hanging back as far as the grassy expanse of the park itself.

The 'Rats' bordered the children in lines - hemming them in, herding them…

'NO!' she screamed – a lone woman shrieking, but her voice was barely audible above the whoops and squeals… The Rattenfanger had ditched his wooden pipe and was merrily brandishing a long, candy flute and the Rats were blowing candy whistles.

Candy whistles? Wasn't that what Troobles were making in association with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes? This had to be the lost batch from Troobles… meaning these sweets contained Dark Flux!

'NO! Don't go in! Don't touch the sweets!' she screamed again and was about to cast a Sonorous when she became uncomfortably aware that a pair of malevolent, dark eyes were watching her from the playground… the hairs on her arms prickled at the sheer weight of magic massing, poised to strike her down…

She hastened out of range towards the school gates at the front of the parade and held her hands high to warn everybody.

'STOP!' she shrieked.

The Rattenfanger turned and looked at her… his ghastly, plastic mask was cruel, ugly… and she could sense his alarm. He started to run faster towards the school entrance and the children, seeing it as a game, giggled and chased after him.

'NO!' Hermione begged, running into the crowd. She had to do something- something shocking to stop this deadly procession!

She furiously slashed the air with her wand - sod the International Statute of Secrecy - and stripped The Rattenfanger of his clothes and mask, rendering him naked...

Without his elaborate costume, Torquil Haast was a scrawny figure... He directed a malicious look in Hermione's direction but paled when she raised her wand yet again, throwing himself into the thick of the parade.

The crowd screamed in horror and confusion and parents sprinted to salvage their children - but the Rats snatched as many as they could - two, three at a time - and muscled them through the school gates.

Hermione could see Harry immobilising Torquil who fell flat onto his face in the middle of the road – and there was Draco, his silver hair gleaming, punching one of the Rats in the face, enabling a child to scurry loose, crying towards the park.

A blaze of red hair shot past her, chasing down the Rats as they dragged wailing children into the school… Bill, then Ginny… followed by an influx of furious Muggle parents.

George and Arthur were weaving through the crowd, surreptitiously shooting tripping jinxes at any Muggles who got too close to the school entrance… clearly fearing the Rats would blast them to pieces without a second's thought!

Hermione looked back to where Draco had been. She couldn't see either him or the Rat he'd been fighting – but she caught a glimpse of Ernie and Hannah following Ron around the far side of the school building. YES! The side-entrance into the hall. Good thinking Ron, she thought… but was unable to think further than that as a red stunner screeched past her ear.

She skipped backwards and dodged another stunner, then another... and another… Who was firing at her? Where were they? She quickly found herself back in the school playground - isolated and exposed - and dashed to the campervan, hoping to use it as cover.

But the Rat was swiftly on her… his breathing loud and grating under his thick, furry shield.

She swiftly slammed him with a Petrificus Totalus and he keeled over, smacking his head hard against the concrete ground.

But another Rat was fast approaching…

Hermione held her breath, trying to gauge the moment to strike… Her face was pressed against the cold glass window at the back of the van and her eye was drawn to a chink in the ragged coverings slapped into the window.

She could now see a heap of intertwined bodies inside… and blood. Too much blood…

Her stomach churned and a stream of hot bile surged into her gorge. She turned to vomit, inwardly panicking because she could sense the second Rat was close.

She swung around and snapped a blast of purple colour-magic in his direction. But he disdainfully flicked it aside and continued bearing down on her, holding her firmly in his sights…

Oh lord. Not a HE, after all, she thought… This was Sylvestra.

And now she'd slipped from view… DAMN. Where was she?

Hermione stood stock-still, quivering with nervous, jangling energy – desperately trying not to be sick and yet having to steel herself for battle. Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead and her wand slipped greasily in her hand. She could hear the raging chorus of shouts and screams at the school gates, the frantic scampering of feet punctuated by pained cries and the occasional thump and blast of a wand hitting its target.

Shit… she thought. Draco, the children… and anybody in that school! She still had to warn them about the gifts… Dark Flux lollipops that could slay a Muggle child at the first lick.

She could sense Sylvestra - heavy darkness encircling the van - and Hermione felt rich, black hatred curdling inside of her…

Lesson learned, Hermione thought. I can't touch her person, but this bloody van can!

And with that she screwed up every ounce of strength in her body and mind and focused as hard as she could, harder she felt than ever before, and imagined the van jolting into life and crunching Sylvestra to the ground.

The van shuddered and tipped with astonishing speed onto its side so that its tyres faced open air.

There was a heavy clunk and a shocked cry and Hermione launched herself forwards, ready to finish her off… but she was gone! Only her costume remained…

But she didn't have time to ponder this as another Rat lurched into view, holding a wand under George's chin, pushing him backwards with grim intent until George was flat-backed against the wall of the school.

George gurgled something indistinct but his attacker shook his head and laughed and raised his wand to deliver a fatal blow...

'Expelliarmus!' Hermione yelled - as a thunderous gunshot rang through the air and the Rat crumpled to his knees, dragging George down with him.

A volley of panicked screams resounded from the school and beyond - doors banging, running feet…

George was now trapped between the Rat's body and the wall. He shot Hermione an anguished look and reached out, hand shaking. But Henrik stepped into view, gun dangling, and hoisted the Rat's bloodied body away from George with brutish disdain.

George scrambled free on hands and knees. 'Merlin's fucking balls!' he choked, 'that was close!'

