~2 Days Until the Ceremony~
Hermione rushed through the flames of Harry and Ginny's flat without so much as a hello or an owl. It startled the two, who were currently sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, not looking at one another.
Ginny's arms were crossed on her chest and it appeared she had been crying. Harry looked tired, the apprehension clinging to his features. His elbows were on his knees and he was rubbing his temples.
"Hermione," Harry said looking up at her.
"Hi Harry, Gin. Look, we need to talk. McGonagall came to visit me yesterday and this information is important," Hermione said quickly, walking over to the kitchen.
She pulled out her wand and waved it at the kettle; it filled itself with water before landing on the stove under a flame. Four tea cups came down from the cabinet with her next swish. "Gin, can you get your brother here, I think Ron needs to hear this too."
Ginny got up, her frown still hanging on her mouth as she threw some Floo powder into the flames. She vanished and Hermione turned to Harry. "What did you say to her? Hello, Harry Potter?"
Hermione was waving a hand in front of his face; he was staring into the flames where his girlfriend had just disappeared. When he realized what she was doing, he shook his head and looked up at her.
Harry sighed. "What? I'm just trying to make the transition not hurt her so much…" Harry looked miserably at the fire.
Hermione stared. "What do you mean?"
"Look around Hermione, we still have all our stuff here like we're going to be fine! Like we aren't going to be paired away from each other in 2 days and everything is going to fall to shit!" Harry looked exasperated.
"I'm trying to force her to stay with her parents. At least that way it won't be so hard when… when the time comes…" the sadness consumed his voice and leached out into his features.
"Oh Harry," Hermione said, coming to sit next to him. She took his hand in hers. "I know this is hard for you two, but you can't think this way right now. You just can't."
"You know I tried to marry her as soon as we found out about the ceremony?" he said quietly, turning with a frown. "I was about ready to elope, planned to take her to Paris the next night. But then I let it slip and Kingsley said it couldn't be done, urged me not to test the magic of the law. He said it was too late and, well, now I might never have her. I-I can't face that again!" Harry said, getting up. He started pacing by the kitchen.
Hermione's eyebrows raised at the mention of Kingsley's warning. It fit all too well with her talk with Mcgonagall; she sighed.
"Harry I'm… I'm so sorry. Really. You two are more than compatible though. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your best friend," she eyed the back of his head knowingly. Harry slowed his pacing and turned to face her; a weak smile came to his mouth.
"Harry, you and Ginny, you're meant to be. You'll find a way… try to have hope, okay? We're going to need each other, we really have no idea what we're in store for and it's going to be here all too fast."
Before either of them could say anymore, the fireplace roared to life again. Ginny came back through the flames followed quickly by Ron. "Hey guys," he said. "Uh, how are you?" his voice sounded confused as he eyed his distraught best friend in the kitchen and his clearly upset sister.
"How does it look like we are?" Ginny sneered, taking a seat in the armchair at the opposite side of the room. She glanced at Harry but looked away before he could catch her eye.
"I was just trying to be nice Gin," Ron said, taking a seat next to Hermione. She didn't really mind, they all needed each other right now.
"Look, can you all just stop? Harry get over here, Ginny calm down! We need to stay strong, the worst is yet to come," Hermione stated. "Besides, I wanted you guys here because McGonagall came to speak to me yesterday. Something's up with Kingsley, she said. And she thinks there's something wrong with the Wizengamot."
Harry leaned on the back of the couch. "Can't say I'm surprised at her suspicions. I've been having them too since his assistant said he's been out almost all week- been taking meetings with the Wizengamot last minute and the like. Was starting to sound fishy to me."
"Doesn't sound like Kinglsey, does it?" Ron said, confused. "Come to think of it, he hasn't been at any of the meetings I've gone to with George, you know about funding the Ceremony. Just been Ministry reps."
"I'm glad it isn't just Mcgonagall and I then," Hermione stated before launching into all Mcgonagall had shared with her last night. She told them about the suspicious aurors, Kingsley's uneasiness, and the floos being cut off.
"I mean, let's be serious," she said at the end of her story, "this law sounds an awful lot like something the Death Eaters would resurrect," she looked around, her fears evident in her face.
