Silent Night - Part III
- Sherry
A/N : Part three! I write so much faster when I'm having exams - I'm having crucial mid-terms and I doonn't caaaare... Anyone heard the song 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)'? The title might be a little off (I can't really remember it), but I know that is one great song. Taylor sounds really good... ::ducks again::
Explanation : Clips of 'Little Saint Nick'. You get the idea. ::starts to sing 'She's candy apple red...' and gets a kick from her little sister::
Dedication : To Ashvin. She knows why... :) And also to Alexa, for posting a new fic... I love it! You go, Alexa!
Disclaimer : All of them belong to the lady except Muldoon and the clock. The clock, I'm afraid, really exists, or actually its second hand does. It's my own bedroom clock, it looks different though, and I'd never dream of pitching it through the window...
'Where am I?' Ron complained as he looked around the room. A small, rather shabby little place, really. A few rooms, and a strangely familiar suitcase thrown carelessly onto a sofa. Ron racked his brains trying to recall where he had seen the suitcase before.
A door opened and a man came out, twirling Ron's wand in his fingers. Ron's eyes narrowed as he noticed who it was - Muldoon! There was no mistaking the wispy dark hair and those grey eyes that Hermione loved... Hermione! She was still in Knockturn Alley!
'Hello, Ron,' the man said, sounding infinitely amused. 'Are you enjoying your stay?'
'Where am I?' Ron asked through gritted teeth. 'Where's Hermione? And what are you doing with my wand? I thought I could trust you!' Muldoon laughed as though he found this very funny.
'You can trust me. This is in the interest of the League or whatever-you-call-it - but if I asked you to come alone, you'd send Hit Wizards to send me to Azkaban before I could say Crucio.' He laughed at Ron's expression. 'Use your loaf, Weasley. Who else do you know who has a heavy sentence hanging over his head?'
'It can't be,' said Ron, his face pale. 'You're not - you can't possibly -'
Muldoon merely smirked and stalked into another room, shutting the door behind him. Ron sank into a pile of cushions stacked up on the end of the sofa. What am I doing here? his mind howled at him. Ron Weasley had no answer to that. As Muldoon came out, this time with Harry, his last coherent thought was that he would never be able to close his mouth. Ever.
'Ron? Ron?' Hermione wailed, staring desolate around Knockturn Alley. The silver line on the map was getting brighter. She was alone, unprotected but for her sharp mind and her wand.
'Ron!' she wailed, but there was no reply. Hermione steeled herself and crept towards the glimmer of light in the darkness. Her feet made no noise as she advanced, her hand shaking. She pointed her wand at it - and it disappeared.
Hermione stared dumbfounded at the white piece of paper that fluttered down in front of her.
Come alone, Granger.
Grabbing the note that had been so carelessly flung to the winds, Hermione studied it, her face a study of anger and fear and worry and most of all... a strange feeling of empathy. Come alone, Granger. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Her hair whipped round her face and stung her cheeks. Her brows lowered. Turning the paper over slowly, she read:
23, Brimstone Street, Little Whinging.
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she gazed at the little white piece of paper that she held gingerly in her hand. Then she looked at the map.
The silver line was still moving.
It was probably very dangerous to pursue this alone, and wondering what had happened to Ron -! No, the best thing to do would be to go back, report it, and then visit 23 Brimstone Street, Little Whinging. Wait a minute. Wasn't that - wasn't that... Hermione couldn't put her finger on it what with her brain spinning and mind whirling, but she had the strangest feeling about that address. She had seen it before somewhere.
Seconds later she had Apparated back to her freezing office. This time there was no mug on the table, and Hermione sat down with a shiver and picked up her Orb. She tapped it twice and uttered, 'Minerva'. The Orb began to glow softly, and then a voice filled the room: 'Hermione?'
'Yes, Professor McGonagall, it's me,' she said, her voice slightly choky.
'It's been a while.' There was affection in her professor's voice. 'I haven't seen you since you've been promoted.'
'Yes.' Hermione permitted herself a smile. 'But - but now Ron is missing.' She told her entire story, up till the part about the note; that she left out because she did not want her professor going to see it. She wanted to go alone. She could tell by the slight hiss in McGonagall's voice that she was a little riled.
'We'll do everything we can,' she said. 'Where was this?'
'Knockturn Alley. Could you send someone to investigate?'
'Of course. Goodbye, my dear.'