Hermione helped him to his feet. 'Dad's already contacted the Ministry,' George panted. 'This is a total disaster! Oblivation squads will be working overtime!'

This was the least of their worries, Hermione thought sourly.

'Who's this?' Henrik said, ripping off the Rat-faced mask of George's attacker.

'Edgar Rosier…' George said between gritted teeth. 'Son of a bitch…' And Angelina's lover, Hermione noted wryly.

She knelt down and whipped the hood off the wizard she'd petrified. It wasn't someone she recognised but she doubled-down on the spell to make sure he didn't spring any nasty surprises. If Ministry representatives were indeed on their way, they could do with living witnesses when they addressed this debacle in the Wizengamot.

'Do you know if our kids are safe?' she asked George.

'Louis and Hugo are with Fleur - I know that much. I – I think Rose and Draco's son must have got caught up in the melee…' he added sheepishly.

'Did you see them go into the school?'

'Draco was looking for them… and Harry.'

Hermione felt hot anger bubbling up inside of her. 'I didn't want them at this stupid play and neither did Draco!' she spat.

George looked at his feet with a sorrowful expression.

'Hey,' Henrik said, gently placing his hand on her arm. 'Let's go find them.'

'I'll keep looking out here,' George said as Hermione headed straight for the door by the toilets she'd used earlier. Henrik paused to reload his gun and followed.

'George!' Hermione called out as he shuffled away. 'Tell everyone the gifts The Rattenfanger planned to give out are Dark Flux! Troobles whistling lollipops…They're in the school hall.' And then she brusquely turned away.

Hermione and Henrik stepped over the prone body of John the caretaker and tiptoed along the breezeblock corridor towards a closed doorway that opened onto the hall, adjacent to the stage.

Henrik edged the door ajar and peered inside.

'Okay, there's three, maybe four kids. Not yours… and a handful of adults… They're sort of stuck in the middle of the hall. Huddled up.'

'How many Rats?'

'Five… might be six, actually…'

Hermione looked above Henrik's head to the net packed with 'gifts' swinging from the rafters in the ceiling.

'Can you see anyone we know?'

'Yeah… just saw Neville and Hannah rushing past… Draco's smacking the shit out of someone… he's not using his wand… NOPE! He just did! And another Rat bites the dust…'

Five or six Rats… Less than the number of Rats who'd been outside, Hermione thought ominously. She looked left and right along the breeze-block corridor. Where were the others?

She tried to muscle past Henrik into the hall but his stout arm spanned the doorway and he bucked backwards. 'Stay put!' he whispered in low, guttural tones. 'There's some Rat geezer chucking huge fucking humdingers at Bill just a few inches to our left… they're on the stage. If we break cover he'll see us!' Henrik scanned the narrow, dark space between the curtain at the back of the stage and the wall. 'Let's sneak in this way.'

They quickly slid behind the curtains, fighting through musty velvet drapes and dusty cobwebs that slithered over Hermione's face, before arriving at a narrow opening that afforded them a view of the stage and the hall beyond.

Henrik squinted at Bill and his opponent. 'I recognise that guy… It's the dodgy git Ron brought to Shell Cottage.'

KRENZEL… Bill had been disappointed not to find his body at the windmill and clearly aimed to make up for it. He had him pinned back and was hurling a string of stinging spells that had Krenzel quaking and cowering.

But then Krenzel struck back with a nifty stunner that threw Bill off-balance.

Hermione covertly flung a jelly-legged jinx in Krenzel's direction, dropping him to his knees. Bill then yelled a Bombarda that had his opponent flying backwards, heels over head off the stage – sliding into a bank of stacked chairs that collapsed heavily on top of him.

Krenzel's head and torso were hidden from view but his legs trembled, then stilled.

Out for the count or worse, Hermione thought. Bill's delivery had been brutal.

'Bill…' she hissed.

He slipped behind the drapes, perspiring heavily…

'This is fucking madness,' he snarled. 'Those Rat bastards have blockaded the exits! We're trapped in here! Kids crying for their mums… it's hell!'

'Have you seen Rose and Scorpius?'

'They got pushed to the back of the parade… don't know how but it's a good job they were… so they're safe. Don't worry.'

Hermione felt almost light-headed with relief but then felt guilty because there was a bunch of Muggle children in grave danger and it was their job to save them. But first…the net carrying the gifts was still swaying above the hall.

'The presents... They're Dark Flux,' she breathed, turning soulful eyes to Bill.

Bill's face darkened. 'Right... Well, I'm pretty damned good at Transfiguration, Hermione. If you guys keep an eye out for me, I could sort those presents out. Make them harmless… Don't you dare go near them!'

Hermione nodded and immediately scampered to the far end of the curtain to block off any unwanted intruder while Henrik anchored the other end of the curtain, gun at the ready.

She cast a worried glance at Draco. He was constantly diving and running, locked in combat with two Rats holding the front entrance… She focused on one of the Rats and imagined him twisting like a corkscrew until his legs snapped... She didn't imagine her colour-magic would work from this distance - certainly not while she did everything in her power to render it invisible, too...But remarkably the Rat tied himself up in knots, screamed in pain, and fell over.

Draco glanced over his shoulder, a confused look on his face, but the other Rat was rapidly homing in on him, so he let loose a rolling wave of wondrous white and both the Rat and the front door leading from reception to the hall were blown backwards.