"And we can't ignore the muggleborn disappearances that have been crossing my desk and Harry's. Guys, something is happening again… something bad."
The word "again" stuck out to them all; it seemed like the terrible memories of the war weren't ever going to go away. How could so much hatred and sadness exist in their little world? Hadn't they already been through enough?
Harry raked a hand through his hair. "Well, I certainly am not putting up aurors for Kingsley's protection like that and I haven't approved of any new ones in the field. This means they're working for someone else and they're not truly aurors..."
"The only question is who," Ron said, his face getting blotchy with anger. "We've been so preoccupied with who we're going to end up with that we've overlooked all this. Wonder if they knew we'd think that way…"
"That's more than probable," Hermione sighed.
"The Ceremony is only 2 days away though," Ginny frowned. "We haven't got the time to really do anything, the Ministry has been watching you all."
"Yeah," agreed Harry, "Not that we've let that stop us before…" Hermione almost laughed at this.
"As much as I'd like to jump right in, even Mcgonall was cautious. She didn't seem to think this was going to be easy in any sense. I think we're going to have to do some investigating of our own the best we can first and really plan our actions out. And if that means we get new spouses along the way then well, we're going to have to deal with it. We need to protect everyone else."
"Like old times really," Ron said with no excitement. It was clear his sarcasm didn't need to be acknowledged; the agitation was all over his face.
Hermione, who was speaking the most level headed, was still more frustrated at herself than anything for not seeing this sooner. She sighed as she asked Ginny for some spare parchment. She needed to make a plan.
~0 Days~
The last thing Hermione Granger needed was to be late to another one of the Minister's galas. No, to this Ceremony specifically. Fear crept inside her as she glanced at her watch and she hurriedly scribbled a few last thoughts on the case file in front of her.
This "party" was going to be the death of her and most of her friends, she just knew it. Not to mention the suspicions behind it all. For two days straight she'd searched and researched, letting nothing go untouched.
She closed the files and notes on her desk at her flat rather abruptly and stood up. There wasn't much time left in the early evening before everything would change. The anticipation inside her that had been subdued while she had worked bubbled right back to the front of her mind.
She headed for her bedroom where she quickly showered, letting the steam roll around her to try and ease her nerves. She thought about all the cases she had been looking at the last two days, trying to figure out any connection to the Ceremony and Kingsley's weird behavior.
So far she was coming up short; all that could be reasoned was that a pack of werewolves was starting to gain quite the reputation around several small towns and cities in England.
At least two of the muggle murders could be cover ups for werewolf attacks, but she wasn't sure. With Fenrir Greyback still unaccounted for since the end of the war and his reputation for biting and turning countless individuals, it seemed the only lead that made sense. She needed to talk to Harry about it, but the timing was obviously not ideal.
She shut the water off and stood for a few seconds in the cold. The timing isn't ideal because of this stupid Ceremony, she huffed to herself. This morning, she had to connect her floo to the ballroom where the Ceremony was taking place. It wasn't that complicated of magic, but it annoyed her all the same.
I can't believe this is actually happening…. In a few hours I'll be paired in front of everyone… who will it be? she wondered for what felt like the fiftieth time.
She stood there frozen, thinking of all the men from Hogwarts she had known, ones that would make okay partners and ones that would be awful. A shiver crept up her legs as the steam finally dissipated and she was brought back to reality. She grabbed a towel and went to get ready.
Her dark blue dress was laid out neatly on her bed with a sparkling silver necklace and matching earrings. When she'd bought the dress with Ginny it had fit quite well, with its V shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a slitting skirt to make her legs look long.
But two days ago, when she'd tried it on again just to check, something felt off. It suddenly felt too big in the torso and the skirt too baggy. Her lack of an appetite over the weeks due to the stress of work and the Law had finally caught up with her.
After searching for what felt like ages for the book Molly Weasley had given her one Christmas, Two Hundred Magical Household Mends, she had performed a spell to try and alter the dress. She hoped it would still look as nice as it had after the spell when she put it on tonight.
Another half hour passed as Hermione did her hair and she was ready, zipping up the back of the dress with ease. She walked back out to the living room in search of her shoes.
When she got there, she grabbed her wand off the desk and tucked it in a hidden pocket before walking over to the big mirror hanging by the fireplace. As she approached it, it expanded to be full length so she could take her whole outfit in.