And with that, McGonagall's voice was gone. Hermione slumped in her chair with a small sigh. Perhaps things would look brighter after she'd relaxed, read a book. Then she'd have to get ready to Apparate to 23 Brimstone Road... and arm herself suitably. Perhaps it was Malfoy who was holding Ron. It was foolish, very foolish to go alone... but she had had experience in this field, when you brought someone with you the kidnapper usually killed the hostage. It had almost happened, indeed, with Nott.
The book didn't seem to be comforting her at all; she rested her head on her arms and groaned. Who had taken Ron? She had a feeling this entire thing would be a large mess. If it was Malfoy she would rip his throat out.
'Ron!' There was no mistaking the surprise in Harry's voice; he evidently had no idea of what was going on. Harry turned and stared at Muldoon. 'Muldoon? What's going on?'
Muldoon let go of him with a snide grin and turned to Ron. 'Yes, this is the real Weasley,' he said. 'Ron Weasley. Came to Knockturn Alley for no particular reason, and got himself spirited away...'
'You were using Dark Magic!' Ron shouted, the tips of his ears flaming red; he was desperately angry with himself for being so stupid. 'I came to look for you! We trusted you! And where's Hermione?'
'Tsk, tsk, tsk - you are repetitive, aren't you?' Muldoon said in a rather blasé tone. 'Firstly, I do not use Dark Magic - any more. And second, I do not know where your bl- excuse me - precious Hermione is. Third, I do not care. Finally, you can trust me.' He laughed shortly. 'Perhaps you don't think so... but I'm all for your blasted League, although not in such a conventional way.'
'Shut up,' Ron said fiercely. 'That means there are other dark forces at work in Knockturn Alley! And... and Hermione is still there!' His freckles stood out sharply against the paleness of his skin. 'If anything hurts her, you'll - you'll...'
'Don't worry, Weasley,' Muldoon said, lazily brushing his dark hair back. 'She's fine. That must have been Nagini... She's getting rather old...'
'Who?'
'Never mind...' Muldoon heaved a sigh. 'Don't worry. She'll be joining us very soon. Just a matter of a cup of tea and perhaps a few biscuits... if you don't mind, Potter... and then we'll be seeing your precious Hermione again. Touching really, the way I see it...'
'We were supposed to go to Ottery St. Catchpole today!' Harry yelled, suddenly finding his voice. 'And - and - you -'
'Does it take you that long to catch on, Potter?' Muldoon said boredly. 'Yes, we were supposed to, but what does it matter? You'd only have found beansprouts in Ottery St. Catchpole. Now let's go in for some tea, shall we?' He gripped Harry's shoulders and steered him towards the little kitchen. 'We want it to be perfect, don't we, when she arrives? Because the look that's sure to be on her face is worth millions to see...' With a grin, he pushed Harry into a seat, waited for Ron to follow suit, and then began to pour himself a cup of coffee.
Hermione had had an idea. She badly needed an idea - going alone into that place was not a good one. She needed someone to go, someone the kidnapper might not hate so badly. Someone who was discreet and a little less fired up.
Muldoon.
Thankfully she had got through to his apartment, and he had at once agreed to come. Hermione clutched her wand with a small sigh. The enchantment she had put on herself for protection was making her a little jumpy - it always had. There was a knock on the door and Hermione opened it, finding herself face to face with Muldoon. He looked as though he had just got out of bed - his hair was rumpled and his collar was very crooked. Hermione straightened it for him and patted fretfully at his hair. 'Thank you so much for coming,' she told him as they moved to the centre of the room to Apparate - when they both had the spell of protection on them they needed a clear space so that the extra aura didn't knock things about.
He didn't say anything, so they both Apparated at the same time, Muldoon inadvertently knocking down a vase on the table.
'Is this it?' Hermione said a moment later, staring up at the little house.
'Maybe,' Muldoon said shortly as he always did, then walked up and knocked on the door.
It was then that Muldoon got the biggest surprise of his life. The door opened slowly and casually but a little too fast; he got the impression that the person inside had been waiting for them all along. And then the person put his head round the door. The person. A person with sleek dark hair and grey eyes and pale skin.
It was himself staring at him.
'Hello, Muldoon,' said the other Muldoon, a smirk that was unaccustomed to forming on that smooth face gracing it. 'Do come in, we've been waiting for you.'
A/N : 'She'd rock a toboggan on a four speed stick...' ALL RIGHT! ALL RIGHT! Ahem... review? Please? ::gets down on knees::