Disclaimer: I am not Timothy Zahn or J.K. Rowling.

Awaking in Minsk, Hermione reaches for her rifle, sensing danger.

Hermione. [curses] We should have left Minsk before now. We've gotten too complacent.

Hermione sets down her rifle and reaches for her transceiver.

Enter Amarillo clan Lestoat, a male vampire with a man of golden hair, who grabs Hermione's wrist.

Instinctively, Hermione kicks Amarillo backward and grabbed her lightwand. She ignited the blade.

Releasing his grip on her wrist, Amarillo knocks Hermione's lightwand out of her hand. Then he grabs hold of her once more, using his hand to cover her mouth, wrapping his leg around Hermione's own to prevent any attempt to kick him again. This close, Amarillo's keen sense of smell detects something familiar about Hermione, and the vampire backs off, releasing Hermione.

Amarillo. Magbob.

Enter Hagrid and Grawp.

Hagrid grabs Amarillo's throat.

Hermione. Don't kill him.

Hagrid releases Amarillo's throat and throws him across the room instead. The vampire passes out.

Hermione retrieves her lightwand.

Come on. There may be more of them.

Grawp. Not anymore. The other three have been dealt with.

Hermione. Are you sure?

Hermione approaches Grawp and sees blood.

You're hurt. Rifle?

Grawp. Stun weapon. A quieter weapon, but it was set too low for half-giants. I am only a little weak. It is Rubeus who is wounded.

It is only now that Hermione, startled, notices this.

Hermione. Hagrid?

Hagrid waves her off.

Hagrid. [impatient] Don't worry about me. It you who matters now.

Grawp. He is right. We must get you away from here before the second attack comes.

Hermione hears the cry of a half-giant in the distance.

Hermione. There won't be a second attack. They've been noticed. There will be people converging on this house in minutes.

Grawp. Not on this house. There is a fire four houses away.

Hermione. A diversion. They set a house on fire to mask any alert you try to make.

Hagrid. Exactly.

Grawp. We must get you away from here.

Hermione looks back and forth between Hagrid and Grawp, searching for Fang.

Hermione. Where's Fang?

Grawp. [hesitates] He did not survive the attack.

Hermione. I'm sorry.

Grawp. As are we. But the time for mourning is not now.

Hermione nods.

Hermione, Hagrid, and Grawp move out of the house.

Hermione. The creatures seem to want me alive. If we can get the sled into the sky, they probably won't try to shoot us down.

Grawp. Do you trust the sled?

Hermione. [aside] No, of course not. The first thing these creatures would have done would be to sabotage any escape. [to the half-giants] I'll need some rope, strong enough to hold my weight, as much as you've got.

Grawp. You cannot be serious. The danger would be great even for a half-giant. For a human it would be suicide.

Hermione. I don't think so. I saw how the branches twist together when we looked at the bottom of the city. It should be possible for me to climb along between them.

Grawp. You will never reach the landing platform alone. We will come with you.

Hermione. You're in no shape to travel down the street, let alone underneath it. [retrieves her rifle] Neither is Hagrid. Get out of my way please.

Grawp. [doesn't move] You do not fool us, Hermione Granger Weasley. You believe that if we stay here the enemy will follow you and leave us in peace.

Hermione. [grimaces] There's a good chance they will. It's me they want. And they want me alive.

Grawp. There is no time to argue. We will stay together. Here, or under the city.

Hermione. [sighs] All right. You win. [glances at the unconscious Amarillo briefly] Let's find some rope and get moving.

Hermione ignites her lightwand and cuts a hole into the surface of Minsk's capital city.

Grawp. I will go first.

Grawp drops into the hole.

Hermione. [to Hagrid] Last chance to change your mind about this arrangement.

Hagrid. Rarrghh.

Grawp. All clear.

With Hermione strapped to his torso, Hagrid makes his way down the hole. For a moment, Hermione and the half-giants move down the hole. Then abruptly they freeze.

Hermione. What's wrong?

Grawp. The enemy has found us.

Hermione notices a nearby broom.

Hermione. It couldn't be a half-giant rescue broom, I don't suppose.

Hagrid. No. The broomstick isn't showing even running lights.

Grawp. Yet it does not approach.

Hermione. They want me alive. They don't want to spook us. [glances around] I need the rest of the rope, all of it.

Hermione takes the rope and ties it to one of the small branches.

Hagrid. Rrrhgh, aragh. Rarr?

Hermione. No, I'm not belaying us. So don't fall. I've got something else in mind. Okay, let's go.

Hermione and the half-giants move through Minsk.

Get ready. Now . . . stop.

Hermione attaches her lightwand to the rope and lets it drop. The lightwand flies toward the broom and severs the repulsorlift engine. The broom falls from the sky.

Let's go retrieve the lightwand. After that, I think we can probably just cut our way back up. I doubt there are any of them left now.

Grawp. And then directly to your ship?

Thinking about Amarillo, Hermione hesitates.

Hermione. Back to the ship. But not directly.

Hermione, Hagrid, and Grawp arrive at a local Minsk police station, where Amarillo is being held in interrogation.

Hagrid. I don't like this.

Hermione. I don't much like it either. But he let me go back at the house before you came in. I want to know . . . I need to know what that was all about. You can watch and listen from here. Don't come in unless I'm in trouble.

Hermione clips her lightwand to her belt and hands Hagrid her rifle. Then she steps into the interrogation room.

Enter Amarillo.

I'm Hermione Granger Weasley. You wanted to talk to me?

Amarillo. Your hand. May I have it?

Hermione offers her hand, and Amarillo sniffs it.