She stared at herself half in disbelief at the comedy of it all; dressed to impress for a husband she didn't even want or choose. How stupidly ironic, she thought. Inspecting the sides of the dress she bit her lip, wondering if she had taken it in too much.
The letters to the word sultry made their way across the top of the mirror then. It was an enchantment Hermione nearly forgot about until this moment. She scoffed, it had been a Christmas present from Fleur no doubt, but she hadn't used the full length feature in so long.
The sound of a crack from the fireplace made her turn away and, suddenly, Ginny was emerging amongst a burst of green flames. Her black dress was shining against her pale skin and her red hair was flowing down her back, the sides pinned up with shining diamond clips. She looked amazing.
"Damn Hermione," she said without holding back. "Really trying to blow everyone away at such a morbid event?" Ginny eyed the dress and the mirror.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on Gin, I just took in the sides. And you should shut it," Hermione said to the mirror. The letters vanished in an instant.
"Oh sure," she said, walking over to inspect her own silhouette. "Scoot over. I might as well make sure everything is in place for this shit show."
Hermione sighed. "Where's Harry?" she asked, knowing full well they'd been spending time apart. Harry, always the precautionary gentleman.
"With Ron," Ginny stated firmly, no hint of warmth in her voice. "He's been staying there the past 2 nights anyway." The word vivacious appeared above her head and she sneered at it.
"How are you holding up?" Hermione questioned.
"I'm doing as okay as I could be right now. I've been out flying most of the day, running drills with Angelina to keep my mind off things. Helped to an extent."
"You know I'm with you no matter what," Hermione tried, but Ginny was having none of it.
"That's sweet and all Hermione, but I plan to be drunk out of my mind before the ceremony even begins as a big 'fuck you' to the Wizengamot, so, no worries here."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest but thought better. "You know, that's probably the only sane way to get through this."
"Now you're on my level!" Ginny laughed, pulling a flask out of her purse. "Here," Hermione smiled for the first time all day and it felt strange when so much of her being was alive with anxiety. Hermione took a sip from the flask before setting it down on the table.
Ginny was smoothing her dress as Hermione looked around for her shoes again. She busied herself with getting things straightened up so her mind didn't wander to all the what ifs.
Finally seeing the shoes peeking out from behind the armchair, Hermione snagged them up and sat on the couch. As she buckled the straps one at a time, the clock began to chime. It was 7 o'clock.
Ginny looked up from the mirror and stared at the clock like it was writing her death certificate. Her face paled, the first bit of worry finally showing itself. Hermione fumbled to buckle the second shoe and took a deep breath before standing.
She walked over to her friend and grabbed her hand. "You ready?" she asked, voice uneven.
"No," Ginny said.
Hermione gave her hand a squeeze and pulled Ginny towards the fireplace. Green flames sprang to life as the women approached the hearth. They paused just before entering and glanced at one another. In seconds they disappeared, headed for the Ceremony, the nerves a shadow clinging at their heels.
…
The venue chosen for such a ceremony could not have been more elegantly decorated despite the tension filling the air. It was an old castle, much smaller in size compared to what they were used to at Hogwarts, but with all the same charm.
When Hermione and Ginny stepped out of the fireplace they noticed several more lining the wall on either side; apparently, this hall was built as a sort of landing area for all incoming guests. Witches and wizards in red robes were directing everyone where to go as several more pops and whooshes of flame came from all sides.
To their left, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan stepped out of a fireplace in matching suits. They brushed off the soot from their shoulders, Dean looking particularly nervous. Hermione nodded at them and Seamus gave a weak smile, clearly too annoyed at the whole ordeal for much small talk.
Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson arrived at the next fireplace down. Pansy wore a gold accented, floor length green dress which reminded Hermione of the one Ginny had shown her at the store, only much prettier. Her pug-like face was already wrinkled in complete distaste.
Before the Slytherins and Gryffindors could spot each other, workers ushered them up a staircase and Hermione was thankful. She didn't want to hear what she assumed would be endless complaining from Pansy and smug remarks about the decorations from Blaise. She hurried along with Ginny up the stairs.
