"Ha!" Hermione shouted.
Clutched in her hands was a thick tome, filled to the brim with Ancient Runes. If she couldn't find the rune in there, she didn't know where she would find it. She bustled over to one of the many chairs that littered the first floor of Marieelle's Library, thumbing through the book as she walked.
Her nose scrunched up when she hit her hip against the side of a bookcase. She really should look where she was going, she thought, rubbing the tender spot. She plopped down in the ornate chair and got to work reading the book as quickly as possible.
She stayed in the same spot for hours, not once moving, not even to eat.
She was perhaps thirty pages away from finishing the tome when white-hot rage flashed through her. A singular page had been ripped out. Shoving her anger to the side for a moment, she skimmed the rest of the book as fast as she could, her eyes flying across the pages at break-neck speeds.
A strange hollowness filled her as she finished the last page. Nothing. It wasn't there.
She flipped back to the spot the missing page should have been. It had to have belonged there, she was certain.
She summoned her sceptre and rubbed the stone that had been glowing the last time she used it. It took her to Avalon then, so theoretically, it would take her there again.
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
She appeared in the halls of Avalon and marched too where she knew Marielle would be residing.
The doors of the Room of Constellations clattered against the stone walls, echoing in the empty room. Hermione, with the precision of a trained assassin, aimed a beam of magic at Marielle's star.
The lady appeared, her normally perfectly coiffed hair in shambles and dark circles framing her sunken eyes.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the heaving twelve-year-old. "Hermione!," she said, placing her hand against her heart. "What can I do for you?"
She shoved the book in the older witch's chest. The book clattered to the ground before Marielle could catch it.
"Where is the page?"
"Pardon?" the blonde asked, reaching down to pick up the fallen tome.
Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her foot. The sound reverberated against the stone floors and walls.
"Where is the missing page?"
Marielle sucked in a breath. Her eyebrows rose a fraction before she could control them.
Hermione pointed a finger in her direction. "You know," she said, letting her eyes fall into slits. "Tell me."
Marielle's hands rose as if to placate the girl. "No, no, you've got it wrong. I haven't the foggiest where that page is."
Hermione didn't have time for this. She had already spent four days in the library searching for this book, then reading it. Irène was expecting her home soon. She jabbed the golden sceptre toward the woman, her treat clear.
"I swear it."
"What rune does the page talk about?"
She shook her head. "I cannot say."
Hermione lowered the staff. "The powers won't allow it will they?" Her mouth pulled into a deep frown, already knowing the answer.
Marielle nodded.
"Why?"
"It is despicable, worse than the Unforgivables."
Hermione nodded, knowing that was the best she was going to get from the woman. She held out her hand to take the book back. "Would Morgana know? She is knowledgeable about Dark Magics."
Marielle placed the book in the girl's hand and shook her head. "If she does, she won't be able to tell you anything."
Hermione pressed her lips together in a thin line and turned to leave, her cloak swishing around her ankles. "I shall take my leave, then."
Marille nodded and watched as the girl rubbed a stone on the golden sceptre.
"What was that about?" Margana asked, appearing after Hermione had left.
Marielle whipped around to face the witch. "She was looking for information about a rune."
Morgana raised a single brow.
"I'm not privy to that information. I don't think Imi even knows about it. Only the Powers."
"How did she fall across this information?"
"She didn't say, and with her pointing the sceptre toward me there was no way that I was going to anger her any more than she already was."
Morgana nodded, agreeing with the witch. She would have done the same.
"It's a shame we cannot investigate," Marielle said, staring at the place Hermione had been only moments before.
"Indeed."
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
Hermione huffed as soon as she popped back into Marielle's Library. She flung herself on a nearby chaise and threw the book on a table. It clattered against the wood and fell open to the missing page.
She glared at it. It didn't matter that it was an inanimate object and couldn't perceive her detestation-it just felt good to direct her frustration at something. As she stared at the book, she noticed a pattern.
The runes weren't alphabetized. She whipped up, gaping like a fish. "Of course," she felt herself say.
