Hermione ran back down to find Rose and Valant at the table. "Fine I'll do what you ask! Just give Pansy the antidote right now!" She demanded.
"Right away." The general smiled. He took a small brown bottle out of his satchel. "Sugar." He said turning to Rose who placed a small cube on his palm.
Hermione and Valant went up to the attic where he sat on the edge of Pansy's bed and poured some of the medicine onto a sugar cube. "Miss. Parkinson, you need to take this, it will help."
Pansy barely managed to prop up. She looked over at Hermione.
Hermione nodded with a serious expression, and then she observed in disgust as the general carried the cube up to Pansy's mouth with his wrinkly old fingers.
Pansy took the cube into her mouth and it started melting, releasing both sweetness and the bitter taste of the antidote.
"This should ease your symptoms, but I'm afraid you'll need something stronger to get you all the way trough." The supposed doctor kindly explained.
Hermione understood the message quite well.
"I'll send Miss. Granger to fetch us some more medicine. You'll go get it for us, won't you?" He reiterated.
"Of course." Hermione confirmed, catching a quick and surprised glance from Pansy.
Now that they had a clear understanding, the general left and Hermione went over to sit on the edge of Pansy's bed.
"What… *cough*?" Pansy turned noticing a presence.
"Just don't worry too much, think about something… irrelevant. That always helps me when I'm feeling bad." Hermione advised.
"Right, as if I can cure myself by just… *cough* …willing it. Listen, if you're itching to go… *cough* …just go, I'll be alright." Pansy managed.
"No you won't." Hermione said with a frown. She wanted to tell Pansy the truth, but upsetting her in such a state wouldn't do any good.
"What do you mean I won't?" Pansy asked.
"Never mind… I must go now, but I'll be back later, ok?" Hermione rushed out before Pansy was able to stop her with another question. She went downstairs to learn more about the plan.
As the general explained, she would have to be on point of the raiding party, but well guarded none the less, after all she was needed, which was never a bad thing to be. Learning every detail about the plan which would help her survive the raid on the labour camp took most of the day, but when the night fell Hermione was left with a few spare hours to get some rest. She climbed up to the attic room where Pansy was already dead asleep from exhaustion.
Though it'd be useful, Hermione doubted she'd be able to fall asleep herself, so she sat on her bed and leaned against the wall. Whatever skills she acquired up until now would soon be tested in the arena of life and death. Or would it? Hermione wondered catching glimpse of the open window which lured her with the possibility of escape. The choice would weigh on her for just a while longer.
Hermione couldn't wait to get it over with, so she paced around back and forth next to a motionless Pansy. She looked so still that Hermione had to check if she's still breathing. Not that she'd wish otherwise, but it would make things rather simple.
To ward herself away from these thoughts Hermione went into the bathroom to put on the black camouflage robe that she was given. The robe was leathery on touch, sturdy and simple, without the cape or any superfluous attachments that could get it the way during a fight.
"Speaking of which…" Hermione muttered in the mirror as she tied her hair back into a ponytail. She washed her face and remained there, observing her reflection in the mirror. It was as if she saw clearer as adrenaline coursed trough her veins, but there was still a few hours to go, so she tried to simmer down.
Hermione looked down to see empty wand holsters on her belt and lower leg, as well as a small metal hook on the belt. Presumably these slots will all be filled before departure. She sat on her bed, feeling suddenly melancholic and practically alone in this dark and quiet room. Every breath of cold air filled her lungs with fear that she couldn't quite exhale.
Might as well leave a note, she thought cynically smirking to herself as she picked up a pen and tore a nearly blank page from the back of a book. She started writing:
"To Mr. and Mrs. Granger
I know by now not anything is left unchanged, and me writing this, spawned from this precarious circumstance. I regret not heeding your advice when I had the chance. But why should I regret selectively? Why not all, or just my inability to change the past? I'd change the way we parted, pushing you out of the way mom, and tossing you dad into the wall with my power that you as Muggles lack. I recall the glass shatter on those pictures in the hallway. I hadn't forgotten those fond memories and simpler times. Such things that consequently made me disregarded your experience. I thought it was your selfish fear, but now I'm full of compromises necessary for survival. I'm a mixture of truth and lies, and I've almost played this dire game down to its inexorable end, but if you read this, know that…"
The pen ran out of ink. "How appropriate…" Hermione mumbled. She wasn't sure the next part would be honest anyway, so she threw the pen aside, folded the paper neatly than ripped it twice and tossed the scraps into her backpack which she kicked further down into a dusty corner underneath the bed. May it stay there forgotten if she's not able to return for it, she thought.
