The Parkinson's were the next family they recruited. Tom hesitated in the woods for a few moments after Draco had left. When Hermione asked about why he was taking so long to move he revealed he had been working on learning how to fly without a broom but hadn't quite fully mastered it. It would come incredibly useful at that moment but he wasn't sure whether to take the risk or not. Hermione was amazed, it would take some serious magic to learn how to fly without a broom, but if anything Tom proved himself incredibly capable of anything throughout their entire trip so far. She told him to try and watched in amazement as within the span of an hour and a half, he had actually completed the goal, though he didn't seem to have it polished.
"It's not the best flight," he muttered, "but it will do."
A tunnel of wind flew all around him, buffeting his clothes this way and that. Leaves and dust swirled in the air around him and he blinked several times as he flew, but nonetheless, he was able to travel from one spot to the next decently fast.
"Hold on tight," he had muttered and with a few disillusionment charms and Hermione hanging onto his arm (and the help of a few levitating charms), he quickly flew the two of them to the Parkinson Manor.
The wind sliced and tore at their skin, it happened to be a rainy day even though it was the middle of summer, and Hermione saw the stormclouds in the sky, and the smell before the rain as they zoomed through. It wasn't the most pleasant flight but it wasn't the most unpleasant. Tom also surprised her by how strong he was, holding up her weight the entire flight. While she doubted he worked out or anything he was definitely a naturally strong person for his frame.
They landed in front of a pretty pink, cream and white manor that was elaborately decorated with wreaths, flowers at every window, with many bubbling fountains, white lawn chairs and tables, and miniature foxes of the softest snow white pelts lazily circling the lawns.
Coincidentally, Pansy Parkinson and a girl Hermione recognised as Daphne Greengrass, and an unnamed girl who might've been her sister for she didn't look like she was in her year, were having a tea party on the front lawn outside the house. It wasn't going to rain yet and perhaps they liked the way the weather looked before it did, planning to bolt indoors the moment the first drop fell.
It surprised Hermione that they were doing something so...stereotypical but yet there they were. There were platters of sandwiches, cakes and biscuits as if bought out by a house-elf, and teacups and tea. The three girls were dressed in clothes that instantly made Hermione jealous. It was the perfect blend of aristocratic fashion mixed with contemporary modern fashion that looked incredibly comfortable to be in, and all three of them looked happy and at ease by their tea party table. They didn't look stupid or frilly or girl or anything. Just rich, pretty and modern.
Though now they were scowling at Hermione. The youngest girl dropped a sugar cube she had been about to add to her tea on her saucer with a bit of a shaky wobble of her teaspoon, and Pansy let her teaspoon fall with a huge clatter, as if making a point.
Pansy had been dressed in a mostly white sundress, with tiny dark pink polka dotted sections, bits of red, a transparent tulle section, and tiny black ribbons that looked aristocratic, upper-class, frilly and fussy, but yet light, easy-breasy and comfortable to wear. It was loose and fell to a little below the knees, seemed easy to move about, and had an edge of sophistication to it. Her brown hair was curled and in ringlets down both sides with black ribbons tied around them. Daphne had been wearing a yellow and white sundress with a few transparent tulle sections as well and tiny white ribbons tied in bows at some places. She looked like she glowed in a special light in the sun. The littlest girl, a head shorter than them, was wearing a sundress that was mostly light green but had a few different shades of green throughout, without any transparent sections and had some minor ornate details of a few darker green ribbons near the front and so on. Daphne had glossy blonde hair in curls whilst the littlest girl had dark brown hair, but it didn't quite glow with the same worked on polish Pansy's had.
"Who are you!" she said to Tom, "what are you doing here?" she threw a dirty glare at Hermione.
"We've come to change the world into a better one than what your parents know," said Tom.
An eerie hush fell over all three girls.
"Do my parents know...you're...asking us," said Pansy. Hermione's impression of her over the years at Hogwarts had been that she hadn't been exactly the brightest girl, but yet she had a penchant for doing things the quicker or lazy way, and of still ultimately getting whatever she wanted all the same.
"Would we have to get one of those..." Daphne kept her voice politely neutral as she looked at the mark on Hermione's arm.
