Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction using characters and elements from the world of Harry Potter, created and trademarked by JK Rowling. I do not claim ownership over any Harry Potter characters or the Harry Potter world. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and is not claiming to be any part of the Harry Potter canon. Thank you to JK Rowling for letting me play with the characters and not suing me for writing them into a new situation.
Light of the Moon
Chapter 6
The nerves were making her hands damp. She'd arrived early, and the sun still had a few more moments before setting, which meant that she had a few more moments to try to calm the rapid beating of her heart.
The moon wasn't due to rise for another couple of hours, so there was no need for urgency. She had plenty of time.
She switched her wand from one hand to the other so she could wipe her palm on her heavy white robes. She was glad that the robes were thicker than they looked, as she felt decidedly uncomfortable about being completely bare underneath them.
Astoria and Luna hadn't seemed to mind much. Luna had said, "Well, it could have been a requirement to be skyclad, instead."
Astoria had rolled her eyes and said, "How do you know it's not? It could very well be that you're expected to take it off once you're inside. Maybe 'solving a riddle' is just a euphemism for…you know." She'd laughed and added, "Maybe that's why Lady Carrow was so certain she would win."
But Lady Carrow had failed. And Pheme had reported that Lady Carrow had been removed from the castle after being particularly nasty to some of the house-elves who hadn't treated her with the deference she felt was due to her. Steward Aidos, of course, being a house-elf herself, and ruling the household with a very tiny iron thumb, had not stood for that kind of behavior. Lady Carrow had been gently, but firmly, removed from the Suitors' Wing.
Pheme confided that she had never liked the lady with the mean face, who looked at everything in the castle, including the King, as if it belonged to her.
Hermione had felt a thrill of vindication that Lady Carrow's threats and bluster landed her no closer to the throne and to the King.
Despite having failed her own trial, Luna had been able to provide one last, solid piece of evidence for Hermione. Before going into her trial she'd carefully folded the edges of her white sleeves. Knowing that she would remember nothing about her experience when she got out, she had no way to carry a message to herself or the others.
But Luna had decided she would ask Riddle for confirmation about the importance of the moonlight. She had plenty of time for questions, and she felt confident the King would answer her, knowing she would not be able to remember the answer. But this one question she could confirm or deny.
When she came out of the trial, Hermione was waiting for her back at her rooms. Luna walked in with an even more dazed expression than normal, and a single, sloppily unrolled sleeve. While the left remained meticulously folded, the right one was hanging loose.
Riddle had confirmed that the moonlight was integral to the solving of the magical riddle. And Luna had unrolled the corresponding sleeve so that even though she couldn't remember what else she had learned, Hermione had that much more assurance that she was on the right track.
News of Hermione's discussion in the Portrait Gallery had filtered through the ranks of the Ophidian nobles. Lady Carrow was not the only Ophidian who considered Hermione and her Muggle-born heritage to be a threat to their country's values.
The three friends agreed that with the knowledge they had uncovered about the trial, and with the discussions about the Brittanian Muggle-born that were circulating, it was safest for Hermione not to wander around alone.
Currently, Luna was a temporary guest of the Greengrasidi household. She hadn't wanted to miss the outcome of Hermione's trial, and so had insisted on staying in Ophidia. Astoria and her family had graciously offered to host her.
Much of the remaining time before her trial had been spent researching. Though they continued to use their same table in the Muggle History section of the library, they were undisturbed. They looked up as much information as they possibly could on moonlight and its properties. Occasionally, a few people would pass by with guarded looks on their faces, but they never talked to the women directly.
Astoria was making notes of every person and every look, but so far she hadn't revealed what that information told them about the political landscape. She insisted Hermione needed to concentrate on her research and on solving the riddle. If she didn't solve the riddle, all of the rest was moot, anyway.
Still, they'd had plenty of time to explore. Astoria was, as ever, an extremely informed guide.
Hermione had insisted they stop by the Quidditch Museum, so she could buy something for her friends back home. They didn't have to know she only made it as far as the lobby and the gift shop. A quick stop by the owl post to send off the presents, and then she was ready to go visit the one other place she'd really wanted to see.
Astoria had made sure they Apparated to a point just outside the marketplace, so that Hermione could take in the full view of Vertic.
Much like Diagon Alley back home in Brittania, Vertic was the home to all the popular businesses, meeting the magical needs of the wizards and witches in Lagus. Unlike Brittania, which had the entrance to Diagon hidden behind a Muggle pub, Vertic was a huge tower rising up into the sky. Where the Brittanians had to hide their magical heritage out of fear for their safety and well-being, Vertic Alley was a monument to Ophidia's greatest claim: that wizardingkind should never have to hide their true nature.