Draco raced after the Rat, who was frantically scrambling to his feet, and targeted him with fierce bolts of energy. The Rat's mask had been blown clean from his face and Hermione couldn't help but clench her fist in savage encouragement once she saw that Draco was pounding Troy with devastating bursts of colour-magic that had him squirming and flailing.

They disappeared from view and but she could hear glass shattering… the Head's office had been breached…

Her gaze dropped to the weeping hostages, recognising Rose's friend, Jenny Slater… They'd been corralled into a group and Hermione could see a shimmering cordon had been wrapped around them… Colour-magic.

That likely mean Josep was still here. But where?

She scanned the hall... the front door was now open but a couple of Rats were holding position at the side-entrance – although, curiously, not the door she'd snuck through with Henrik.

Why are they doing this? she wondered … but her attention was drawn by a thunderous commotion from the corridor behind her - the corridor she'd recently left. It sounded like a running battle and she could hear raised voices and a cacophonous boom…

A flurry of movement from Henrik's end of the curtain and he disappeared from view.

She was tempted to follow… but she had to stay focused on guarding Bill. She raised her eyes to the net… and there was a sweet burst of soft cooing, white turtle-doves! Package by package, Bill was transforming them into birds…

A heavy thump battened the door by the stage... Bill shot Hermione a worried look and whisked rightwards to investigate.

Hermione was about to follow but she was still bothered by the persistent colour-magic cordon around the hostages. The hall was largely empty now except for the two Rats at the side-entrance. They were conferring and looked edgy. But neither of them appeared to be controlling the cordon and to her horror the soft coos from the net hanging above the prisoners were being steadily replaced by a seething hiss as the birds changed one by one into snakes which then slipped through holes in the net onto the floor below - inching closer and closer to the hostages who were climbing on top of each other, hysterical with fear.

Worse still, a tear was ripping across the seam of the net… the entire mass of snakes was about to drop...

There was no time to lose. She had to break cover!

Hermione instantly unleashed an Immobulus, freezing the snakes and the net in position - not caring that her wand fire made her a target - and then bombarded the cordon with a fierce burst of colour-magic…

But the cordon stuck fast...

To her surprise, Ernie and Neville burst into the Hall, bowling over the Rats guarding the side-door with a barrage of Stunners. Ernie joined Hermione in targeting the cordon while Neville summoned an almighty Ventus, tossing the Rats into the courtyard outside.

He stepped forwards, keen to press his advantage, but one of the Rats reared up, firing a beam of red light that caught Neville in the stomach. He yelped in pain and stumbled and the Rat pursued him into the hall…

Hermione was torn… A faint shimmering blue flame - HER magic - was now dancing along the rim of the cordon, consuming the colour-magic that had constructed it. If she dropped focus the battle to save the Muggles might be lost as one snake then another unwound itself from the net and plopped downwards… Wee Jenny Slater's bawling face as she clung to a woman Hermione recognised as Hugo's form teacher decided her.

Hermione stepped deeper into the hall and applied maximum heft to her attack on the cordon.

It suddenly collapsed and Ernie flashed her a grin and a thumbs up and then quickly pushed the hostages towards the front door to safety as the net split and the floor became a sea of squirming, slithering snakes.

But as Ernie flung open the doors with a swift flick of his wand he was catapulted backwards…high over the heads of the hostages who pelted from the hall, not daring to look back... straight into the snakes…

Hermione instinctively cast a Flipendo, hurling Ernie into the air to avoid the snakes, but to her horror she could sense her magic was jousting with something else – an invisibleforce - and Ernie was now caught in the crossfire.

A sharp pain stabbed her arm and almost wrenched her shoulder out of its socket…overwhelming her... and Ernie was whisked high into the air, crashing into the ceiling. He quickly grasped one of the rafters and swung helplessly above the floor – but she could see he was conjuring a rope-ladder.

Hermione summoned a shield and vanished the snakes using colour-magic, although her head ached with the effort – one problem down, she thought, but she then realised Neville had just been sent flying and was now spread-eagled on the floor and Karl, rat-hood thrown back, had kicked Neville's wand from his hand and was stamping on Neville's arm, a vicious grin on his face.

Karl raised his wand with demonic, murderous relish…

'Expelliarmus!' she screeched, affording Neville a chance to Accio his wand and target Karl with an almighty cry of 'Baubillious!' An array of incandescent white sparks flew from the tip of Neville's wand, setting Karl's furry costume ablaze...

Hermione didn't wait to watch the sequel to this chain of events. She shut out Karl's panicked screams and returned her attention to Ernie and his invisible combatant.

But where had they gone?

She then heard a piteous groan from the corner of the room. Ernie was crumpled in a heap, his limbs twisted and broken, head slumped at an unnatural angle.

She hurried to his side and was soon joined by Neville who took hold of Ernie's hand and cast her a desperate glance…

Draco ran back into the hall looking wild-eyed, panting heavily. He spotted her and ran over – and then his eyes fell to the floor.

'Where's Troy?' she asked.

'Where he deserves to be.' He shook his head. 'What the hell's happened to Ernie?'

She quickly gazed around the room. 'Someone INVISIBLE... I think Asusto. He's got form…' but as she spoke she knew Asusto wasn't here. Not anymore...

A penetrating scream rang out from the corridor behind the hall.

Ginny… or possibly, Hannah… was in trouble.

'I'm okay here,' Neville mouthed. 'Go!'

Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and they sprinted across the hall and through the doorway into the breeze-block corridor.

They were greeted by a crashing blast of dust as the wall at the far end of the corridor exploded.

Ginny lunged at a Rat who was making a break for it… He evaded her grasp but was thrown backwards by Draco. Hermione glanced at Draco's face - the hardened sneer and the blank, cold eyes momentarily frightened her.

Draco knelt beside the Rat lying helpless on the floor and ripped the rat mask from his face revealing Charlie Dowson. 'D-Don't hurt me!' Dowson begged. 'I - I'll testify!'

Draco glanced at Ginny. 'Get him outside to Harry.'

She quickly tethered Dowson with an efficiently-struck Incarcerous.

'Can you help Ron?' she asked, eyes pleading. 'He's stuck in a duel with Carmichael.'

Draco nodded and caught Hermione's eye and they moved deeper into the school.

'Josep was here,' she said, her teeth chattering with nerves. It was too quiet and each classroom they passed was empty. Henrik was somewhere around here, too, and Bill. And Hannah.

'And I hit Sylvestra with a campervan,' she added, realising how incongruous that sounded.

Draco threw her an admiring glance.

'But she Apparated...' Hermione added with a sigh.

A soft bleating sob from a darkened classroom drew their attention… Hannah was lying on the ground beside a Rat – flat on his back – a bloodied gash in his costume.

Hannah had her hand to her face and was sobbing.

'I had to…' she cried, her shoulders shaking. 'He came at me! So I slashed him… but I was too strong – stronger than I thought.'

'It's okay, Hannah,' Hermione said, kneeling beside her and squeezing her shoulder. 'You did what you had to do, I'm sure of it.'

Hannah bowed her head, ashamed.

Hermione could hear Draco shuffling impatiently behind her. They could hear the faint strains of a ruckus - running and a man screaming like a banshee… a loud banging door followed by a sudden deafening report that sent her ears ringing… Gunshot. Henrik…

Voices coming closer…

'I'll check it out,' Draco said, hotfooting it from the classroom.

Hannah continued to sob and Hermione's blouse was now damp. She patted the back of Hannah's head, wanting to comfort her – she'd clearly never killed anybody before – but she was equally desperate to check on the others. She gently eased Hannah backwards.

'Can you do me a favour?' she asked.

Hannah nodded, red-faced and puffy-eyed.

'Neville's with Ernie in the hall… Ernie doesn't look too good...'

Hannah immediately stood up, swaying like a tree in the breeze, but she managed to gather herself.

'Can you also tell Harry once you're outside that Ruddy Krenzel is buried under a pile of chairs in the hall?' Hermione added. 'He might be alive. And there's a chap Neville hit in the courtyard. And another in the playground.'

Hermione sprinted towards the sounds of battle... It was as though a tornado had ripped through the school. Furniture was upended, pictures and collages of children's drawings hung from the walls or had fallen and been trampled underfoot.

Hermione found herself facing a glass door, but there was no one in sight.

But then a fierce blow to the back of her head knocked her to the floor... She buried her face in her hands, gasping for air, eyes strained and watering.

A wavering, blurry figure loomed over her but then fell from view amidst a raging fizz of wand blasts - burning streams of light, plaster flying, walls exploding...

A body lay heaped beside her.

Draco scooped her into his arms – she knew it was Draco; his whiteness saturated her mind – and a door was kicked open and he spun her outside. She caught a glimpse of a man with red hair dueling with another man - someone tall and lean and increasingly cornered as a second, larger man homed in on him, yelling and firing glinting splatters of light that sparkled like fireworks at the edge of her vision.

'You okay?' Draco asked, gently mopping blood from her face.

'Yeah…' she croaked, 'just – just a bit woozy.'

She tried to touch the back of her head but it was painful. Wet…

Draco was muttering healing spells and a soothing warmth percolated through her… she sighed, momentarily content – and then remembered what was happening.

'Who hit me?'

'Osgood. Melissa's horrid husband.'

'Oh…' She presumed he was dead. There'd been something deeply final about the way his body lurched sideways and slapped against the floor.

'Ron and Bill have chased down Carmichael,' Draco added. 'But no sign of Josep.'

'Or Asusto…' She clung onto him and groaned. 'Can we go home now?'

XXX

The cricket pitch was overflowing with oddly-dressed folks in robes mingling with a mass of Muggles – many being organized into neat lines for Obliviation.

'Half the Ministry's here!' Arthur said. His eyes twinkled excitedly in spite of himself… the Minister for Magic himself, Julius Merriman, was busily deferring to Arthur's local knowledge.

Amidst the commotion a stream of police cars zoomed into the village from Colston Town a few miles away – and more disconcertingly, a van emblazoned with WRN on its side – Wessex Radio Network… the local Muggle radio station.

A voice was blaring on a tannoy, barely audible above the alarms and sirens – and more and more wizards and witches were popping up, wands at the ready.

'Merlin!' Arthur said, eyes popping at the general mayhem. 'This is going to be the biggest operation since The Ilfracombe Incident in 1932!'

'Arthur – have you seen the kids?' Hermione enquired urgently.

'Oh. Harry will know!'

Hermione and Draco headed towards Harry who was issuing orders as officials moved a hooded figure, Torquil Haast, through a jeering crowd, followed by Charlie Dowson, wiping tears from his face, and – to Hermione's surprise – Ruddy Krenzel, shambolic, sullen.