The runes were organized by lexicon, which meant that the rune Hermione was looking for was…
"Nordic! The rune is nordic!"
It wasn't much, but at least it was something.
She gathered her belongings and stuffed the book in her beaded bag that she still carried with her.
"I wonder how Irène would feel about going further north during Yule," she mused.
She practically ran back to the Lemercier manor.
"Bonjour, Maman!" Hermione called as soon as she got back.
Laurent greeted her at the door.
Hermione observed his crossed arms and raised brows and gulped.
"Papa, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing. You're back awfully early."
She straightened her back, "Yes, well, I finished my research sooner than I expected."
"And…?"
She met his gaze. "How would you feel about going to Norway for Yule this year?"
"Norway?" Irène questioned.
Hermione jumped a bit, startled by the woman's sudden entrance.
"That's rather traditional of you, isn't it?"
She shrugged. "I like the snow?"
Laurent couldn't help but chuckle.
Hermione glared at him.
"Sorry," he said, putting his hands up, "It's rather macabre, don't you think, given that we found you nearly frozen to death in a snowbank."
She huffed and crossed her arms. "Well, when you put it that way it does sound rather gruesome."
Irène seemed unamused by their exchange if her incredulous expression was anything to go by.
"Norway sounds lovely, though, haven't you forgotten something?" she asked.
Her mouth fell open a bit, forming the shape of an 'o'.
"I'm sure He wouldn't mind, especially if I brought back a dark text or two."
Irène beamed. "In that case, I'll start planning now! I can't believe it, our first family vacation!"
She pulled Hermione and Laurent into a group hug.
"I suppose England doesn't count?" Hermione asked, despite already knowing the answer.
"Of course not, we were just visiting family."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Where were you thinking?" Irène asked, finally pulling away.
"Wherever I can find a lot of books. Rare ones, especially."
She nodded and tapped her chin, thinking. "I'll do some research. I think the Fludmons went to Norway not too long ago. Perhaps Evgenia could give me some suggestions…"
Hermione shook her head. The woman would be planning all the way up to the very day that they left.
"Let's go sit down, I think she's going to be preoccupied for a bit," Laurent said.
Hermione agreed and followed him to the drawing-room for a game of chess.
"Norway?" he asked after they got settled in.
She nodded. "I'm trying to figure out the meaning of a Nordic Rune."
"And you couldn't find it at this Library of yours?"
"No. The only entry of it was ripped out."
He hummed and continued their game.
"You let me win the last time we played, didn't you?" she asked awhile later.
"So you noticed," he asked, his eyes dancing.
"Of course, I'm pants at chess."
He laughed. "Perhaps."
She let a small smile grace her lips.
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
Hermione said her final goodbyes to Laurent and Irène and stepped into the carriage for school. She was more than ready for the new term to start.
"Hermione!" Amélie waved her over. "How was the rest of your holiday?"
She shrugged. "Alright, I suppose. How was yours?"
Amélie launched into a long-winded description, not once pausing.
"Merlin Mélie," Elias said, plopping down next to Hermione. "Give the poor girl a break. She probably can't understand a word you just said."
Amélie huffed and stomped her foot on the floor of the carriage. "You're so mean to me. Aren't brothers supposed to be nice to their sisters?"
He smiled jovially, "Of course not!"
Amélie pouted and stared at Hermione with her best puppy-dog eyes.
"Don't look at me," she shook her head. "I'm an only child."
It was technically true, she supposed. If you didn't count Harry, that is.
Hermione frowned. Harry. Merlin, she missed him.
Elias nudged her. "Hey, are you alright?"
She nodded. "Sorry, just thinking about this next year. I'm a bit worried about classes."
Amélie snorted. "Please, You have nothing to worry about."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "By the way," she said, reaching into her bag, "I've got something for the both of you."
She pulled out two packages, crisply wrapped in rosy pink and maroon paper, respectively.
"Here," she said, giving the pink one to Amélie and the red on to Elias.