Ink won't fix a thing either, Hermione realized, and it's useless for grasping at permanence. She decided not to give it more thought. It may only hinder her ability to throw the dice as best she could, which was the task at hand.
So finally Hermione went downstairs where she found Rose sitting alone by the unlit kitchen table.
"Hermione…" Rose called her over. "You can't sleep?"
"Not really."
"I can't either, though… Though I'm not actually going with you." Rose looked away.
"Oh?"
"I want to, believe me, but the general wants me to say behind."
"I see." Hermione nodded taking a seat across from her which seemed to make Rose even more uncomfortable.
"Would you like some tea?" Rose asked quickly getting to her feet.
"Coffee."
"Of course dear." Rose scurried away to fix some.
"Tell me one thing, why'd you let the general set up base here… why take part in all this anyway?" Hermione asked, being able to prod deeper now.
"I suppose I can tell you now…" Rose gazed blankly over the stove. "My daughter was an Auror in general Valant's division."
"I see. She died?" Hermione asked blandly.
"Yes…" Rose gasped. "When the Ministry sold them out, they got ambushed by Death Eaters. Barely half of them made it out. My daughter was not among the lucky ones. The general had the good sense to bring her body back to me and explain what happened. He didn't even ask anything in return, so I offered to help with his cause any way I could."
Hermione raised an eyebrow twirling a spoon she picked up off the table.
"I don't agree with everything the general does, like poisoning you friend for instance." Rose looked down catching a scornful glare from Hermione. "But I do believe his intentions are noble. He is the only one that can save us."
"Hmm…" Hermione murmured with disapproval.
Rose then sat the mug on the table and sat across Hermione, observing her face intently. "You really remind me of my daughter, that's how worried she looked before going off to war."
"I may end up like her too." Hermione said bluntly.
"Don't say that!" Rose snapped knowing well that it was certainly a possibility. "I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now." She whispered compassionately reaching for Hermione's hand.
Hermione quickly retracted her hand off the table. "Fear." She admitted, though none could be seen on her face as a testament to the veracity of that statement. Though, Hermione wilfully obfuscated another present feeling which she was uneasy with. It was exhilaration which made her mind work at its sharpest. Even the coffee had a special kind of vivid taste that she was sure to remember.
"I suppose fear is only natural." Rose said quietly.
"So, where do you keep the tools of war?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence. "I wish to gear up."
"Right… Follow me." Rose grabbed a key form the cupboard and rushed out followed by Hermione. They went to the back of the house, to the cellar door that was always closed. Inside the damp stone-tiled room where several chests and robes hanging from the wall. Beneath them where long shelves filled with flasks and orbs of varying sizes and colours.
"So this is the armoury?" Hermione gazed around.
Rose nodded kneeling down to open the elongated chest which stood in the corner. Inside there must have been dozens of different wands. Hermione picked up and tried one by one until she found a smooth, amber coloured wand that seemed to respond to her magic. It wasn't quite like her original which got impounded by Voldermort's men upon her capture, but it would have to do.
"Oh, there's one more." Hermione noticed a grey, tree-bark wand hiding tucked away in the corner of the chest. She felt a surge of power as soon as she held it up. "Definitely this one!" She exclaimed as copper sparks erupted from the tip of the wand. "And I'll keep this one as a spare." Hermione said putting the amber wand into her leg holster.
"There's one more thing you should have." Rose went to the alchemical area and took out a small flask."
Hermione grasped the ball like flask in which a thick grey smoke moved in slow but persistent circular pattern. "What's this?" Hermione asked.
