Chapter 14 – No time for lessons
The last few days of March and the beginning of April were lovely, joyous ones for Hermione. The very next morning after her lesson with Bellatrix, Hermione began trying out her new skills on her best friends.
McGonagall was teaching the students how to speed up their transfigurations – something Hermione thought might have been compensation for the lousy Defense Against the Dark Arts coursework they were "learning". The demands of the class were not high for the young witch, as she had already been practicing with the speed of her spell work. However, it made a perfect opportunity to focus on drawing energy from spells. Ron was already arse-backwards in transfiguration, so Hermione decided to focus on Harry. She figured that she was "intimate" enough with her best friends to muck about with them a bit.
"Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall's Scottish burr rang out across the classroom, and every student ducked a tiny bit, just in case. "What in heaven's name is going on here?"
Harry looked ruefully at his half-transformed book, which appeared to be changing in slow-motion.
"Umm… I'm really not sure? I think I was faster before I tried being fast. Is that possible?"
"Apparently it is! Perhaps you should try being slow, but I'm not sure how you could be any slower!"
Hermione watched the exchange with mirth, and then took pity on her best friend and withdrew her pull of energy. Immediately the book transfigured into a stack of plates, with a speed that left both Harry and Professor McGonagall looking astonished.
"Well, Mr. Potter, perhaps you are simply a late bloomer!" The professor stalked to another side of the classroom, leaving laughing students in her wake.
Harry blushed, shook his head, and simply muttered, "Oy, no call for that…" Hermione felt slightly sorry for her best mate, but she also was too delighted in herself to worry much.
The next discovery that Hermione made was that humor helped in general, not just with Bellatrix. Just like happy thoughts were great for creating a patronus, laughing at someone or something helped her draw energy for her spells. Ron, Neville, and Luna thus became her favorite people to hang around, and she even worked on augmenting the energy of her spells during DA practices. Again Hermione took care to switch targets often, as it wouldn't do to reduce their self-confidence. It was becoming very apparent that they'd need it. Only Luna seemed to notice anything was amiss.
April Fool's Day was an absolute delight. Not only were there plenty of jokes to laugh at, but Hermione felt fine practicing her new skills on anyone she could. Bellatrix had been right about the intimacy needed, however, and she was only successful with folks she knew fairly well. But, oh the joy when she managed to foil one of Fred and George's joint ventures, and they were left looking like perplexed fools. And even better, so much better, when she managed to make a simple charm spell sputter out as it was leaving Draco Malfoy's wand – who knew that hate engendered intimacy? Luckily, mischief was expected that day, and so no individual was sought to blame. Not that Hermione would have been blamed in any case – she was truly the goody-two-shoes of her house.
Unfortunately, April quickly descended into chaos. Only a week later, fucking Marietta Edgecombe gave up the DA to Umbridge. Even with Dobby's warning and Hermione's attempts to enervate Malfoy's spells, Harry was caught and dragged to an interrogation in Dumbledore's office. When Harry returned to the common room, he was exhausted and demoralized. His news had the same effect on the rest of the Gryffindors, once they learned that Dumbledore had taken the blame for the DA and fled the school.
The magnitude of the events did not sink in until later the next day. Even during breakfast, when the insufferable Umbridge announced her coup, Hermione was not able to think beyond the immediacy of the loss of the DA. It wasn't until her transfiguration class when Hermione was reminded that the person she relied on to support her, to ground her, and to reassure her was now gone. Until that moment, she had not realized how much she had counted on that silent support from Dumbledore in her lessons with Bellatrix – both in feeling safe and in feeling morally sound. She also was fairly certain that Dumbledore was the reason that she was able the leave the castle so easily for her midnight tutorials. Hermione could barely continue the transfiguration lesson, she was so felled by the implications of Dumbledore's absence. She did not stand out, however, as most of her peers and Professor McGonagall herself seemed to be merely going through the paces.