'Arthur said you know where we can find Rose and Scorpius,' Draco said to Harry the moment he was free.

'They're hereabouts… Ginny had them.'

Hermione spotted a small pale face at the back of the crowd… Hannah, looking distraught.

Her heart instantly sank. 'Oh no. Ernie…' she breathed, clutching Draco's arm.

Moments later and Ginny was at their side. 'Not sure Ernie's going to make it I'm afraid. He's in a bad way... Neville's staying with him.'

Hermione felt like a cold stone had sunk into the pits of her stomach.

'As soon as we get the kids home I'll give Tim a call,' Draco murmured. He looked around, his forehead creased in concern, then turned to Ginny. 'Harry said you had them.'

'It's all been a bit harrowing,' Ginny sighed. 'Mum and Tana heard all the commotion and came to see what was going on but Scorpius just wanted out of here! Can't really blame him, poor thing. I just saw Mum taking him to Wisteria Cottage—'

She stopped speaking as Ron came over, looking crestfallen. 'You heard about Ernie?' he frowned. 'Looks really bad...'

Everyone nodded glumly… But Hermione could sense Draco's whiteness; quivering, uneasy. And it certainly wasn't Ernie he was most worried about.

'What about Rose?' he asked Ginny in terse tones. ''You didn't mention her.'

'She's fine!' Ron said, stepping in quickly. 'Tana took her to Folkvangr… She was a bit shook up.'

'But there's no one there! And Tana doesn't know the bloody wards. She's never even been to our house.'

'But Rose knows them!' Ron remonstrated.

'And is Rose comfortable with this Tana?' Draco sneered. 'She never mentions her.'

'She's known her a lot longer than she's known you, actually!' Ron said, looking nettled.

'She'll wait with Rose till we get there,' Hermione said, placing her hand on Draco's arm, hoping to calm him down. What was wrong with him?

'Yeah. Tana's not the sort to just dump a kid and run!' Ron snorted.

'Except she's NOT taking Rose to Folkvangr,' Ginny interceded, 'they're going to The Burrow! Mum said she'll be along there in a jiffy because the Minister's popping round for tea…'

But Ron vehemently shook his head. 'No, it was Folkvangr. I wouldn't have let her go… there…' His words trailed off but everyone knew he was referring to Katya.

'For fuck's sake…' Draco said under his breath.

His obvious frustration was now infecting Hermione, too. 'Are you sure she's at Folkvangr, Ron?' Hermione asked, wondering if they should just head straight to The Burrow.

'Course I am!' he said reproachfully. He grimaced as he wiped blood from a wound on his temple.

'Let's go,' Draco said, impatiently. He abruptly dragged Hermione away from the park and the people and the chaos, past the bashed-up premises of St Botolph's Primary to a bus shelter and were about to Apparate when Harry charged towards them.

'We need to talk!'

'Does it have to be now?' Hermione said in clipped tones.

'This was all about those fucking papers… Anna's papers!' Harry said, trying to catch his breath. 'The plan was to persuade you to give them up! Torquil just confessed as much to me… didn't need any persuasion. That guy's gonna sing like a canary I reckon!'

'But I saw Sylvestra!' Hermione retorted. 'She said nothing about the papers!'

Although thinking about it, she hadn't had much of a chance to say anything at all! Hermione had made sure of that by smacking a van into her…

'Look. That was the plan,' Harry stated baldly. 'Maybe something changed? Who knows?'

'What changed was Hermione buggering up their dipshit parade!' Draco grinned. 'They obviously wanted some great hostage situation and it failed.'

'Which would explain why Josep vanished…' Hermione added thoughtfully. And Asusto. Even Sylvestra, when she thought about it. 'They switched course mid-stream.'

'Didn't tell Troy, Carmichael and the rest of 'em, though, did they?… Bit rude.'

Hermione felt a sense of dark dread well up inside of her…and she didn't know why.

'Let's talk at home,' Draco added, but no sooner had he spoken than Hermione spotted a small figure bobbing between the clumps of people crowding out the park, frantically hunting… looking for someone.

Looking for them

'Kai…' she breathed, rapidly crossing the road, breaking into a jog. Her heart was suddenly racing… 'KAI!'

Kai spun around and ran towards her… her mouth was contorted in anguish.

'What is it? What's happened?' Hermione asked in alarm.

Kai shook her head and was crying so hard, gasping for breath, she couldn't get the words out…

'It's okay, Kai,' Draco said, placing his arm around her shoulder. 'In your own time…'

She kept shaking her head…

Hermione looked around. Harry had disappeared…

'C-Couldn't Apparate you see… too – too young…' Kai spluttered.

'Has Katya escaped?' Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice low and calm.

But Kai repeatedly shook her head. 'No… She - she killed them.'

Hermione and Draco both stared at her, speechless…

'What – what do you mean KILLED them?' Draco asked. 'Killed who?'

'Ziff… Tuyen…' Kai's shoulders were heaving.

Draco blinked rapidly. 'Katya did? … Katya killed them?'

Kai didn't respond in words but her hands gripped Hermione's arms like steel claws. In normal circumstances Hermione would have winced – but she was barely able to register the pain. She felt dizzy with panic.

'Where's she now?' she asked, praying that Ron was right… that Rose had gone to Folkvangr.

'Burrow… I ran.'

'Rose… My daughter. Is she there?'