Even from a distance, Hermione could see the evidence that magic was used to keep the tower standing. From inside, the criss-crossing of ropes, hanging bridges, and the shops sticking out at improbable angles only emphasized that fact.
For hours the women wandered, Astoria steering them to the best vendors of fine wares, and the highest quality Ophidian food.
To Hermione's surprise, there were several witches and wizards, particularly among the more expensive vendors, that already recognized her. With subtle gestures and meaningful looks, they offered outrageously discounted prices, sometimes even tucking additional items into the bags without charging for them.
Though Hermione tried to protest, and though Luna frowned very heavily, Astoria graciously accepted on behalf of all of them. To each one she said the same thing, "Your kindness and generosity will be remembered."
Hermione began to see the subtle maneuvering for what it was, the tentative overtures of friendship and political alliance. Like the Greengrasidi family, they believed that Hermione was a very special Suitor. In the event she won the throne, they wanted the advantage of having shown their acceptance beforehand.
It was also clear that Astoria was not only steering her towards certain people, but away from others. There were some vendors who sneered at her as she passed, their forbidding looks indicating that she was not welcome in their shops. Prejudice against Muggle-borns ran high, but most of the other patrons and shopkeepers had no idea of her heritage. So besides those few shops that were closed to them, the women were undisturbed in their shopping.
Later, Hermione would think how overwhelming it was to know she had already met and earned the goodwill of those who might become her future subjects. As well as the ire and the enmity of still others.
Hermione shook her head as she remembered the experience, trying to clear those thoughts out. As Astoria said, she needed to win first. She needed to forget about everyone who might be waiting beyond the walls of the castle and focus only on the task ahead.
A very solemn looking house-elf, wearing a House Marvolo uniform with brilliant silver embroidery, approached her.
"Miss Granger of Brittania," he addressed her formally, with a slight bow of his head. His voice was slow and a little hoarse, as if he were very old. "Horkos will receive your oath now."
"Of course," Hermione said, wondering if she was supposed to curtsy. Of all the things she'd forgotten to look up!
"Horkos must touch your wand, miss," he said, holding out his little hand.
Hermione held the vinewood wand out to him, but he didn't take it. He just grabbed the very tip of it.
"Your wand is Peace-Bonded according to Ophidian requirements. Know that you may not cause any harm to the King while you are in his presence, and during this trial the King may not cause any harm to you. You may bring nothing into the chamber besides your wand, and the robes that you were given. Your tools are the knowledge in your head, the power of your magic, and the skill you have at wielding both." With his free hand, the house-elf had pointed to her head, and to her wand, and then to her heart, in turn with his words.
Hermione felt that heart, the one she'd finally calmed down, begin to race again. This was the moment of truth. She would test her limits tonight. She would face her destiny tonight. She was certain, as certain as she ever was of anything, that her destiny lay on the other side of those doors.
"Everything you will require to solve the magical riddle will be available to you within," Horkos said, gesturing at the room behind him. "You may not conjure items from outside the chamber. You may not transfigure items into something other than what they are." He repeated again, "Everything you will require to solve the magical riddle will be available to you within."
She nodded, understanding that the prohibition was more than just a request, it would no doubt be impossible for her to do any of those things once she was inside.
"If it is clear that you are unable to solve the riddle, Miss Granger, you will be placed outside these doors. An Obliviation spell, performed by the King himself, will remove your memory of the trial. This memory, and this memory only, must be removed to protect the safety of the King and the integrity of the trial. But you must agree. If you do not wish to proceed, now is your last chance to turn back."
The King must indeed be very powerful to perform so many very specific memory spells. Hermione took a deep breath. "I wish to proceed, Horkos. I agree to the Obliviation in the event that I fail to solve the riddle."
Her wand glowed briefly with the house-elf magic, and then Horkos lifted his hand away. She saw a small white band of light at the bottom of her wand, much like the marking it had in the library.
"This light marks the place in your memory to which you will be returned." With another little bow of his head, he stepped aside. "May you be quick of wit and quick of wand, and may the gods shine on us this night if Ophidia meets her new Queen."
The last edge of the sun dipped below the horizon. And the doors cracked open.
A/N: What's this?! Are we finally to the part with the big riddle? Also, we're finally to the part with the big Riddle. ;-) Coming up next time!
S&R: Constructive Reviews Welcome (CRW)