"It's not the real thing is it?" she said to no one in particular.
"I would have met some of your parents before so they're familiar with me and my ideas. I am not a complete stranger to them, but for this new project you are the ones contacted first, and we shall do much of it ourselves before we bother to spread word of what we are doing to more people. I also think it's important for you to taste this sort of work for yourself to see if you'd like it or not before you really commit to it. Yes, it comes with benefits you know. If I need you I'll say the incantation and then the mark will burn and if you touch it you'll be portkeyed over to where I am. It's incredibly useful for meeting each other," said Tom.
He then rolled up his sleeve. Hermione had never noticed it until now but he mostly strolled around with a long sleeve shirt of some sort, even in the summer. He must know some cooling spells for she had never seen him break out in a sweat, but his arm had the same mark as theirs. Only it was darker, and featured a few more elements to the picture that Hermione instantly knew were runic symbols and ancient enchantments - they weren't decoration at all, and looked a whole lot more scarier if she had to be honest.
Hermione hadn't known what any of it was however, and she thought that it was useful to instantly call upon many people working together all at once with the wizarding equivalent of the push of a button.
"So they'll say yes without having said yes...it sounds good. I want to see, what this thing is all about," said Pansy.
"We don't want the mark," Daphne looked uncertain.
"It's just the portkey aspect," said Tom, "there is nothing else with this one."
"Alright then," Daphne breathed out slowly.
An awkward silence fell.
"This is Astoria by the way, she's due to start Hogwarts this year," said Daphne, waving to her younger sister who gave a small nod and wave.
"Come in," said Pansy, "you can't stand outside the perimeters of the lawn all this time and talk to us..."
The gate opened upon her command and Tom lead the way up the path and a few white lawn chairs from the surrounding table wondered over as if perfectly timed for when Tom and Hermione reached the place. They sank down into them and the door swung shut behind them.
"I can take all of you outside of Hogwarts as well," said Tom as he gave each of them the mark, "when school starts. There is a far greater adventure you could all be having. I'll teach you better than the teachers can," he said to Astoria.
"Will this year count as extra credit? So I can get out of other classes..." Pansy wondered.
Tom laughed, "Others will be envious of the fact that you got to go on this year with us next year if everything plays out like I planned. Of course it will count as extra credit, and others will wish they were you for other reasons as well."
"You'll find Mr Malfoy has joined us on this expedition. You'll be required to do some magic but nothing beyond what you can't do. I'll be wanting to get Nott as well and then we're all set to go," he said.
"I'm going to call it the grey mark," said Astoria once it was all done. She compared her mark to the one on Tom's sleeve. "It's more in the grey area than dark."
"Well, we'll be of shortly," said Tom, "make sure your parents understand you might be busy all summer."
"I'll say I'm at your house," said Daphne, looking at Pansy.
"I'll say I'm at yours," said Pansy.
"We'll know how to lie about it so it seems right," said Daphne with a giggle.
"Of course, we've got it all figured out. This is going to be great," sighed Pansy.
"Interesting summer," added Daphne.
"Alright, we'll get going," said Tom, and with that he flew Hermione back out of the garden, perhaps to impress them a little. Indeed the three witches gasped a little as they witnessed Tom flying both himself and Hermione without a broom.
"You get to pick one friend," said Tom to Hermione, "because so far all of those have been my choices. I know none of them are your friends and I thought at least one friend might be nice. Not Harry or Ron, as we've covered before. But someone else."
He sighed, "it was really only Parkinson I wanted but she has to be attached to her Greengrass friends at the hip so they're coming along too. They shouldn't be any trouble hopefully..."
"Is Astoria really Pansy's friend?" wondered Hermione, "she's two years younger than them both."
"Likely not," said Tom, "her parents probably just wanted her out of their hair for the day and Daphne had something on with Pansy. The three probably get along well enough for it to happen though," he analysed, "who's your pick?"
"Luna," said Hermione without a moment's hesitation.
"I mean, I'm not really close to the girls in my dormitory. No offense but they're not people I'd get along well with this year, and Luna's the only one that...is sort of similar to me. I mean, I didn't really think we were similar at first, but she is in a way, and well..."
