A / N
The third installment is here. Enjoy.
Xx_
Sia.
03 The Pounce of Magic
"People die everyday! Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us. In here. So is Fred and Remus, Tonks. All of them. They didn't die in vain. But you will! Because you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us!"
— Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Treasure of the past.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked as Hermione directed her wand to her forehead.
"It needs the treasure of the past, the treasure of my past." Hermione answered, her voice shaking slightly. "It wants Ron."
Too stunned to reply, Ginny could only watch as Hermione furrowed her brows and concentrated on her memories. However, before Hermione could pull out the, doubtlessly, endless well of times spent with him, Neville flicked the wand out of her hand.
Startled, Hermione looked at him, a spell on her lips at the sudden attack but stopped herself. "What?"
"You are not doing this." Neville told her calmly.
"What? Why?" She frowned at him.
"Because I am giving Hannah." He said.
Ginny's eyes widened and so did Hermione's and Luna's. Neville and Hannah Abbott were together in their seventh year at Hogwarts. After the battle was lost and the Order was forced into hiding, couples started getting married for the sake of being with their loved ones before dying. Neville and Hannah were one of them. They got married on August 23rd, 1998. A very private affair in front of Neville's Gran and Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had officiated the wedding.
"You-you can't." Ginny sputtered. "She was your wife. She deserves to be remembered."
Neville faked a nonchalant shrug though everyone could see past the exterior. He didn't really want to forget her. "She does. So does Ron and Harry. And Luna, your Dad." He pointed the last at Luna who had opened her mouth to suggest the same. "The thing is Hannah is dead. She isn't coming back to me and I'll- I'll. Look, I need to do this, okay? Please don't argue."
Sighing, Hermione sat besides Ginny and they watched Neville taking out the memories. He then put the white crisps coming out of his wand in the stream, the water taking the memories away.
"How are you feeling?" Luna asked.
Neville's dazed eyes met her and he frowned. "Fine, perhaps. Why?"
"You just gave your memories of Hannah." She almost whispered as if afraid that he'd break down.
His answer however sent the three witches in surprise. "Who's Hannah?"
Luna's silver eyes lost their dreamy gaze as she realized in utmost alarm that giving the treasure meant giving away every moment, every contact with the loved one. Hermione pursed her lips not saying anything while Ginny cleared her throat. "Here take this," She shoved an empty vial in his direction. "You are the only one who can cross this stream. Bring some fortune from the Fountain, yeah?"
Neville nodded before standing up. He took a couple of steps before stumbling. Hermione rushed to him and handed him his Anti Paralysis Potion. She made him drink one vial and pushed the other in his hands in case he needed it later. Her eyes followed his frame until he crossed an invisible shield and was no longer visible.
The witches sat in silence for no one knows how long. The air around them remained constant, the light remained constant as if the Sun never set down here. Ginny lazily made patterns on the sand with Luna while Hermione would pace every now and then.
"You know, I'll start to study potions when all of this is over." Ginny told them after some time. "Do you think I've enough experience in brewing them to become a Potions Professor?"
"You have." Luna remarked. "You would just have to brush up the books at least once. You know, for the theory?"
Ginny hummed, her eyes lost in thoughts.
"I never thought you would be a professor, Potions no less." Hermione said. "You are so good on brooms. Why not a professional Quidditch player? That's what you wanted to be, didn't you?"
"That was the dream." Ginny sighed, nodding. "But you know, it just doesn't feel like it anymore."
They all smiled sadly.
"I wanted to follow magical creatures once," Luna said. Her dreamy voice lost in thoughts, "But after everything, I guess it lost its importance to me."
Hermione put her hand on Luna's shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. "Well, I for one want to go back to Hogwarts. Complete the seventh year, you know?"
Ginny and Luna chuckled lightly at that. Of course, Hermione would want to finish her education first.
"And then maybe… Take a break or something. Travel the world with no worries. Take a walk without needing to watch my back." Hermione continued before shrugging. "And afterwards, become a healer or something."
"We'll get that." Ginny said with determination. "We'll get the life we deserve. We will travel the world together."
"We will." Luna echoed with Hermione.