Hermione did not have much time to dwell on this additional problem, as Dumbledore's departure left a lot of very tangible chaos in his wake. Umbridge was out of control with power, and the members of the DA were not even able to have basic friendly conversations without being broken up by Malfoy and crew. Points were being docked from their houses left and right, and school was downright miserable. The one delightful distraction were the fireworks that Fred and George set off. Not only were they truly spectacular, but Hermione felt like she was giving herself a spa treatment every time she castrated one of Umbridge's spells to control them. It was a highlight of the month, honestly, and Hermione was elated with her progress. She was also proud with the new cashmere socks she transfigured using Umbridge's spell energy. She couldn't wait to brag to Bellatrix. If only she knew when that would be…
It was the first truly warm day of the year, when the sun finally seemed to be winning over the chill of the Scottish Highlands. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were gathered under a large shade tree beside the lake, ostensibly studying for their O.W.L.'s later that semester. At least, Hermione was trying to study, but the boys' non-stop prattle about Umbridge, Snape, Malfoy, and on and on was distracting, to say the least. It was also hot enough to send a trickle of sweat down into cracks that she'd rather not be reminded of. Instinctively, Hermione raised her wand and cast a warming charm outwards, enjoying the feeling of coolness it left behind.
"Oy! What are you doing, trying to fry us to death? Why are you warming us up, isn't it hot enough already?" Ron's complaint cut through Hermione's haze.
Hermione looked up to see both boys looking at her with aggrieved expressions.
"Huh? What?" She was perplexed by their frowns.
"Hermione, did you really not notice that you just cast a warming charm, despite the fact that it feels like a sauna out here already? Are you feeling ok?" Harry was much more patient, but even he seemed annoyed.
Hermione blushed slightly at the mention of saunas, remember her last meeting with Bellatrix. But she shook her head at the boys.
"I'm ok. And yes, it is hot out here."
"So why the bloody heat up then?" Ron was looking at her as if she'd lost her mind, which was doubly annoying because not only was she now casting inappropriate spells, but she also wouldn't be able to help him with his studies if she lost her mind.
Hermione cast a charm to send waves of cool air over the boys, noticing that she exchanged their good graces for increasing her own feelings of warm discomfort. She wondered if she could explain to them, and decided that she might as well try.
"Sorry about the warming charm, but it cools me off."
"HUH?" in unison.
"The warming charm. It cools me off when I cast it. Haven't you ever noticed?" Both boys now looking a bit panicky at her loss of faculties on this one.
"Uh…Hermione, the warming charm warms me up. That's the point."
"I know that. But that's when you cast it around yourself. If you send the warmth away from yourself, it will cool you off." At their dubious looks, she persisted. "Try it!"
Both boys tried the spell and immediately their faces lit up.
"What the…?"
"Blimey, 'Mione, that's brilliant!"
And then they demanded explanations.
Hermione decided that she would start slowly, explaining about the transfer of energy in very muggle-science terms. She figured that they would accept that she might have figured things out for herself if she kept it simple. The boys of course were incredibly impressed with Hermione's talents and ability to bring in her muggle knowledge. Ron said something along the lines of, "My dad is going to flip when he hears this!" and earned himself a warning look worthy of Mrs. Weasley.
As soon as she started explaining things, Hermione was tempted to teach her boys everything she'd learned. But the young witch wasn't ready to reveal everything yet, and also decided on the spot that they would probably be curious enough to think some things through on their own. Maybe the three of them could continue some of the work of the DA, just along these lines instead. Surely they couldn't get in trouble if they were not doing forbidden magic? After all, they would just be practicing the spells they had learned a long time ago.
All three returned to the castle that afternoon a bit more enthusiastic about their studies – the boys about their classes and Hermione about her independent coursework.
Hermione had become resigned to studying and teaching Ron and Harry a few of her new tricks, with nothing new to learn for herself. Normally she'd have been beside herself studying for the exams, but she had gained not only new understanding about magic, but new self-confidence. Her friends even noticed this, but, not knowing the source, put her new swagger off to being prepared for exams while the rest of them were scrambling. However, if they'd been able to see her checking the plant book constantly, every time she used the loo or went to bed, they might have recognized a bit of the old, anxious Hermione.
The young witch's nervous attention finally paid off near the end of the month. Checking the book one last time before bed (last time, for real, and then I'll definitely go to sleep), Hermione was elated to see the familiar script on the first page. However, upon reading it, disappointment settled in her belly.
"Come in two days to the boathouse. I will try to be there by midnight, but may be late. Wait until 1 and then leave. This is just a quick meeting, no time for lessons. Keep practicing. –Prof B"
No time for a lesson? Hermione felt almost betrayed by that. Then her curiousity caught up with her. What's going on? Is Voldemort planning something again? Should I alert Dumbledore? Damn it all, he's gone… What if something terrible is going on? Who can I tell? Surely not Harry… Unless he could tell Sirius?
Hermione's swirl of thoughts kept her awake until, lacking clear answers, she fell into an exhausted slumber.
