AN:
Warning: Contains animal cruelty
Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Season 9
Round: Round 4
Team: Puddlemere United
Position: Beater 2: Cult
World count: 1638
OPTIONAL PROMPTS:
[setting] Forbidden Forest
[character] Fleur Delacour
[word] Priority
[word] Venture
[setting] Dusk
IWSC Round 7
School: Hogwarts: Potterwatch
Theme: Write about a character who struggles to remain honest.
Year 2
PROMPTS:
Main Prompt:[Creature] Knarl
Additional Prompt:[genre] Crime
Word count: 1638
The Line Between Right & Wrong
When Hermione's eyes had met Fleur Delacour's gaze, the world had stopped. Everything had shifted and just clicked. Everything made sense and had for the first time in her young life felt right.
Later on, Hermione had discovered the reason for this immediate connection. Fleur was a Veela; Veela are semi-human magical beings, they are beautiful women with white-gold hair and skin that appears to shine moon-bright. Veelas had a different kind of magic, one not bound to the body like for witches and wizards but bound to the beast inside them.
That beast had a mate, someone that completed them perfectly, that was the center of their world. It was something Hermione had never experienced before, being someone's priority. For so long, she was the afterthought, the person someone would talk to when they needed something. Even Harry and Ron used her somehow, when they needed help with their homework, or when Harry had stumbled across a new problem and needed her to figure out a solution.
But now, everything was different, she had someone that never demanded anything, that didn't just talk to her when she needed her for something. Happiness and joy had become a constant in her life, and all that because of one person and that was Fleur.
Fleur would join her in the library and they would delve into deep and meaningful conversations. The Veela had so much knowledge it was astounding. She really deserved her place in the tournament, not that Hermione liked that she was participating in a live or die competition.
She had been terrified when Fleur's name had come out of the Goblet, fear and worry had overtaken her. The Veela had done her best to reassure her but the worry would not subside.
"Mon cœur, I was wondering if you wanted to explore the grounds with me? I hear there is an old boat house somewhere," Fleur told her one day. It was getting close to the first task and Hermione was on edge. She was sure Fleur had asked her on this venture to distract her from the constant worrying.
"You have to practice and study Fleur, we can't just go around exploring when the task is so soon!" the brunette exclaimed, biting her lower lip. The Veela's eyes focused on the action and darkened slightly.
"I will be fine mon cœur, de plus, spending time with you will appease my Veela which will in turn help me focus on the task."
Hermione observed her with critical eyes, trying to decide if what Fleur was telling her was the truth. She finally nodded, agreeing with her mate.
Hand in hand, they made their way to the grounds and Hermione started showing Fleur the different spots. The time passed fast and the sun had started to set.
"I found a place where we could watch the sunset, but we have to leave now so we can make it on time," Hermione said pointing to the Forbidden Forest.
"Isn't the forest forbidden?" asked Fleur.
"It is, but I go in there from time to time, I found this path to a cliff and the view is amazing," Hermione retorted hoping the blond would join. The location was her safe place, somewhere she could go to just relax and think. She wanted to show her special place to her mate, make it theirs.
"If you want to go, we will. I will follow you to the end of the earth." Fleur kissed her forehead, her lips lingering on her skin loving the closeness.
They made their way through the forest enjoying the soft breath and the sounds emanating from it. When they got to the cliff, they sat and enjoyed the view. It was mesmerizing to say the least and Hermione loved sharing her place with the person that was fast becoming the most important person in her life.
"It's getting dark, we should get going. I don't want to be in here when darkness takes over. You never know what is lurking in the forest," said Hermione getting up. The sun had completely disappeared but some light still remained. She had always thought that dusk was beautiful in it's own way, joining the word of the night and that of the day. But the Forbidden Forest was a dangerous place to venture into at night and she didn't want to risk stumbling across danger.