"A flask of shadows. It goes on your belt there." Rose pointed to the hook Hermione previously wondered about.
"Neat. But how do I use it?"
"Careful!" Rose warned Hermione who was already attempting to uncork the flask.
"It's sealed tight!" Hermione concluded giving up.
"For a very good reason too." Rose noted. "When you throw it against a hard surface the flask will shatter and release the thick smoke compressed inside."
"So it's used to bind the enemy?"
"Yes." Rose nodded. "But the smoke can also put to sleep anyone who inhales a sufficient amount, so be sure not to break it… or run out of the quickly if that does happen."
"Got it…" Hermione nodded. "It might come in handy though…" Hermione concluded stroking the smooth, ball-shaped surface of the flask which hung from her waistband.
"It surely will." They heard a deep voice from behind. A tall, lanky young lad with a pointy black beard appeared on the doorway behind them. He was wearing an outfit that resembled Hermione's. "I'm Joseph, and you're Granger I presume? I'm here to take you to the rest of our group." He said.
"Hermione…" She shook his hand and went up the stairs when Rose suddenly twirled her around and surprised her with a hug.
"Be safe dear." Rose whispered.
This made Hermione recall her mother and nearly made her shed a bitter tear, but she stayed gathered and simply nodded.
Outside, bellow the streetlight waited an old yellow Citroen.
"We're going in this piece of junk?" Hermione presumed.
"Of course not… That's not even mine." Joseph replied confusedly. "There's a Portkey close by."
"Lead the way then!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly.
"Alright." Joseph accepted taken aback by Hermione's confidence. "You seem to be in a hurry to get there. Aren't you scared?"
"I just want to get it over with." Hermione admitted. "Mostly I'm afraid I might be rusty. I couldn't use magic for a while, being imprisoned and all that."
"Well, we could spar a bit before we go. I could use a bit of warm-up myself."
They diverged out of the streetlights and into the nearby forested area. Little down the path there was a small clearing overgrown by tall grass.
"This looks like a good spot." Joseph said drawing his wand.
Hermione drew her main wand in response. She pointed it up to the sky and conjured a flame that went up as high as nearby pine trees.
"Wow, looks like you hadn't lost a thing!" Joseph jumped backwards in amazement. "I think I'm scared to duel you now."
"We'll use only push spells, blocking ones and any kind of Apparition you want. Ok?"
"Sure." Joseph agreed and they both bowed to each other as is the custom.
It was pretty dark out of the streetlight. It would surely be impossible duel here without the aid of moonlight, Hermione realized carefully observing the glimmer on her opponent's limbs. She walked in circles, waiting to make the first move, or otherwise react to her opponent's. When she saw Joseph raise his hand she jumped aside knowing she won't be able to spot the translucent push spell. Before she was up on her feet another spell flew her way, she Apparated to the edge of the clearing, and continued to do so in a triangular pattern around Joseph.
Joseph twirled around himself amazed by the speed and fluidity of Hermione's
Apparisions. She moved form spot to spot barely even materializing, but Joseph could predict the next location she'd appear at so he fired at the presumed spot, only Hermione didn't Apparate there. Knowing the initial confusion had worn off she changed the direction and Apparated behind Joseph's back. Hermione than fired a push spell which knocked the surprised young lad down into a soft patch of bushy grass that cushioned the impact.
Hermione walked over with a confident smirk and offered a helping hand.
"You're too good!" Joseph said catching his breath.
"Thanks for boosting my confidence." Hermione smirked once again.
"You've ruined mine." Joseph retorted jokingly.
"Nah, you did great. Besides…"
"What?"
"I hate to boast, but I was top of my class in the academy. However short that was before they sent us out as cannon fodder…" Hermione lamented.
"That's a relief." Joseph sighed. "So you think I'll make it?"
"Honestly… nobody goes in thinking they won't."
"I guess that's true." Joseph nodded and they went on towards the Portkey.
Reaching the marked tree, Joseph raised the dirt covered lid to reveal a small metal flask. "This is it." He said.
Hermione kneeled down beside him. "Together on three then?"
"Sure." Joseph confirmed.
"Three… two… one."