Two evenings later, Hermione had no more insight and but a few more concerns. Chief among these was whether or not she'd be able to get out of the castle, now that Dumbledore was gone. However, she managed to borrow the invisibility cloak from Harry under the pretense of another midnight jaunt to the library, as both Harry and Ron seemed to think she only lived for books.
Wouldn't they just die if they knew… And they thought Viktor was a surprise! They'd never look at me the same if they knew who I was sneaking off to, and why!
Hermione had to smile slyly at that thought, not even considering that she was meeting up with the darkest witch of an age, but just amused at imagining the boys' shocked looks if they saw the two beautiful women together. These musings not only kept her awake as she waited to leave, but also kept the other concerns at bay.
Midnight found the young witch leaning up against the boathouse wall, listening to the small waves lap at the pilings. She was unsure when Bellatrix would show up, or even if she would. To keep herself entertained, Hermione transfigured herself a small candle, then watched the flame dim and grow as she took energy from it for her own little spells. She challenged herself to shrink the flame until the candle almost went out, then let it bounce back again. It was mesmerizing, really, and she was able to lose herself in the practice.
"That's really quite something. You've come a long way in a short time, young one."
Hermione jumped at the familiar voice, then expected to hear a mocking laugh. But when she turned to look at her teacher standing behind her, she was shocked to see the dark witch leaning tiredly against the door frame. She scrambled to her feet.
"I… I… Thank you for coming tonight. You must be very busy."
Bellatrix (Lyra? It was hard to tell – neither had ever looked like this before) waved her hand as if to shoo away Hermione's comments.
"I'm always busy. That is neither here nor there. But watching your progress makes me feel a little better about not being able to have a lesson tonight."
Hermione began to smile at these words, but the smile faded when her professor's demeanor did not seem to match her positive words. The older witch sat down next to Hermione's candle, and patted the spot beside her. Hermione sat immediately, surprised to be in this position. Even when they had not been practicing magic, the two women never sat, and in fact rarely remained inside the boathouse. She wondered at the change in her teacher, and worried.
"Roxanna, you have learned much over these few months, over even fewer lessons. You have been an astonishing student, and I've enjoyed watching you come into your own."
As Bellatrix spoke, Hermione wondered if this was going to be a goodbye, a "sorry, but I don't have time for you anymore" brush-off. Her heart clenched, and her belly ached in a way that made her feel sick, but she kept still and listened.
"I am indeed busy, and I don't know when we will be able to continue our lessons."
Here it comes. It's ok, Hermione, this is for the better. You really can't expect to continue with this, not with all that is going on.
The raven-haired witch continued, "I want to know that you feel confident with what I've taught you."
Silence followed, with Hermione trying to figure out if she was or was not going to be allowed to continue learning with Bellatrix. Finally the dark witch huffed.
"Well?"
"Umm.. I'm sorry?" Hermione was so confused, and her hurt feelings weren't helping her to think straight.
"Do you or do you not feel confident with what I've taught you?" The older woman sounded frustrated, but when she turned to look Hermione in the eye, the young witch saw worry in her eyes.
"Yes! Yes, I do! In fact, I've been really progressing well this last month, and I have taken energy from a number of my classmates and even my teachers!" Hermione rambled on a bit, telling a few anecdotes in an effort to drive away the concern she had seen in the eyes of her mentor.
Finally, Bellatrix waved her hand again, silencing her talkative pupil.
"That's good. That's… important. You may need those skills sometime soon, and I'm glad you feel confident." The two women fell silent for a few moments, before Bellatrix finally roused herself and stood up. She turned to look at Hermione, and the young witch felt pinned to her seat by the searching gaze.
"Roxanna, I may not be able to meet with you for a while. But we can continue to communicate through the book. You can let me know of any questions you may have, just as long as you keep that book very safe."
Hermione nodded her assent, relief flooding every part of her body. She could barely breathe, afraid that this might be taken away from her.
The dark witch smiled slightly, wistfully, and reached out to tuck a curl behind Hermione's ear. As she withdrew her hand, she let it pass very gently along the young witch's cheek.
"And write me a few of those tales of the mischief you get up to. I could use a laugh." And with that she turned and was gone.
Hermione stayed seated in the boathouse until her breathing returned to normal, but even as she walked up the hill to the castle, she was aware of the tears on her cheeks.
A/N - This took a turn for the darker, but then, so do the stories. I struggled with this one, not only because of the tone shift, but because everything in the canon is going to hell in a hand basket. Reviews are appreciated, though even I feel enervated (that's a great word) after this one.