"I think I should go." Hermione said suddenly. "It's been too long and who knows what happened. It was a bad idea, a very bad one. What if Neville needed more potions? He can't walk at all without them. What if he is waiting for me on the other side? Or what if he slipped? That's it, I am going-"
"He is here!" Luna's cheery voice broke her rambling and she turned to find Neville limping out on the cobblestone path.
The three girls ran to him, stuffing him in a big bear hug, checking for injuries and throwing questions. It wasn't until Neville raised his hand and showed them the vial filled with clear liquid that they stopped for a moment before cheering aloud. The four friends walked back the path to their tent feeling much lighter and much more hopeful than they ever felt.
It was the midnight of August, 11th of the year 2001 when the past was rewritten.
The only members of the Order of Phoenix were sitting in the middle of the living room of the abandoned house they were currently living in, in a small town in Morocco. They had an encounter with Death Eaters just that night and Hermione and Ginny were pretty badly bruised up. Hermione's lower lip was bleeding with a bright purple scar around her right eye. Ginny's right ankle was sprained by the fall she had taken earlier and her wand was broken. Luna and Neville were not with them at that time and hence were safe from the fight. The only good thing that came from the fight was the five red pouches full of gold that were currently in Hermione's bag.
When they had arrived back at the house, after the debriefing, Neville had told Hermione to tell everyone what she knew. She was confused at first but then realized what he was saying and her eyes widened. They owned the Stump and the statue, they owned the Hopping Pot, they owned the water from the Fountain and they owned two of the Deathly Hallows. Only one was left, the WarLock's Hairy Heart.
With a deep breath, she told all of them, "The ritual demands a sacrifice; it demands a heart."
Hermione's brilliant brain had already made this connection one night when they were searching for the Hopping Pot. Though the story of the WarLock's Hairy Heart was true, there was very dark magic involved in it. That Dark Magic had demanded the heart of his lover in the story and now it demanded a heart in their story. Hermione hadn't said anything earlier because she thought she could find another way out and thus confined her findings to Neville. But as the days passed by, there seemed no other alternative other than the sacrifice.
After dropping the bomb, she had claimed the living room of their small house and started muttering verses under her breath.
"I'll give my heart." Luna declared.
"No, I will." Ginny objected. "All of my family is dead, my boyfriend is dead. If someone should sacrifice their life, then it'll be."
Hermione paused her mutterings to send her a sharp look. "No, you will not. Need I remind you that all of our families are dead? Neither of you will sacrifice your life. I'll be the one. You three will go to the past, whenever the ritual will take you and change everything for the better."
Two of the Golden trio were gone and the third would finally join them.
Luna and Ginny continued to argue while Hermione muttered and prepared the ritual space. Neville was lost in thoughts, his face pensive as everything reflected before his eyes.
After the space was created, Hermione called all of them over. They sat in the fixed spots in a small circle. When she started reciting the verse, the lamps in the house started fluctuating until they went off. The only light was provided by the blue ball conjured in the middle of their circle. Hermione took out the Hopping Pot and poured the water from the Fountain in it followed by the stump with the statue of Babbitty.
"Use the Resurrection Stone." Ginny said. When they were fleeing from Hogwarts after Harry died and the battle did not look in their favor, Ginny had accidently found the Stone where Harry had dropped it in the Forbidden Forest. Not knowing what it was, she had kept it in her pocket when Ron told her to pick it up. Neville was the one who had found the Invisibility Cloak near Harry's body.
Hermione left the hold on the Cloak and instead picked the Stone, putting it in the Pot with a loud chuck. The four friends held hands when the floor suddenly started shaking.
There was a thunderous boom and Ginny almost jumped. A fog was starting to take place. "Death Eaters" She exclaimed, beginning to stand up from her position.
"No!" Hermione yelled through the loud noise and held her hand tighter. "Don't stand."
The roar and the shaking continued until everything left was the four people with their hands joined with each other, sitting in a circle with a Pot in between. When the noise and fog disappeared, besides the Pot lay a dagger. It was hard, metallic and powerful with runes carved on its handle. Everything else was ruined. The house had fallen all around them. They were just protected.
Hermione picked it up with a slight shake of hand before dragging it across her thumb and letting the blood fall into the Pot. Luna gasped as she didn't even flinch. Ginny was next who also didn't flinch when the dagger sliced out her blood. Neville followed and then it was Luna. Taking a determined breath, she followed her friends, letting her blood drop into the Pot. The moment it touched its base, a silver light emerged. It swirled and swirled, submerging the four people under it. It's bright light made them close their eyes.