"Alright," said Tom, "that can be arranged. Let's fly to Nott's."
He redid the disillusionment charm, he had been taking it away and putting it back on when it suited them whilst they went about recruiting, and soon they were flying to the Nott Manor. It was quite a far distance away and Tom flew at a very economical speed. The disillusionment charm once cast could last for several hours, and it was possible to turn it on and off whilst it faded, but once it truly did one would have to recast it all over again. Hermione was glad he wasn't recasting it all the time however, because the sensation of an egg cracking on one's head wasn't nice.
They arrived at the Nott Manor towards sunset. Skies were dark and it did indeed rain there. A steady downpour despite the fact that it was the middle of summer. The Nott's Manor was situated in between large rolling hills that smugged the horizon for eons all around them, it looked like it would take a long time to travel there on foot if you arrived at any point where you could see it, and many deadened trees dotted the rolling hills. A few thin shrubs and thickets laid about, rabbits or foxes attempted to etch out a living there and hunted miserably for food. The sky was dark stormy black and grey, but with a few brilliant orbs of golden light from the sunset pooling through in silvery streams, and a few vultures circled the area.
A stench that was neither gross not pleasant but just very sharp and severe radiated through. Like it jolted you awake. The Nott Manor was tall, rectangular, grey, with many identical windows all about. It looked wealthy and strong, but also like a large prison compound lit up with many bright lights from the inside.
"It's our lucky day," drawled Tom.
Hermione glanced up to see Theo Nott and Blaise Zabini from school zooming about on their brooms. Nott was average height and stringy with a thin pale face and brown hair. Zabini was tall and slim with shoulder length blonde hair that he tied up in a low ponytail. Hermione vaguely remembered him as a womaniser, word spread around about how hot or cute he was, how charming he was with girls, how silly he could make them around him. She felt a little nervous. He was not exactly the most calming person to be around.
"Get out of my land-" said Nott and not a few moment's later he cast several hexes with his wand. Hermione could tell from the colour and pattern of the magic coming forth they were strong and probably nasty ones. Tom blocked them with a careless grace that surprised Hermione. Even Nott looked a little taken aback.
"I have a preposition to make," said Tom, "the wizarding world is going to change next year. You have one chance to come and join us. Mr Malfoy, Ms Parkinson, the Greengrasses and Ms Granger have already joined."
"Why is she here?" Nott jabbed a finger at Hermione. He was not an easy person to impress.
"So. Is the invitation going to extend to me as well or am I made to feel even more unwelcome than I am?" Zabini floated upside down on his broom, hanging by his crossed legs and with his arms folded as well. He flipped himself back around and smirked at them all.
"I don't mind it if you do," said Tom.
"Sweet," said Zabini.
"Because I have brains to contribute to it all," said Hermione.
"You're smart, but not that smart," Nott told her, shaking his head as if he believed Hermione had other reasons for being chosen or joining. Likely ones that were of embarrassment for Hermione had never gotten the impression Nott's opinion of her was too high from their time at Hogwarts together. Nott's opinion of anyone was never high, he was like a second Malfoy except only a touch less arrogant so he wasn't hated as much by some people - touch less arrogant. Which Hermione was truly feeling now.
Tom branded them the mark and gave them the same instructions about needing to go away. Both boys were able to promise they would be able to find some way to get away.
Then Hermione told him of Luna's address and they flew there during the evening.
It was boiling hot where Luna lived, Hermione was suddenly aware that everyone lived all over England and even in one day the weather could change, especially as many of them lived far out in the countryside or near the outskirts, where the weather could be more wild.
Even though it should've been dark ages ago a little bit of light from a blood-red sun peered out, the sky was mostly devoid of all clouds and very orange. There were large tall grasses and stacks of heather that blew about in the wind. A few small livestock like a goat and chickens were in the distance. Luna was outside with a net, a magnifying glass and an open sketchbook and pencil where she had drawn a collection of unusual moths.
"Oh hello Hermione," she said with a smile, "I'm just sketching rare moths found around here. Muggle creatures can sometimes be fascinating too."