While following the path back to the castle, they were startled by very disturbing cries. Fleur's instincts set in, she stepped in front of her mate and started casting multiple charms over the both of them. Later, Hermione realized that Fleur had rendered them all but invisible as she had cast multiple notice-me-not and disillusionment charms, and a couple of other charms she had never heard of before that day.
"Stay behind me," she ordered, her eyes flashing gold as the Veela made her way to the surface.
As they moved silently through the forest, the cries started to intermix with those of chants. With every step they took, the air around them thickened. It was magic, Hermione realized, potent magic that was invading the air and twirling around them and the area they were in. Whatever they had stumbled upon it wasn't good.
And then they saw it — there in a clearing stood hooded figures. They were standing in a circle, Hermione could count five individuals. Since darkness hadn't completely taken over, she could make out drawing on the grounds where they were standing. But what horrified her the most about the whole scene was what was in the center of the ritual circle these people had made.
There in the middle, were bound by magic about twenty or so little creatures. She could distinguish their shapes but couldn't make them out properly. They were crying out trying to get away, whatever the chanting was, Hermione was sure it was affecting them somehow. The sounds they were emitting were pained, and as seconds trickled by, they grew in intensity. The magic all around was going haywire, floating and twirling. It felt harsh and cruel; magic wasn't supposed to feel that way. It was supposed to be soft and beautiful, playful and colorful.
This, however, was horrific, it was as though these people were corrupting magic and were using these defenceless creatures to do so.
"Knarls," Fleur hissed, her face elongated into a sharp, beaked bird head, Hermione could see the long scaly wings bursting from her shoulders. The sight wasn't as scary as she had thought it would be, it was calming somehow. She knew that Fleur would never let anything happen to her.
Knarls were hedgehog-like creatures. They had similar physical attributes to their muggle world counterparts. The brunette knew that the creatures had magical uses but she couldn't fathom what these people could be doing with them.
Their cries of pain intensified as the chants grew in power and volume. Hermione and Fleur watched in horror as the knarls started floating before blood started to emerge from their little bodies.
"We have to go now." Fleur ordered, panic was clear in her voice. Wherever was coming wasn't good and the Veela was on edge. Taking hold of Hermione's body, she cradled her bridal style and took off before her mate could comprehend what was happening.
Her speed was phenomenal and soon they were out of the forest and as far away from the ritual as they could be. When Fleur set down Hermione, the brunette's mind started processing what had just happened. Whatever these people were doing, it wasn't good. She knew she had to report them, go to Dumbledore and tell him what was happening. Fear was overwhelming her in every sense. Whoever these individuals were, they were dangerous and very dark. But she was a Gryffindor, she had to be brave and face her fears head first. It was the right thing to do.
"We need… we need to report this." Her voice was just above a whisper. Fleur looked at her mate and shook her head no.
"You can not, whoever these people are, they are dangerous. The ritual magic they were practicing is very dark. They could harm you, I can not let you come to harm." The Veela was speaking in rapid French and Hermione silently thanked her parents for the extensive language classes they had put her through.
"I know they are dangerous, but it's not right what they are doing. Those poor Knarls, they were killing them, or whatever was happening!" she exclaimed getting worked up, the cries of the creatures were still resonating in her ears.
"No, you can't, need to be safe, I need to keep you safe. They are dangerous, you can't be involved with something like this," the blond ramble on, she was pacing now.
"Fleur, stop moving and look at me," she told her firmly, taking hold of her mate and looking straight into her eyes.
"Love, we have to go to the Headmaster and report this, what they are doing it's not right. It's cruel and dark and dangerous. These little beings do not deserve to be sacrificed by these brutes. They need to be stopped. Someone needs to stop them," Hermione said with conviction. They needed to do what was right and do it fast before this cult escaped into the night.
The brunette could see that the blond's mind was running in all directions, weighing all the pros and cons. She finally nodded, her face returning to its natural shape. Hermione kissed her lightly on the lips before taking off towards the castle.
Her mate may have been reticent about divulging what they had seen, but she was a good person and would always choose the right path. That was something Hermione completely and utterly believed.