"Give me the dagger." Hermione yelled, taking deep breaths through the light which had surrounded all of them. The dagger was somehow snatched by Neville from Luna with whom it had been at last when the light had covered them all. "Neville, give me the dagger."
Neville sounded firm. "No, Mya."
Hermione gasped. "No. No. NO. Neville, you are not doing it. We decided it'd be me. No you are not killing yourself like that."
"We didn't decide anything, Mya." Neville said calmly. "You decided and I neither agreed nor protested. Because I knew what needed to be done at the end."
Luna and Ginny were so shocked by the turn of events to say anything. Luna had kept the dragger close to her after giving her blood, deciding to give her life. However, when the silver light had erupted, two pairs of hands started to fight for it from her hands. And when the light cleared from the four of them, her hands were empty.
"Nev, give it to me." Ginny ordered.
Hermione looked at her incredulously. "No. Ginny, no. NO." She turned to Neville. "Nev, hand me the dagger, please. I cannot let this end this way."
"That's the only way." Neville defended.
"Then we are not doing it!" Hermione cried. "I-I cannot let you sacrifice yourself like that."
"The ritual isn't complete without its fifth rudiment, Mya. It needs a heart-"
"And I said I'll be the one who will give it. Not you," She raised her palm up to the two witches who had opened their mouths, "Nor them. It's final. Give me the dagger."
"It's not final!" Neville finally yelled. Hermione was startled as were Luna and Ginny. It was the first time Neville had raised his voice at anyone. "You cannot die, Mya. Can't you see? You are who is more important here-"
"I'm not."
"You know everything about Horcruxes, that Freak's plans and everything." He continued like she never spoke. "You cannot be the one to sacrifice. It'll be me. I'm dying anyway."
"What do you mean you are dying anyways?" Ginny whispered.
"I meant what I said." Neville told her. "The curse Carrow hit me with, it paralysed my lower body and though you saved me, Mya and those potions helped, it was never taken out completely. I know that it's slowly spreading in my whole body. It's only a matter of time before I die. And I want to do something worthy before it because Merlin knows, I have been more of a burden for you three than an ally."
"You were neither a burden nor an ally, Neville Longbottom." Luna's uncharacteristically stoic voice echoed through the small room. "You are our friend. You are our family. And don't you dare think otherwise."
Neville smiled faintly at her before his expression changed to stoic and he looked at Hermione, raising his brows.
"Please, don't make me do this, Nev." She whispered, tears falling on her cheeks and a sob breaking through.
Neville looked at the three witches who had become his family in the past years. "Remember, people die everyday. And they didn't die in vain. They are always here with us. Like I'll be with you. Always."
The witches could only watch in horror and sadness when he took a deep breath, sent them a reassuring smile and stabbed the knife in his chest.
"NO!" Three voices cried at once.
Neville reluctantly grunted in pain before twisting the knife further. "A little help here?" He tried to joke but was only met with sobs and hiccups.
"Please don't do this Neville." Ginny pleaded.
"Yeah, we'll forget what we ever found about this ritual." Luna agreed with a hiccup.
"It's still not late, Nev." Hermione sobbed. "I'll heal you. Just drop the knife and we'll continue on living like we were."
"Sad and miserable?" He choked.
"No, exciting and adventurous." Ginny said, crying.
"I hope this ritual will take you to the time where you can change the most." He coughed, blood pouring out of his chest and mouth. "Be safe, my Phoenixes."
Neville's head body flung and head lolled back as life left his body. With terribly shaking hands and tears flowing out of her eyes, Luna twisted the dagger deep, shoving it inside his ribs. Ginny gagged and turned her head aside, throwing out the contents of her stomach. When the dagger came out with the heart of one of her best friends, Hermione's mind shut off. She stopped shaking, she didn't gag and puked. Through her watery eyes, she just sat blankly and raised her hands to Luna who handed the heart in her hands. She then gave the heart to Ginny who held it with shaking hands and immediately threw it in the Pot.
"What now?" Luna shakily whispered.
Hermione whispered back. Her voice was as emotionless and hollow as she felt. "Trust the magic."
As the three witches reddened their hands with his blood, the last shred of humanity died within them. They were not really Luna Lovegood, Ginevra Weasley and Hermione Granger now. A part of them died. They would never be the same anymore.
The Pot shook. The Five Rudiments of Magic were together for the first time. The blood from the Heart swirled with the water from the Fountain, making everything it touched red. The Stump cracked and the Statue stirred, rubbing the Stone against the Pot.
There would be no hopelessness, no evil, no imbalance of nature anymore. Because the Magic had awoken. And it would correct everything through the three witches who sat in front of it. They didn't even know the weight that was now on their shoulders. The blue ball of light disappeared making the area as dark as the world outside. It was then, the Magic pounced.
August 11, 1977Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was a legendary figure with a very keen mind who was never proud or in vain. He worked to make the world a better place, always willing to help others. He always worked for The Greater Good.
That morning, Dumbledore woke up with a strange feeling. He couldn't quite place the feeling as he gazed at the Sun rising through the horizon of the Black Lake. However, before he could give it much thought, a dark owl scooped its way inside his office through the open window.
Ministry's owl.
He wondered the reason as he opened the letter. He was called in the Ministry for a sudden meeting with the Head of International Magical Cooperation and Head of Magical Games and Sports. Realization dawned on him as his twinkling eyes read the contents of the letter.
He could place the strange feeling, now. Or so he thought.
More than two thousand miles away from Hogwarts, three figures lay unconscious in the middle of a forest. As the Sun started to rise, one of them stirred, bringing her hands to her face to block the light.
Last night's happenings started in her mind like a movie and Ginny woke up with a gasp. Panting, she checked her herself before her eyes met the two unconscious figures of Luna and Hermione. All of them were covered with dirt and blood. As she moved to shake the figure closest to her which was Hermione's, she realized something strange which she couldn't pinpoint. Something different was with her physique, she thought.
Wasting no time in those thoughts, she shook Hermione awake. "Mya, wake up."
A few more shakes later, Hermione woke up. She gasped, relieving the memory of the previous night. When her eyes met Ginny, she threw herself at her, crushing her in a big hug as if afraid she would disappear if she didn't hold her tight.
Ginny couldn't help herself. Hermione's familiar bone crushing hug brought out the feelings buried in her from the past three years and she cried. Hermione took deep breaths, calming herself down and rubbing Ginny's back in comfort but didn't shed a tear. Sometime later when the Sun was at its peak, Luna woke up because of the sound and sobbing and saw her best friends huddled together. She immediately joined the two and the three of them spent hours just sitting there hugging each other.
"So," Ginny cleared her throat, "Did it work?"
"It did." Hermione assured them. "We are alive, aren't we? I just don't know when we are."
"Probably the beginning of your fourth year?" She guessed. "That's when the Freak came back, didn't he?"
"Or probably, before he was even born?" Luna offered. "So we could clear the Nargles off from his father and put some Wrackspurts on his mother? Better not letting them meet each other."
Hermione chuckled. "It'll save the world, wouldn't it?"
"Let's clean up, first." Ginny said. "We are covered in mud and blood."
All three of them stiffened at the mention of blood, remembering whose blood it was.
Silently, they started walking to search for a river or a pond where they could wash themselves. It wasn't until they had all cleaned themselves thoroughly in a lake and wore different clothes from Hermione's beaded bag, that they noticed the changes in themselves.
"Our appearances have changed." Luna said it out loud.
Hermione looked at her in shock before turning to Ginny. "The Blood Ritual." She whispered.
A slow smile crept up on Ginny's face. "We are sisters now." She smiled widely. "We are sisters, for real. In everything and blood."
"Everything and blood." Luna and Hermione chorused. A slow smile came on Hermione's face at the thought while Luna smiled more widely and more dreamily.
They ate berries from the forest when Hermione realized something and shoved her hand in her bag. A few moments later, she found what she thought should be there. A parchment with their names on it. Their new identities on it.
Magic had brought them in this time, what period it was, she didn't know. But what she knew was everything was going to change. And hopefully for the better.
A / N
Any guesses on why is Dumbledore having a meeting with the Head of International Magical Cooperation and Head of Magical Games and Sports?
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