Amélie, almost as an afterthought, thanked her and tore open the present. Inside was a rose quartz and diamond-encrusted hair clip.
She gasped.
"I enchanted it myself. It should protect you against attacks from behind."
"It's lovely!" she squealed and pulled Hermione into a tight hug. "How does it look?" she asked, after fastening it in place.
"Gorgeous."
"Hermione," Elias said, staring at his still unopened package. "You didn't have to."
"Open it," she replied, pushing the package toward him.
He looked at her doubtfully but carefully ripped open the paper anyway.
He pulled out a set of gold cufflinks in the shape of a raven.
"A change in consciousness…" he muttered.
She nodded. "I figured you could appreciate the symbolism. Your's are enchanted as well, same as Amélie's."
"Thank you," he said, his eyes practically glowing.
She nodded and Amélie got right back to chatting about her summer.
"And that brings us to now," She finished, triumphant.
It had been hours since she first began talking, and she had finally completed her story. Luckily, they had arrived at the school, so Elias and Hermione didn't need to endure any more of her inane chattering.
Hermione allowed herself to be directed by the Épaulers to her new dorm, which just wound up being the very same one as the previous year.
"Odd," the Épauler said. "It's unusual to see a student stay in the same dorm they were in the previous year. You must be a special witch!"
Hermione grimaced but thanked the student, sending him to help someone else. She had better things to do, like unpack, then report to the Dining Hall to help for the Ceremony later that night.
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
It went off without a hitch, Hermione noted, glad it was finally over. She absolutely detested baton twirling and couldn't help but pray to Merlin that she wouldn't have to do it again the next year.
It was the next day and Everyone was getting their class schedules today. Even though she would inevitably know everything that she was going to be taught this year, it still brought her joy whenever she received her timetable. An echo from her past life, she supposed.
She had yet to see Leon, but Mathis, Amélie, and Elias were at breakfast already, chatting quietly amongst themselves.
It was when Amélie stopped talking that Hermione became worried. Her attention was consumed (along with the rest of the female population that was currently residing in the Dining Hall) by a lone figure standing in the doorway. Wondering what the commotion was all about, Hermione followed Amélie's gaze to the most beautiful person she had seen in her life.
Honey blonde hair and a tall (well at least compared to Hermione), lithe body sauntered in her direction. Clear blue eyes met her own.
She recoiled.
"Leon?" Mathis asked as if he also couldn't believe his eyes.
The other boy grinned and rubbed the back of his neck, halting in his steps.
Amélie shook her head. "You're telling me," she said, her eyes darting between Mathis and Leon, "That that is Leon. As in Leon Delacour. The awkward bird boy we are friends with."
Hermione couldn't help but think the same thing. Last she checked, he had auburn hair, and rather short. Not blonde and dare she even say it… tall?
Amélie fell back in her chair. "I don't believe it."
Her shock didn't last long, as her attention was recaptured by the stunning boy, who had moved to sit between the two girls.
All across the hall, the rest of the female student body looked on in envy, clearly wishing they could be in the same position.
Leon threw his arm around Amélie, he simply couldn't handle his charms, and she melted into his side.
"It's so great to see you all again! It's been a long holiday, n'est pas?"
He flashed a pearly smile at the table.
"Mate…" Mathis said, nudging his head in the direction of Elias, who was absolutely fuming.
Leon glanced Elias's way, and after noticing the other boys mounting anger, shot him a questioning look.
Amélie, meanwhile, was entirely content snuggled into Leon's side, and she was… sniffing him? Hermione couldn't tell very well, but from her angle, it certainly seemed like she was.
"Elias, mate, what's wrong with you?" Leon asked, his arm still draped over Amélie's shoulder. He, apparently, hadn't noticed her preoccupation with smelling his shoulder.
"Leon," Hermione cut in before Elias could say anything, "Perhaps you should let Amélie go."
He jumped a bit, finally taking notice of Amélie's incapacitated state. He hastily released the girl and began apologizing.
His words were a jumbled mess, but Elias eased up and let his fists unclench, though he was still poised to strike if the tenseness in his shoulders was anything to go by.