"We want you to join us to change the world, because things are going to change next year and we wanted you on our team," said Tom.
"I had a feeling it would be something like that the moment I saw you touch down and lift your fading disillusionment charm. I suppose you recruited the others first and I'm last," said Luna in her matter-of-fact way of pointing out the truth, "it would have to be something quite big to fly all the way out here."
"I wanted you here," said Hermione, "you were my choice."
"Yes or no," said Tom, who had the vague feeling Luna was going to get on his nerves. Luna was enchanting in the way eccentrics who might weld hidden powers were to him, but he was fast getting the idea he was not going to get along well with her. (So Hermione has a friend or someone like a friend, he told himself to convince himself.)
"We're building a museum, changing the ministry and the wizarding world," said Tom.
"Oh dear, it sounds like a lot of things are changing," said Luna, "well as it is I'm at the age of my life where I've done nothing really interesting or big. I mean, small things maybe but not something as large as this. And old enough to be wistful of wanting something more. Yes, I shall think I'd like to join on this adventure, thanks for asking me," she finished, with a nod and a rare real smile at Hermione.
Tom branded her arm with the mark and told her what it was for.
"If I don't like this anymore I shall just simply keep it as a tattoo. It is not a bad design," said Luna. The design was mostly of circles and lines in a circular form. Snakes as well but they twisted elegantly all around the other shapes and circles in the design. It covered a little less than half of their lower arm.
After recruiting Luna Tom flew Hermione all the way to Hogwarts, but they stopped by a small thicket of woods to make dinner. Tom had an unusual way of flying. He flew high up into the sky where he could see practically the whole globe, and then took of in the general direction of Hogwarts that Hermione assumed he remembered from general knowledge. He seemed to find his way around better the closer they got and she doubted he knew one hundred percent where they were going all the time, but he was able to use what he had to get there.
"Today was a good day," said Hermione after they finished their meal.
"We can work faster," was all Tom said, and then he picked Hermione up again and they flew through the darkness with the moonlight all around them to Hogwarts. By the time they arrived it was probably Thursday and Hermione just became all the more enamoured with how strong Tom was. He had held out his arm to her and she clutched at it with both of her arms. With the help of a levitating charm he then flew the rest of the way and Hermione felt the majority of her weight hanging of him. He didn't falter even once, he felt solid and steady beneath her grasp and all that was in her mind was what a strong and so casually effortless, sort of person he was.
However as the castle came into view Tom flew them into the forbidden forest and it was actually in a patch of wood within that they landed.
"There's enchantments there. You can't enter during the holidays. I don't even think you can," he told Hermione.
"I can't, it's in Hogwarts a History. During the school holidays not even students can enter Hogwarts," she said.
Tom was busy casting around a lot of charms so they wouldn't be overheard, seen, or sensed by some basic magic tracking devices any creatures living in the forest may have set up. The forbidden forest was sort of a free for all in terms of what might've made a home down there. It was always possible for the advanced magical tracking devices to find them but this gave them enough privacy needed for the moment.
"Yes, there are wards up. There's no way to enter the castle. And even if we make it past the first ward, Dumbledore's office definitely has it's own wards. So we shall have to think up a specific plan," said Tom.
Suddenly an owl swooped towards them. It dropped a letter towards Hermione who opened it in surprise.
"Oh! It's from Professor Mcgonagall! Well the owl didn't come from Hogwarts so I presume she sent it from her house when she was doing paperwork and it's found me by now, ah we were on the run all day. But it says that my request for a time turner has not been approved by the ministry and that I'm to simply pick two electives to take this year. Oh, you know, I don't mind not going back to Hogwarts next year," said Hermione, "since I was looking forward to taking extra classes as much as possible."
"An owl..." said Tom.
The bird hooted whilst Hermione rummaged about in her moleskin pouch to find the writing utensils to scribble back a quick thank you, but Tom was already getting other ideas.
Author's Note: Thanks for the review, the new updating schedule will be once a week on Saturdays. Please review if you're enjoying this and want to read more, it motivates me to write faster though I'll post on a less crazy schedule.