Kai shook her head. 'Not when I left.'

Footsteps were fast approaching. Harry, then Ron. Thelonious was close behind, concern etched on his face.

'Hey, Kai,' he said tenderly once he'd drawn level with them. He curled her into his arms. 'What's happened?'

Hermione gave Harry and Ron a desperate look. 'She says Katya killed Ziff and Tuyen…'

Saying it out loud … it didn't seem real… KATYA? She didn't even have a wand and she wasn't the strongest-looking individual!

But as she thought this she found herself looking at Ron…

'I'm going to The Burrow,' Draco said urgently. 'Hermione… go check Folkvangr! Make sure Rose got home alright.'

'No. I'll go,' Ron said hastily and he Apparated.

Ginny, Fleur and Bill were crossing the road, dodging a police-car as it sped into the village and screeched to a halt outside the school.

'What's going on?' Ginny asked. Harry split off to update them.

'I'll go with you,' Hermione said to Draco taking hold of his hand in readiness to Apparate. She caught a glimpse of Ginny – her hands flying to her face, and Bill and Fleur, open-mouthed in horror.

XXX

Staring down the drive towards The Burrow's patched-up, crumbling visage everything seemed quiet, normal… the front door was wide open. But that was it. Nothing untoward.

'Maybe Kai hallucinated?' Draco said, a note of hope in his voice.

Hermione looked at him. His face was taut with exhaustion. Truth was, they were BOTH exhausted. The crazy fight at the school, the non-stop tension… Hermione yearned for normality. Boredom. An end to it all.

A gust of strong wind shook the trees bordering the driveway. The leaves rustled and shivered like a thousand whispering voices. The sky was a deep, darkening grey.

'You guys okay?' came Harry's voice behind them.

They automatically loosened their hold of each other's hands.

As they walked towards the house angry shouts and the tell-tale flash of wandfire resounded from the fields to their left…

'Shit,' Draco groaned, instantly detouring. Harry followed.

But Hermione's eyes were drawn to The Burrow. Something had flickered in one of the top windows.

She instantly prickled, the roots of her hair tightening – and in that instant she knew it was true. She knew that Katya had murdered Ziff and Tuyen and was waiting.

But for who, exactly?

She'd tried so hard to be fair. To be kind, even, knowing she'd harmed this woman, stolen something precious from her... But in that instant she hated Katya Malfoy - with a scalding intensity that took her breath away.

She started to walk down the driveway, eyes fixed on the open doorway, holding her wand tightly.

More shouts, a cry of fury… and footsteps rushing behind her.

'Hermione!' It was Thelonious… She saw he had his wand at the ready. 'Best you don't go in alone.'

His large, dark eyes were soft and sad. He believed Kai, too.

'It's probably not the best time for the Minister for Magic to come for tea,' Hermione smiled sadly.

'Hold up!' Draco yelled, sprinting down the drive with Harry – and Niko! Where had he come from?

Ron was dragging a trussed-up figure through the thicket. He was red-faced with the effort and his mouth was twisted with disgust… distress…

'What's happened?' Hermione cried, suddenly fearing the worst. That was TANA…

'She's under Imperio… we stunned her,' Harry quickly explained. 'She never took Rose to Folkvangr.'

'Gunter was obviously on his way to The Burrow and she attacked him,' Niko said, his face puce and sweating… 'Harry's sent for Ginny and Molly. We've had to leave Gunter in the field.'

Tears automatically sprang into Hermione's eyes…

'It's okay. He's alive,' Draco said quickly... But then he looked ahead to the open doorway. 'I think Rose is here.' His voice shook with emotion – clearly fearing the worst. 'Let – let me go in first, Hermione.'

Bill was now striding purposefully towards them with Julius Merriman.

'No, Draco, I'll go in…' Hermione said, trying to sound brave although her heart was skipping beats. She could sense Ron right behind them; ripples of hot tension flooding off him like thick ochre. Burnt mustard… Why, at this particular terrible moment, could she finally sense his colour?

Ziff was lying on the kitchen floor, his body crumpled around the leg of the kitchen table. Hermione caught a quick glimpse of his face. Stretched and gaunt-looking, teeth bared. She wished she hadn't seen… Her eyes were drawn to Tuyen. She was sat upright against the kitchen cabinets, eyes wide open in shock. Hermione could see a reddish shadow falling to her shoulder, sliding down her side to the floor…

'KATYA!' Draco called, his voice laced with volcanic wrath. 'Get the fuck out here - NOW!'

He was physically shaking. Crying. For some reason this hurt Hermione more than she could have ever imagined; like a physical pain scything through her.

The room behind her was beginning to feel crowded. Shadowy presences - stunned into silence by the horror of unfolding events.

'ROSE?' Hermione croaked. Her throat was suddenly so dry it hurt to speak. 'Where are you?'

There was a furtive rustle from the living-room - and Draco was kicking at the door with mad-eyed rage. She could sense his whiteness spiraling wildly, out of control.

Oh god, she thought. He's going to kill her. He's going to kill his wife.

'Draco…' she said plaintively, blinded by hot tears, panic coursing through her veins.

'But she's in there…' he gasped. 'I know she is…. ROSE is in there. With HER.' And he punched the door so hard she heard his bones crack but he didn't care and carried on punching, again and again, until his knuckles were bloodied and the timber-frame was splitting…

'OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!' he yelled, and he repeatedly threw his shoulder against it. 'PLEASE! Just open it, damn you!'