Hermione cast a modified bubblehead charm over herself and Amélie, covering their noses with a small bubble preventing any smell from entering.
Not seconds later, Amélie was returning to her normal self.
"Thanks," she said, shooting Hermione a grateful look.
"Leon," Hermione said, devoting her attention to him. "I think you should explain."
"What do you mean?"
She stared at him incredulously. "As funny as you might think this is, I'm unamused."
"I'm serious!"
"You're blonde. And you are tall now. You had to have grown at least 30cm! Over 3 months! That's not normal!" Amélie said.
But before the boy could reply, their timetables appeared.
Leon eagerly grabbed his and poured over it. The rest of the table was unimpressed.
He seemed to notice that the other hadn't picked up the schedules, and slowly, put his own down.
Hermione raised a single eyebrow.
"Right, sorry," he said sheepishly. "My mother says that this is normal for veelas. Since I'm only half, my hair has only lightened a little, but not enough to be platinum."
"What about Louis?"
He shrugged. "I have more veela genetics than him?"
Hermione squinted.
"Great!" Amélie said. "We're never going to see her now! It's going to be just like last year- she's going to spend all her time in the library."
Hermione would try to argue with the girl, but she was right. She was going to spend all her time in the library.
"You and Leon are the only ones that don't go to the library. Mathis and I are there with her most of the time," Elias pointed out, crossing his arms.
Amélie blushed and looked away. "Whatever."
"But seriously, Leon, what happened? Look at all the girls, they are staring at you like you are the last drop of water in a desert," Mathis asked.
He opened his mouth to respond but Apolline, who appeared behind him, cut in.
"I think I can answer that."
She placed a vial of iridescent, purple liquid on the table, in front of Leon.
"Drink." Her tone brokered no argument.
He complied, gagging at the oily texture.
"You can release your charm now," she said to Hermione.
The bookworm nodded, vanishing the little bubbles over hers and Amélie's noses.
"Your veela blood is starting to present itself," Apolline said.
"I already knew that, mother told me before we left."
The older girl sighed and rubbed her temples. "No, Leon, you don't understand."
He crossed his arms. "Care to share?"
"Male veelas are incredibly rare. So, whenever there is male veela, even if he is just part-veela, his magic tends to manifest more than it would otherwise."
He nodded, uncharacteristically quiet.
"I'm not going to turn into a bird, though, right?"
Apolline hid her laugh behind her hand. "No," was all she could manage before she had to excuse herself to giggle in private.
He seemed relieved if a bit peeved by her reaction.
"I do wonder though," Hermione said, tapping her chin, "Why Louis didn't change in the way that you are."
"Sounds like a library question," Elias said.
She nodded. "You're right. Classes are starting soon."
Amélie groaned.
Elias grabbed her schedule.
"Hey, you have etiquette first."
She brightened up.
Hermione groaned. It had to be etiquette.
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
"How were your classes?" Elias asked, plopping down between Hermione and Mathis.
"They were fascinating," Mathis said.
Hermione zoned out and got sucked into her reading as he began recalling the day.
"Aha!" she said, interrupting Mathis.
Elias quirked his brow. "You found something, then?"
She nodded. "It could be one of three things, really."
"And…" Mathis said, quite used to her random outbursts.
"He could have a case of late expression, which is highly unlikely, or he has low expression. Of course, it could just be that he hasn't met his mate yet, though most Veelas find their mates by the time they are sixteen."
She frowned.
"What?" Elias asked.
"It's strange; normally low expression only happens when there are multiple part-veelas born in the same family. Normally, though, it is the younger children that have low expression of their veela heritage. It seems to be the exact opposite in this case."
"Maybe he is just expressing late, then," Elias said.
"Or he hasn't met his mate," Mathis added.
"Maybe."
The three went quiet for a moment.
"I'm going to start working on our potions essay if you want to join," Mathis said to Hermione.
She murmured in response, too immersed in her readings to pay attention.
Mathis and Elias rolled their eyes. She hadn't changed at all.