It is then true. I was not mistaken before.

Amarillo kneels before Hermione.

I seek forgiveness, Hermione Granger Weasley, for my action. Our orders did not identify you, but gave only your name.

Hermione. I understand. But now you know who I am?

Amarillo. You are the Magbob. The daughter and heir of the Lord Severus Snape . . . he who was our master.

Hermione. Your master?

Amarillo. He who came to us in our desperate need, who lifted us from our despair and gave us hope.

Hermione. I see. You may rise. What is your name?

Amarillo. [rising] I am called Amarillo by our Lord. In the language of the vampires . . . [speaks the ancient vampire tongue]

Hermione. I'll call you Amarillo. Your people are called the vampires?

Amarillo. Yes. [uncertain] But you are the Magbob.

Hermione. My father had many secrets. You, obviously, were one of them. You said he brought you hope. Tell me how.

Amarillo. He came to us . . . after the mighty battle, after the destruction.

Hermione. What battle?

Amarillo. Two great broomships met in the space over our region . . . perhaps more than two. We never knew for certain. They fought all the day and much of the night. And when the battle was over, our land was devastated.

Hermione. [winces] We never hurt non-Ministry forces or regions on purpose. Whatever happened, it was an accident.

Amarillo. The Lord Snape did not think so. He believed it was done on purpose, to drive fear and terror into the souls of the Dark Lord's enemies.

Hermione. Then the Lord Snape was mistaken. Our battle was with the Dark Lord, not his subjugated servants.

Amarillo. [stiff] We were not the Dark Lord's servants. We were a simple people, content to live our lives without concern for the dealings of others.

Hermione. You serve the Ministry now.

Amarillo. In return for the Dark Lord's help. Only he came to our aid when we so desperately needed it. In his memory, we serve his designated heir, the man to whom the Lord Snape long ago entrusted us.

Hermione. I find it difficult to believe the Dark Lord ever really cared about you. That's not the sort of man he was. All he cared about was obtaining your service against us.

Amarillo. Only he came to our aid.

Hermione. Because we were unaware of your plight.

Amarillo. So you say.

Hermione. [raises an eyebrow] Then give me a chance to prove it. Tell me where your region is.

Amarillo. [backs away] That is impossible. You would seek us out and complete the destruction . . .

Hermione. Amarillo. Who am I?

Amarillo. You are the Lady Snape, the Magbob.

Hermione. Did the Lord Snape ever lie to you?

Amarillo. You said he did.

Hermione. I said he was mistaken. Even the Lord Snape could be deceived. And the Dark Lord was a master of deception.

Amarillo. The Lord Snape served the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord would not have lied to him.

Hermione. Is your new lord equally honest with you?

Amarillo. [hesitates] I don't know.

Hermione. Yes, you do. You said yourself he didn't tell you who it was you'd been sent to capture.

Amarillo. I am only a soldier, milady. These matters are far beyond my authority and ability. My duty is to obey my orders, all of my orders.

Hermione frowns, as she realizes the meaning behind Amarillo's words.

Hermione. Yet you now know something of which none of your people are aware. You must live to bring this information to them.

Amarillo. The Lord Snape could read the souls of the vampires. You are indeed his Magbob.

Hermione. Your people need you, Amarillo. As do I. Your death now would only hurt those you seek to help.

Amarillo. How is it you need me?

Hermione. Because I need your help if I'm to do anything for your people. You must tell me the location of your region.

Amarillo. I cannot. To do so could bring ultimate destruction upon my home . . . and upon me if it were learned I had given you such information.

Hermione. [purses her lips] Then take me there.

Amarillo. I cannot.

Hermione. Why not?

Amarillo. I . . . cannot.

Hermione. I am the daughter, the Magbob, of the Lord Severus Snape. By your own admission, he was the hope of your region. Have matters improved since he delivered you to your new leader?

Amarillo. [hesitates] No. He has told us there is little more that he or anyone else can do.

Hermione. I would prefer to judge that for myself. Or would your people consider a single human to be such a threat?

Amarillo. You would come alone? To a people seeking your capture?

Hermione. I trust your people to be honorable. I trust them to grant me a hearing.

Hermione steps toward the door.

Consider my offer. Discuss it with those whose counsel you value. Then if you choose, meet me in orbit above the Forbidden Forest in one month's time.

Amarillo. You will come alone?

Hermione. I will come alone. Will you?

Amarillo. If I come, I will come alone.

Hermione. [nods] I hope to see you there. Farewell.

Amarillo. Farewell . . . Lady Snape.

Hermione exits the interrogation room.

Exit Amarillo.

Hagrid. [angry] Rarrrgghh aughgg rrrggh.

Hermione. I can't say I'm really happy with it either. But we can't dodge them forever. If we have even a chance of getting them out from under Ministry control . . .

Hagrid. Arrrgghh.

Hermione. I know. I wasn't as close to Fang as you were, but he was still my friend.

Hagrid stomps off, conflicted.

Grawp. It is time. The memorial period has begun. We must join the others.

Hagrid. Arrghh.

Hagrid moves to join Grawp.

Hermione glances at Grawp.

Grawp. This period is for half-giants only. Later, you will be permitted to join us.

Hermione. I understand. If you need me, I'll be on the landing platform, getting the Felix Felicis ready to fly.

Grawp. [doubtful] If you truly feel it is safe to leave.

Hermione. It is. [aside] And even if it's not, we have no choice. I now have a species name: vampire. And it is vital that I return to London and get another records search underway.

Grawp. Very well. The mourning period will begin in two hours.

Hermione. I'll be there.

Exit all.