'For fuck's sake, Draco! Use magic!' Harry pleaded.

Draco looked at Harry with bloodshot eyes. 'I did… it didn't work.'

Hermione turned to face the others. Harry, Thelonious, Bill, Julius Merriman – and now Ginny and Molly were surveying the scene with haunted, tragic eyes.

Ron pointed his wand at the door. 'Stand back, Draco. I'm going to blow it up! I'll blow the whole fucking house down if I have to!'

But Draco kept his hand on the door-handle and bent his mouth to the door.

'Please, Katya. Please let her go…' he begged, sounding lost. 'I'll do anything you want. Just don't hurt her. Please don't hurt her.'

There was a tiny creaking sound. His face stiffened and Hermione held her breath...

And then nothing…

'Come on, Katya! Just let us in! Stop fucking around!' Draco persisted in agonised tones… but there was silence.

Except… for a moment it sounded like someone was laughing – a small, smothered laugh…

Hermione's heart thumped in her chest. She could see Draco's eyes darken... White-hot anger erupting inside of him - all-consuming, violent, unstoppable…

'If you fucking hurt her, I'll tear you limb from limb!' he snarled. 'Is that clear?... IS THAT FUCKING CLEAR?' he repeated, kicking the door so hard his foot drove through the woodwork and a burst of colour-magic - blinding, nuclear - wrenched the the door off its hinges.

Hermione surged forwards and together they smashed head-first into a translucent barrier … a magical screen.

'No!' she shrilled, desperate to get in – desperate because she could see Katya holding Rose and she was presenting her to the tower painting – which seemed to loom larger and shinier and looked altogether much more real than Hermione had ever recalled it.

Rose's arms were pinned to her waist but she craned her neck to look back at her mother – a dazed look on her face, like she was stuck inside a bad dream and couldn't decide if she should wake up or not.

Katya snuck a furtive glance over her shoulder and her elfin features were light and laughing… yes, she was LAUGHING! A high, fluting laugh… like tinkling bells in a storm.

Hermione and Draco slammed their fists against the invisible barrier and now Ron and Harry were pelting it with spell after spell… but then Niko thrust them aside and a powerful wave of colour-magic crashed into the barrier.

'Try again!' Ron screeched. He could also see his daughter and his face was a torment.

Niko flung multiple electrifying bolts in quick succession – magic so powerful Hermione felt her hair spark and rise up from her scalp…

The painting was rippling, soft, flowing waves of colour, swirling… and a pall of dark hair followed by a familiar figure inched through the painting and unfurled to her correct height and size. HOW? Hermione wondered... The painting had been blacked-out. Impassable...

Dolores flung back her head and gave Hermione a haughty but pitying look as she thrashed her fists helplessly against the barrier, screaming for her child.

'I warned you,' she declared imperiously – she sounded distant, like she was still in picture-world. 'I am bound to serve. THAT is my duty.'

She turned to Rose and took hold of her hands – they looked so small and white – and gently tugged her from Katya's grasp.

'NO!' Hermione cried, her voice juddering with emotion. 'Please don't take her! I beg you! Take me instead!'

Dolores shook her head regretfully. 'I can't... It has to be Rose. These are my orders… I guess they always were.'

'But it's MADNESS!' Draco scoffed. 'You don't have to do what that bastard tells you!'

'But I do, Draco… I do.' And her eyes swam with tears. 'You once followed orders, too, my friend, not caring who got hurt by your actions – and your inactions… Never forget that.'

She clasped Rose to her chest and cast a final, sorrowful look at Hermione - and they were swallowed up into the painting.

Hermione gasped in horror and fell to her knees… Someone was behind her, holding her, a warm presence – but she squirmed free and crawled on her hands and knees into the centre of the living-room.

The barrier was gone and Katya Malfoy was sitting at the foot of the painting, pawing at the frame, shuddering with hilarity, her laughter rising and falling like a babbling brook.

Draco was standing in the room and shouting… but Hermione could barely hear what he was saying, could barely hear at all above the thud of her heart and the rush of her breath in her chest… Katya's face flinched and paled – but then she trailed off into sweet, girlish giggles, kissing the painting and clapping her hands with joy.

Draco put his hands to his head and closed his eyes… The laughter. It didn't stop. It wouldn't stop. It ran on and on… an incongruous torture.

'SHUT UP!' he bellowed. 'SHUT THE FUCK UP!' He crossed the room in a single stride, intent on entering the painting but Katya pulled out a wand and - YES. DAMN!… It was Ron's wand – and Draco was flung backwards, slapping into the wall.

Katya held the wand aloft and stroked it – and for a moment there was a dark, lascivious look in her eye that shocked Hermione to the core.

Hermione threw herself across the room in an attempt to grab it but the wand was now pointing at her and Hermione knew that one false move and she was dead – and if she was dead she couldn't look for her daughter…

'Nasty… nasty witch,' came an insidious, rasping little voice - nothing like she'd expected. A peculiar blend of sing-song and breaking glass. A voice from a children's book. 'Nasty witch must die.'

Katya's eyes were round like saucers, hypnotic pools…

'Where's Rose? What you done with her?' Ron bawled.

But Katya ignored him…

'No Draco! DON'T!' someone shouted – and it took a moment for Hermione to recognise Harry, who'd charged into the room and launched himself at Draco… but it was too late.