{Chapter 23}
Later that night, Hermione found a letter on her bed.
"Seems like you have an admirer," Apolline said.
Hermione whipped her head around.
"This is your dorm too?"
She nodded.
Hermione eyed the letter and snorted. "Not an admirer."
She raised her eyebrows.
"It's Louis," she elaborated, showing the other girl the seal.
"I stand by what I said."
Hermione rolled her eyes and opened the letter.
Your mentor has been making a little splash in Britain. The International Federation of Wizards is ignoring it and passing it off as a gas leak. I'll keep you updated.
A newspaper clipping fell out from the envelope and onto the wood floors. She reached down to grab it. It was from a muggle paper. Apparently, there was a small attack in Bradford-on-Avon. A handful of muggles died. As Louis said, they attributed the deaths of a small family to a gas leak.
Hermione cursed. She was supposed to be here to prevent this from happening. She needed a game plan. Now.
Apolline plucked the clipping from her hand. "So your little problem had gotten a little bigger."
"Perceptive as ever, I see."
The blonde put the paper on Hermione's trunk.
"Send a letter to Narcissa."
"Pardon?"
"Send a letter to Narcissa. Start a rumour about this Dark Lord. He doesn't have much influence over most pureblood circles, and if you can slow down his rise to power, your problem will be much easier to handle in the future."
Hermione eyes her suspiciously. "How do you know Narcissa?"
She smirked. "Leon is great at listening, especially to his crushes and luckily for us, Amélie loves talking."
"You read his mail?"
"He has a not so hidden shrine in his room dedicated to her. It would be remiss of me as a sister to not read them."
Hermione chuckled.
"Better yet," the brunette said, "Let's have Amélie write a letter to Narcissa. This summer Elias got to shadow his father at Gringotts. They were working on ancestral vaults the entire time. She was so jealous so he told her everything about it, including which vaults had heirs."
Appoline grinned.
"I'm certain that she would love to tell Narcissa, the current Queen of Slytherin, all about the Gaunt's half-blood heir," Hermione finished
"I'm glad someone else here is as devious as me. Life is incredibly dull when you don't have an engaging intellectual partner, you know."
Hermione grimaced. She did know. Harry and Ron weren't exactly the most scholarly. She shook those thoughts away. They would only make her sad.
"Louis and Amélie?" she asked instead. "I mean, I have my own suspicions, but…"
Appoline giggled. "You have no idea. He hasn't realised it yet, but she is definitely his mate."
"That's why she was all over him this morning!"
She nodded, "And also why his pheromones are especially strong now. Since he met Amélie, his veela side hasn't wanted to be away from her. And because he didn't see her for weeks, his veela made sure that she would want to spend time with him when they did see each other again."
Hermione laughed. She just couldn't help it. "So this is all because his veela got sad?"
"Pretty much."
They laughed in harmony, collapsing onto Hermione's bed.
"Of course, had they not been reunited soon, the veela would have sought her out," Apolline said once they had calmed down.
"Understandable. Veelas are highly possessive."
"Indeed they are."
They fell into a comfortable silence.
"Have you found your mate yet?"
"You've been reading, haven't you?"
She nodded.
Appoline sighed. "I haven't. Female veelas aren't as rare, so the drive to find their mate isn't as strong."
"But I thought most veelas find their mates by the time they are sixteen?"
"That's the average between males and females. Males usually find their mates by the time they are fourteen, and females usually find them by the time they are eighteen."
"Louis hasn't found his yet, then?"
Apolline frowned. "It's hard to say. If he hasn't found her when he is twenty, his veela blood will take over and he will search for her non-stop. Of course, it could just be that he doesn't have enough veela blood to have a mate in the first place."
"Ah."
"Don't worry about him. He'll figure something out. Either way, girls throw themselves at him every day. Even if he doesn't have a mate, there is no shortage of girls who want to court him."
Hermione laughed. She supposed Appoline was right.
"I believe that our roommates will be back soon, and I don't fancy fighting them for the shower. Let me know how everything goes with Amélie."
Hermione nodded. "Of course. Thanks for everything."
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
"Morning Hermione!" Amélie said, the very next day.
Hermione grumbled her response. Amélie rose very early in the morning. Very early. Hermione herself was no slouch, but Amélie took it to new heights. Alas, Hermione wanted to talk to the girl privately, and this was the only time of day that she was often alone.
"You're up terribly early."
"I thought it would be nice to see the sunrise," she replied.
"Right…" she said, eyeing her suspiciously.
They ate in tense silence.
"What do you need," Amélie asked, breaking the awkwardness.
"How did-"
"I'm more perceptive than I appear."
"Evidently."
"Now what did you need?" she asked once again, putting jam on a slice of bread.
"You remember how Elias worked with your father at Gringotts over the summer?"
She pouted. "How could I forget?"
"Could you send Narcissa a letter about it?"
She tilted her head. "Well, sure, but why?"
Hermione licked her lips. She felt a cold sweat drip begin to form. "I think that Narcissa would like to hear about it, is all."
"That's a great idea!"
Hermione sagged a bit in her seat. It seemed as though Amélie wasn't suspicious.
"I wonder, though," she continued, "What I should mention." She looked Hermione's way. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Narcissa's a Slytherin. Maybe you could mention the Gaunt heir?"
Amélie shook her head, "Hermione, I'm not stupid. Narcissa is a pureblood elitist, she would hate knowing that the Heir of Slytherin is a half-blood. Tell me what's going on."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Well-"
"And do be honest."
She gulped. There was no way she could believably lie to her.
"I'm worried that the Heir is trying to gain control of pureblood circles."
"Are you like your cousin?"
"What do you mean?"
"Must I spell it out for you? And you are supposed to be the smart one."
She gaped like a fish.
"Your cousin, in case you hadn't noticed, is a massive bigot."
Hermione reigned control of herself. "Oh, believe me, I'm aware."
"So…?"
"No Amélie, I don't believe what he does. Or the rest of that part of my family, for that matter."
She laughed inwardly. It would be rather amusing if she was a bigot- her mudblood Hermione Granger, a pureblood elitist. It would be hypocritical in the most amusing way.
"I didn't think you were, but you really threw me through a loop just then."
Hermione rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry about that."
"I'll send a letter."
"Thanks, you have no idea how much I appreciate it."
"You're welcome, I can tell this is important." She went back to eating her breakfast. "And, don't worry, I'll be discreet."
"More discreet than casually asking someone to write a letter to a pureblood elitist she doesn't know well about the half-blood Gaunt heir?"
Amélie laughed. "Yes, more discreet than that."
When they calmed down, she continued, "What is so special about this Tom Riddle, anyway?"
Hermione figured that honesty would be the best route. "I've met him, and he is absolutely insane. He wants to take over the wizarding world and is doing so by rallying bigoted purebloods. He is using their prejudices against them… If he gets too much control, I'm afraid the consequences will be unimaginable."
"You've met him?"
She nodded. "At a ball last year. He's also why I go to Wiltshire over holidays."
"Shouldn't you tell someone who can actually do something about this? We're only kids."
"Nobody will listen to me. Besides, who would see a kid coming? If there is one thing I've learned about Riddle, it's that he is arrogant. He won't suspect it to be a child?"
She shrugged. "If you say so. I don't really understand how this is going to affect anything, but I'll do it anyway."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Amélie would help her.
"And Amélie?"
"Hmm?"
"Keep this between us?"
She rolled her eyes, that's a given. Honestly, you'd think you've been betrayed before."
Hermione grimaced. If only she knew.
{Snowbanks and Sunrises}
Hello everyone! I hope that you are all staying safe during this uncertain time. I know how stressful quarantining and social distancing can be, and I really hope that everyone is prioritising both their physical and mental health! If you or anyone you know has been having a hard time with this, please reach out to a professional that can help. Here is another chapter that hopefully alleviates some of your boredom (though I cannot make any promises). I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Sincerely,
Miss of the Manor