When they reached the top, a long hall opened up in front of them. Ornate dark wood made the whole place look grand, everything decorated in white and gold. At the end of the hall was a tall, marble stand in front of huge windows that overlooked a frigid lake in the distance. No doubt it was where the Goblet of Unity would be placed, its dark backdrop making everything about the night all the worse.
On the left side of the hall, a winding grand staircase with a dark gold carpet was shimmering in the candlelight. The white and gold decorations streamed across banisters of the upper level seemed to wrap almost all the way around the hall. Several people were milled about upstairs, drinks in hand and talking quietly. Many were glancing around every so often, the worry evident in their eyes.
Tables were placed around the right side of the room, which led on to a patio with a garden. The plants looked touched in a frost that had just rolled in, but the doors were closed to keep out the chill. Fireplaces stood on either side of the three sets of French doors and at the back of the room, giving off plenty of heat.
Ginny pulled on Hermione's elbow to lead her to the bar in the corner, eager to get a drink to calm her nerves. Pavarti and Padma Pati, dressed in lovely shades of purple, were in line and two other wizards Hermione remembered from a year or two ahead of them stood waiting after them, one checking his watch rather incessantly. Theodore Nott was leaning on the opposite side of the bar, a glass of dark amber liquid in his hand.
When they got in line, Theo came over. "Hello ladies," he said with a curt nod. "Tonight's the night, huh. Feels strange… you can tell everyone's about to lose it."
"Well no shit," said Ginny without care. "Aren't you?"
Theo gave a hollow laugh. "Yes and no," he said. "I'm not entirely sure the Wizengamot knows what they're doing. Hermione, you know as well as I what went into that bloody Goblet. It's time to finally see where this takes us… all of us."
Hermione considered his words for a minute. He was right when thinking about the Goblet but the Wizengamot was another story. "They might not like exactly what is to happen with the Goblet, but I'm not convinced they don't have even more to hide," she said rather truthfully to someone she wasn't fully sure she could be honest to. But after working with him for a month or more, Theo seemed the least likely of the Slytherins to cause harm. Maybe she'd luck out and get paired with him.
Ginny elbowed Hermione, their suspicions of the Wizengamot didn't need to be discussed here.
Theo raised an eyebrow anyway. "On to something Granger?" he asked curiously. "Look, you're not the only one surprised that a Minister like Kingsley Shakebolt would approve of this. I've been doing my own digging, mind you," Ginny looked confused at his genuine response as the line moved up.
Hermione hesitated. "I'm looking into the Wizengamot and some other things, just in case. Our world can't handle another…whatever this is," she said then, unsure if the use of 'war' would be too much here.
"You aren't wrong. Stay in touch Granger, it has been nice working with you for sure. I hope it can continue, if you'd want the help," he gave a faint smile, as he spotted Blaise by the door. "Take care tonight," he ducked away as they finally reached the bartender. Ginny ordered drinks for them as Hermione stared in his wake.
"Do you think he was being serious, about keeping in touch and all?" Hermione said.
Ginny shrugged. "Who knows, maybe you'll be paired and then you won't have a choice."
The bartender poured their glasses and handed them over with a smile. Ginny rolled her eyes in annoyance and ordered two shots of fire whiskey just to spite him. Hermione looked annoyed but Ginny thrust the shot glass into her hand and downed her own; she was off before Hermione could even blink.
Hermione shrugged and took the shot, shaking her head to stop the fire from really burning her throat. Maybe it would help her ease the fear starting to creep up her bones. Or at least ignore it, she thought before she headed out into the growing crowd.
…
Draco Malfoy took one last look at himself in the gorgeous mirror hanging from the wall of his study before eying the clock again. How late could he be to this event before someone came looking for him?
He straightened a cuff link of gold and picked up his glass. The ice in it clinked as he drained the remaining liquid, the fire of it burning down his throat. For a second the irritation he was feeling about the night went away.
In a few short hours he would be coming home with a new bride, unsure of just how untrusting she would be. He wished he didn't care so much, but the anxiety was driving him crazy. It had been days of no sleep as he considered all the possible women he could be paired with and how all would look at him with scorn, disgust, fear. He sighed as he threw his glass into the fire.
Why would nothing ever feel easy? He wondered as he braced himself for the worst. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and disappeared, leaving the comfort and safety of home behind.