A stream of blood-red magic surged across the room and Katya was squealing and crying and curled up into a tight little ball, defenceless and shaking. Writhing in torment…

But Draco didn't let up…. His stare was cold and pitiless and his wand-arm shook with the intense hatred coursing through him in that instant. Hermione felt irradiated by his fury, blinded by the shimmering white magic that glowed from him.

His wife was convulsing and mewling and for a moment Hermione felt nothing but sadness – sadness for her pain and her derangement, sadness that any of this had ever happened at all…

Because there were dire consequences. Minister Merriman had made that very clear… Unforgivables wouldn't be tolerated anymore.

And the timing couldn't be worse, because Julius Merriman was standing at the open doorway, a remorseful look on his face.

'Draco…' Hermione said softly.

His wand clattered to the floor and he shook his wrist as though stung and looked at her, undone…

'I'd – I'd have fucking killed her,' Ron said boisterously to Julius Merriman, realising the consequences of what he'd just witnessed.

'An understandable reaction,' Julius sighed, 'because Rose is your daughter… Mr Malfoy doesn't have anywhere near your excuse to cast the Cruciatus Curse - and that includes, sadly, his friends being murdered. The law is the law. And it must stand.' He eyed Draco dolefully. 'I'm afraid I have to place you under immediate arrest, Mr Malfoy. It has to be Azkaban, I'm afraid, regardless of the circumstances.'

Draco didn't look at him but continued to stare at Hermione, blocking out the furious roars of protest that resounded around The Burrow.

'But the fucking circumstances can't just be ignored!' Harry cried. 'She bloody deserved it!'

Except Katya Malfoy didn't look like she deserved it all… she was a crouched, whimpering little thing, arms folded over her face to hide from the world.

'At least give him time to go and find Rose,' Molly Weasley implored. 'Draco's one of the only ones able to go into the paintings!'

'You have to let him go!' Ron protested heatedly. 'It's a nonsense if you don't!'

Niko roughly shouldered Julius Merriman out of the way, knocking him into the doorpost… 'Go get Gunter!' he barked to anyone who bothered to take notice. 'Pour potions down his throat if you have to! Get him to follow us!'

He grasped Draco by the elbow. 'Fuck this shit, Draco! We've got a little girl to save!'

Draco offered Hermione his hand and pulled her off the floor.

He turned to face Julius. 'Let me do this one thing… You can then do with me as you wish.'

XXX

Hermione was almost relieved to feel the dank, grey drizzle inside Katya's painting on her cheeks, to be away from the wall of frightened, bewildered, angry eyes staring at them.

Draco immediately pulled her into a tight embrace and leant his forehead against hers. He was shivering uncontrollably.

'You fool,' she whispered and pressed her mouth to his. She gazed up at him, eyes brimming with tears.

'I was just… just so fucking angry!' He took a deep, shuddering breath.

'I know,' she said, wiping tears from his face.

'And now I've blown it, Hermione… I've fucking screwed up big time. Everything's my fault. Everything that's happened… I'm so, so sorry, beautiful, I really am.' He grabbed her hands and brought them to his mouth and kissed them with trembling lips. 'I fucking love you so much. I love you all… I don't want to leave you alone.'

'You won't. We'll be alright. It'll be alright… We'll find a way.'

He nodded but she could tell he didn't believe it, didn't know how…

Niko and Harry stood alongside them and Harry gave her a tender smile that almost broke her heart. And they moved deeper into the picture – dark urgency pushing them forwards, past the brown, brackish waters of the lake and the squat tower with its quaint, conical hat…

'Everyone think about Rose!' Harry commanded.

'It's fucking hard not to!' Draco countered.

They held hands and the colours and images of picture-world skated by and they were thrown into a desolate, dusty landscape. The only features stretching to the far horizon were grey boulders and the picked-clean carcass of a long-dead animal.

Niko peered through the gossamer-grey veil between-worlds.

'Nothing there!' he complained. 'Pitch fucking black.'

'There has to be something!' Harry said scornfully.

'Yeah. Rose,' Draco muttered. 'Somewhere in there…' His voice trailed off because it really was like the deepest, darkest night beyond the veil.

A swell of terror rose up inside of Hermione… She couldn't bear it. Her little girl…

Without hesitation she stepped through the portal and landed in darkness – a darkness so dense it almost had texture and weight. She held her hand up to her face and saw nothing and briefly wondered if she'd died in transit. That the veil between worlds had been the final one. The veil to end it all.

But then a soothing warm white glowed beside her. And Harry – a soft, gentle green was behind her, and a tongue of flame, burning orange – Niko – was close by.

'Where the bloody hell are we?' Harry asked, his voice almost deadened by the darkness.

'I think I know…' Draco groaned.

And as he said it, Hermione knew too. The cellar at Malfoy Manor…

A slight shuffling movement and a frisson of fear trembled through her… footsteps and the clank of a door… A faint light speared the darkness and Rose's small white face shone out of the gloom.

'Mummy?' she called, half-hoping, half-fearing – but a hand fell on her shoulder and she was gone.

XXX

CHAPTER TRACKS:

"THE BANDSTAND" by A-HA

"USED TO" by WIRE

"NIHILIST BLUES" by BRING ME THE HORIZON

"HURRICANE LAUGHTER" by FONTAINES D.C.

"ROSEATE" by IOANNA GIKA

"EXIT MUSIC (FOR A FILM)" by RADIOHEAD

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters.