Pandora's Box
Kneazle
DC: I do not own Harry Potter or afflictions to Warner's Bros. or J.K. Rowling's. I merely use the characters for entertainment purposes only. Anything mentioned in this story is afflicted only to its rightful produces. I own nothing but the plot.
AN: Prefer listening to "Lord of the Rings", "Harry Potter" soundtracks or songs which lyrics have been inserted while reading. Also, the Renaissances become teachers. Think of this story to be like X-Men: they fight and teach, and have similar powers to: ex, Hermione = Kitty Pryde [Feb. 24, 02]
**-**
I
find the answers aren't so clear
Wish I could find a way to disappear
All these thoughts they make no sense
I find bliss in ignorance
Nothing seems to go away
Over and over again – Linkin Park, "One Step Closer"
**-**
Chapter Seven
Hermione pointed her wand at the hunk of metal that she and Oliver were using as practice. They didn't want anything to happen to their bus later on.
"Transporta Insta!" Hermione shouted. A jet of blue icy light swept out from her wand and around the metal. It started to shimmer, glowing bright, until…
"DUCK!" shouted Oliver, grabbing Hermione around the waist and shoving her down to the ground with him on top.
A blast of blue light engulfed the room, an explosion sounded, and when Hermione and Oliver looked up, they were covered in soot and smoke was coming out of the metal piece.
"Okay. What's the next spell?" asked Oliver, as Hermione flipped the book. "Because we sure as hell aren't doing that."
To emphasize, he pointed at the metal, which on cue burst into a small flame.
They groaned.
**-**
Ron grabbed a heavy carton from the top of the shelf, and dropped it at Padma's feet. "I think that's the one."
"Well it better be," she snapped back, wiping at the back of her neck. Her cheeks were flushed and red, as the two of them had been lifting, checking and repackaging all the cartons and boxes in the large storage room, looking for blueprints.
Ron ignored her, opening the carton. Inside, there were the blueprints. Laughing, he pulled them out, laid them on a nearby table, and he and Padma lit their wands.
"Lumos," they said, and swept the wands over the parchment. They smiled when they saw the neat lines, calculations and design spells.
"This should work," said Ron, grinning like a maniac as he quickly cleared the parchment, making his own calculations. "We need something at least the size of a coach."
Padma agreed, nodding. "Can we find that?"
Ron shrugged. "We're wizards, Padma. We can find anything we want."
Laughing, Padma nodded, gathered the parchments in her arms, and left the room to go back to the King Arthur room with them. Hopefully, Hermione and Oliver would be there to get this show on the road, as Parvati had always said.
**-**
Percy, Selene and Fleur rummaged through their own set of boxes on the other end of the school, while Selene copied down the correct number of sheets they had so far.
"One-hundred and eighty-four bed sheets," said a weary Fleur, flopping down on a bed, bare except the mattress.
Percy took off his glasses, wiped them clean on his shirt, and nodded. "I've got that same number in beds and pillow-cases."
Selene nodded her brown head and ticked the numbers off. "Shall we go back to the King Arthur room and tell Harry this?"
The other two nodded, and along the way met up with Ron and Padma.
"What did you guys have to do?" asked Ron. Percy answered.
"We had to check the inventory for the students." Padma nodded, understandingly, but the group was rather quiet until they reached the King Arthur room.
When they entered, Ron stopped short. "Mione, what the hell happened to you?"
A burnt, soot-covered Hermione uncrossed her arms and glared at Ron. Her hair was frizzy and the ends were burnt, smoke singes coming up off them.
"For your information, we both look like this because we had to go through a couple of spells until we mixed them, in the right order mind you, before we got the instant transportation down," she sniffed.
Ron raised his hands in defense. "Whoops, sorry if I hit a nerve there, Mione. I didn't mean it."
"I know," she said, her voice and gaze softening. "Anyway, how did the search go for the blueprints?"
"Excellent," piped up Padma, "we've got them all."
Harry nodded, smiling at the group. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Sirius, Arabella, Mundungus, Remus, Dean, Seamus and Blaise all walked in, followed shortly thereafter by Ginny, Lavender and Cho.
They reported back to him, saying what they found. Ginny slammed down a very large book, with the Bingingham Castle flag on its cover.
"It took us a while to find the book, and then we had to do the spell three times until it worked. But, after that, the names started appearing, and we rushed upstairs to your office to meet with the boys."
"And?" asked Draco, looking up from the letter to the Daily Prophet and Evening Prophet he was writing.
"And," she continued, "they then went ahead and magically copied the letters over and over, just changing the names. They were to be sent off about twenty minutes ago – but it is pretty hard to find all the owls for it."
Dean jumped in, "we have about six letters for each owl. We need some more, Harry."
He nodded, and added something magically on to a piece of paper he had in front of him, only he just flicked his wrist, allowing the pen to move on its own.
"Sirius?" asked Harry, looking up.
"Everything is fine there, and the students look forward to more people coming. They feel a bit too close for comfort with the small amount of students we have now," he said. Remus agreed, "There's only one problem."
Harry and Draco both looked up, surprised. "Problem? We're going to have a problem?"
Remus nodded glumly. "If we even get more than forty students, we'll run out of room. The dorms can only hold about three people in each room, and we only have eight extra rooms."
"We need to build out," sighed Harry, sitting.
"We don't have room," argued Draco. "Harry, we can't build out if we still want the hundred acres we have. You said you wanted it for defense."
"Then we build up or down?" asked Hermione, jumping into the conversation.
"We could probably build up at the moment if we chose to," said Ron, "but it would have to be magically."
Harry thought about it for a bit. "I guess it'll have to do – but only after we get this instant transportation thing working. Does it?" he asked the last part to Hermione and Oliver, who were still covered in dirt.
Oliver cleared his throat. "It works. Just took us a bit of time to find the correct combination of spells."
Harry raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Right. Ron, can you place the blueprints here?"
Ron and Padma laid the blueprints out before them, on the table, and everyone took a seat. Ron stood, and using his extra magically abilities, he lifted a pen to use as a pointer.
"Okay. We need at least these parts," he said, the pen moving around pointing at them. "And magically… it should take about two days to make, meld and mold together, and Hermione and Oliver would have to place then the spells on it once it's done."
"Can't we just steal a muggle one?" moaned Cho, placing her head in her hands, rubbing her temple. Blaise patted her on the back, apologetically.
Harry shook his head. "No. Sorry, Cho. This is all we've got right now, so let's go on it. Let's go through this so we all know. Herm, Oliver? What are the spells?"
"Transporta Insta," said Hermione, "and it combines with the 'untraceable' charm. There really isn't a way to not say the charm unless you want everything in this room to not be traced."
There were a few chuckles, but then they calmed down, and Harry motioned for the next group to go.
Ginny stood, "the book works like a breeze. We're all go for it, and there's at least twenty pages filled already – and only the first seven are for ones we should get here. The rest are ones just born and are getting close to the age of eleven."
Draco looked impressed, "wow. Go Ginny!"
She beamed at him, and then sat down. Fred and George scowled, but said nothing. After all, what Ginny chose to do was her business, but if he hurt her…
Selene stood, "we've got about one-hundred and eighty-four bed sheets, pillows, frames and mattresses. We're well stocked there."
"What's the letter to the parents say, Seamus?" asked Harry, as soon as Selene sat. Seamus ruffled some papers, stood and read:
Dear parents and/or Guardians,
We are pleased to inform you that your son/daughter has been accepted into the Institute of Magical Studies, commonly known as Institute of Magic.
Our school is run by none other than Harry Potter, who is headmaster, and the vice headmasters are Draco Malfoy, Oliver Wood and Sirius Black.
Due to the past states of the Renaissance, there wasn't much time to allow a school to be built, but it has been done. We wish for your son/daughter to join us here, at IoM, and hopefully enjoy their studies of light magic.
Courses include: Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmacy, Divination, Astronomy, Flying lesson, Muggle Studies, Charms, History of Magic and even other courses that were not offered back at Hogwarts: Combat (Hand-to-Hand and Karate/Judo, etc.), Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced DADA, Advanced Potions, Modern and Extreme Past History, and Magic in Art.
We hope that your son/daughter decide to come to IoM. We await your owl no later than May 30th. Until the current situations become better, the school year will be slightly off.
Regards,
"I didn't know whose name to put," admitted Seamus. "Whose shall I put, since we haven't sent them out yet?"
"Put mine," said Harry, looking down to his paper. "All right. I have a supply list that I'm sending out to Madam Malkin's, Olivanders, the Apothecary, Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, and Flourish and Blotts."
"I have a letter to the Prophet," added Draco. He began to read it.
Dear Prophet,
We [as in the Renaissance] have read your letter concerning our friends and us. At first we were quite startled and furious about our presence being known, but after we conversed, we decided that perhaps it was for the best.
We ask that you refrain from printing anything else about us unless otherwise stated by one of our members at IoM (Institute of Magic, so you were correct as to yes, there is a new magical school): Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Oliver Wood, Sirius Black, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Remus Lupin, Cho Chang, Lavender Brown, Dean Thomas, Padma Patil, Arabella Figg, Fleur Delacour, Blaise Zabini, Selene Sinistra, Seamus Finnigan, Mundungus Fletcher, Neville Longbottom, Percy Weasley, Fred Weasley and George Weasley.
Due to the newspaper article, we wish to chat with one of your reporters that you feel you can trust and can… leave here in case there are any complications of our secret location. This would be greatly appreciated.
Send an owl back once you have time. Regards,
Harry Potter (Headmaster) and Draco Malfoy (Deputy Headmaster)
"Well, that's not too bad," laughed Hermione. "Very… uh… 'Conversely', Draco."
He growled at her, but hid a grin when he looked down. Then, he looked up with a funny look on his face. "Uh… what about Selene, Percy and Fleur? They're new to our group. Shouldn't they teach here too?"
Harry's head swam with ideas. "Fleur, could you teach languages? Like French and such?"
She nodded, grinning. "Oui."
"And Percy… how about politics? Selene… hmm… food and nutrition using magic?" Harry looked sheepish at the last part, but both agreed full-heartedly. He turned to Seamus; "you might want to change the letters now."
Seamus nodded, changing the, Courses include: Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmacy, Divination, Astronomy, Flying lesson, Muggle Studies, Charms, History of Magic and even other courses that were not offered back at Hogwarts: Combat (Hand-to-Hand and Karate/Judo, etc.), Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced DADA, Advanced Potions, Modern and Extreme Past History, Magical Politics, Languages, Food and Nutrition, and Magic in Art.
"You know, we're soon going to need a lot more teachers to keep up with the students," said Neville.
Harry sighed. "All in good time, Neville. All in good time."
"So what do we do now?" asked Lavender in a small voice. Everyone's head turned to her and back at Harry, who suddenly looked older and much more fatigued.
"We gathered the students, we leave a few people here, and…"
"And?" asked Hermione softly, already knowing the answer.
"And then… we go to Hogwarts," he finished. The room was deadly silent.
**-**
Hermione was standing outside, at was she now called the 'Hermione Garden'. It was the same place that Oliver said he fancied her, the same place where they would share their secrets. She stood, this time, not sitting and looked up.
Stars littered the sky, sparkling brightly in their place in the sky, their home.
She continued looking up at them, her magically enhanced eyesight allowing her to see something most normal magical and non-magical folk could see: the changing colors of the stars, from yellow, white and blue edges.
She hardly noticed Oliver behind her until he placed his hands on her shoulders. She shivered at his touch.
"Cold?" he asked, his mouth near her ear. The feel of his breath against her bare neck made her shiver more.
"No, of course not. It's April," she answered, inhaling the musky scent of Oliver, and the smell of a garden after a rain shower.
Oliver smiled, and stood close behind her, also looking up at the stars. "They look so peaceful," he said after a few minutes of silence.
Hermione nodded, her back brushing against Oliver's chest. "I know. They have no idea what's to happen when we leave in a few days."
"Is that when we go?" he asked.
"That's what Harry told Ron and me," she replied. Oliver ran his hands up and down her arms. She smiled forward, not looking at him. "I'm going to be scared."
"Don't be."
"I can't help it," she said.
"Like I said, don't worry about it. I can help you not think about it," he grinned the last statement. Hermione turned, and smacked him lightly on the shoulder.
"You're a dirty boy!" she said.
"Actually, I was thinking of seeing a muggle film, or something, but apparently you were thinking of something else," his eye twinkled in the dark.
Hermione's mouth opened and shut, making her look like a fish without air. Oliver chuckled lightly, cupped her chin with his hand and lowered his face to hers, stopping her with a kiss.
Hermione felt and allowed herself to melt against Oliver, allowing him to envelope her into a tight embrace; she left herself behind to be thrown into a whirlwind of love.
The two didn't part after they finished the kiss; no, instead, she clung to him like an anchor, never wanting to let him go.
"Hermione," he breathed her name.
She looked up, and watched with startled eyes as Oliver went down on one knee. He looked scared, nervous, but licked his lips, and looked right into her cinnamon eyes.
"Hermione, I know that this might be too soon," he started, "but… I love you. I really do, and I want to be with you no matter what happens. I don't have a ring… not yet, but…"
He slipped a plastic ring from a vending machine onto Hermione's right ring finger. "Say you'll marry me one day. I'm making a promise to be with you, and I want you to feel the same."
Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears. What shall I say? She thought, and she heard Harry and Ginny scream back, SAY YES YOU IDIOT!! SAY YES!!, thought they weren't really in her head. At least, she thought so.
"Oliver," she said, bringing him up to eye level. She breathed his name out onto the air, again and again. "Forever, yes. For eternity, yes."
Oliver grinned at her, and pulled Hermione into a kiss that was filled with the love he felt for her, one that could never be expressed in words.
They part, kissed quickly again, and once again, but they stood contently in the other's arms, staring up at the twinkling of stars above them, basking in the glow of the moon.
**-**
Within the day Oliver proposed, Harry had cornered Hermione in her transfiguration classroom and told her that she should dismiss the class because she and Oliver were needed to perform the spell.
Once she arrived outside, in the airstrip courtyard, she nearly dropped her book bag. Her glasses slipped to the end of her nose, her hair pulled back in her pony coming undone.
Oliver also looked frazzled as he saw the coach that the Knight Bus was based on. The large bus sat, painted new, in the middle of the courtyard.
"This is the coach?" asked Hermione, incredulously. Harry nodded.
"Yeah. I know it looks like shit, but once the spells are on it," he began, waving his hand about. Hermione nodded, and rolled up the sleeves of her robes.
"All right," she said. Oliver moved to stand beside her. They both stared at the bus for a few seconds, then…
"Transporta Insta!" Hermione shouted.
"Untraceable Transporta!" shouted Oliver at the same time. Hermione's hot pink spell combined with Oliver's midnight blue. Swirling together, they came together and made somehow violet, which engulfed the coach.
There was a burst of light and silence. The coach glowed and hummed with magic for a few seconds before the glow died down, but the hum didn't. Not in such as magical place as Bingingham Castle.
"Is that it?" asked Ron, who was leaning out of a window a few stories up, shouting down at them.
Harry shouted 'yes', back, and turned to the car. "Well." He grinned at Oliver and Hermione. "I think we can start getting ready to head to Hogwarts."
And with that, he walked away.
**-**
The morning was quiet, with dew lying heavily on the ground outside the castle. The students were still asleep, in their dorms, impatiently awaiting their new roommates that were due to arrive later in the morning.
But all was not quiet in the King Arthur room, high in the West Wing of the school. The Renaissance, Old Crowd and the Salvation were all arguing as to who would be going to Hogwarts and who'd be staying.
"The Renaissance should go! They have extra powers that we don't!" snapped Mundungus.
"But there's only ten of them – Voldemort has at least three hundred Death Eaters! They can't take them out by themselves!" shouted Fred.
It was the Old Crowd and the Salvation who were arguing about the Renaissance, they themselves were quiet and watching.
Hey, the voice whispered across Hermione's mind like a shiver.
Hermione looked around, noticed that no one was speaking directly to her; it was Harry's voice.
Yes? She replied.
We all leave tonight, no matter what. No matter who says is coming, okay? He said. Hermione saw Draco nod. Harry was speaking to everyone mentally.
Harry… what about the others? They'll know where we're going and they'll come to stop us no matter what. Ginny's voice swept also across Hermione's mind. Good point, she thought.
Not if they don't have any more brooms. And the coach will be gone all day, picking up new students. We're clear if we leave at midnight.
Midnight, repeated Hermione, They – our friends – will murder us once they find out, Harry.
Oh well, he snickered back. This is our battle, not theirs.
She sighed, and Oliver glanced over suspiciously at her. He knew that she was talking to someone, mentally, and that they were going to leave sometime, whether or not the Old Crowd or Salvation wanted them to.
By the way, Hermione came Ginny's voice. Did you say 'yes' to Oliver?
WHAT?? Hermione screeched in her mind, bolting forward in her chair. Oliver was now really worried, what was going on with her?
That's right! Came Harry's voice. Did you say yes? When is the ceremony? Who's the best man too?
What the hell!! You two were in my mind then!! Hermione fumed, sending her anger out at them in waves. Both Ginny and Harry, on their wheel chairs, slid backwards a few paces, before the slid forward again.
Gee, no reason to get all shifty with us, said Ginny.
Go to Hell. That was private, and you two abused your powers, she thought. Finally, she had enough.
"See you later," she said, and sank into the floor, through the bricks and dashing between walls and rooms to get to hers.
Once she was in her room, she realized that would find her there, and that she needed to go somewhere else. Somewhere she hadn't been yet. Snapping her fingers, she got up and went to the kitchens. She hadn't talked to any of the house elves and she was in a craving for lemon meringue pie lately. Getting angry did that to her.
She got there, and immediately House elves swarmed at her feet.
"Does Miss want something?"
"What can we's get Miss?"
Hermione giggled, and said, "Well, I'd like some lemon meringue pie, please."
They bustled about, got her a plate of it, and sat her down at an empty table. She ate in blissful silence, listening to the house elves work around her. Sure, she was a bit upset that they wanted to work without pay, but still. Food was food, and if they wanted to serve it to her, she wouldn't stop them.
She also blocked her mind so no one would find her. Finally, she thought about their leaving tonight.
"Do you have any paper?" she asked one, one who looked familiar. Then it hit her: Dobby!
"Yes, Miss, we's do. Do you's want some?" asked Dobby, grinning.
"Please!" she smiled, and within seconds was dipping her quill into a ink vase and was writing on the parchment.
She then said, after she sealed it, "Dobby."
Dobby appeared, and asked, "Yes Miss?"
"Can you give this to Mr. Oliver Wood at breakfast tomorrow morning?" she asked politely. "Or leave it next to his pillow so when he wakes up he receives it?"
Dobby took the letter and nodded, bowing low. "As Miss wishes."
Hermione then left him a sickle, and left. She had to get ready for later tonight, and she wasn't about to let Voldemort win either.
**-**
Midnight was cool, with owls hooting in the distance and other night creatures scurrying around. Hermione avoided Harry and Ginny, refusing to talk to them or look at them. She instead got on her broom next to Lavender and Padma, ready to kick off.
"We continue riding all night," instructed Harry, "no stops. Ready? Let's go!"
The ten kicked off, their powers growing tenfold since they had been thawed out back in January. That had been nearly five months ago, and here they were, ready to kick Voldemort's ass to Hell.
And this time, they would do everything to make sure that he doesn't come back.
**-**
The dawn swept into the room, touching first the nightstand, and then the man lying in the bed, his arm open, looking as if he had it wrapped around someone he loved. The fingers flexed, and then patted the mattress, wondering where his lover was.
The man strained his ears, was she in the shower? Not hearing that on, he opened one eye, shut it again tightly when light was bright and turned over. Hermione was nowhere in the room.
Oliver looked around, confused, had she left him? No, Hermione wouldn't do that.
He then caught sight of the envelope, and the letter. Opening it with a letter opener, he quickly read it, read it again, and then once more.
Dearest Oliver,
I know that you are probably wondering where I am right now. Probably near or at Hogwarts now. Harry told us all that we – the Renaissance – would be leaving at midnight. Yesterday. Or today, whichever you prefer to look at it.
I hadn't wished to leave, not without telling you once more that I love you with all my heart and soul, and that I would rather spend eternity with you with Voldemort ruling than without you in a peaceful world.
My dearest Oliver, promise me that you and the others won't do anything rash. You mustn't; don't you dare come after us at all. Harry cannot let any more factors get into his shitty plan as it is. Yes, it's shit. I'd hate to say, write or think it, Oliver. We probably aren't coming out of it alive. The plan is too dangerous.
I love you. Once again. Forever. I will always say it. Until my dying breath leaves my body, I am yours, and even beyond that. I love you, Oliver Wood, and I would wish to become Mrs. Oliver Wood one day.
As Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca, "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday… someday we'll be together again" (did you know that's my favorite movie?). It holds true, Oliver. If not in this world, than in another, I will be with you.
Love you always,
Hermione Granger
Oliver let his fist crumple the paper, holding it tightly. He took deep breaths, gulps of air. Hermione is with the others. They're after Voldemort. She said they might not – probably won't – make it back alive. I love her. I love her. Oh God…
I…
Love…
Her…
Oliver's thoughts ended. His eyes brimmed over with tears, and they leaked silently over onto his cheeks, hitting the floor. Wearing only his pants, he raced out of the room to tell the others. They had to get to Hogwarts. He had to make sure she'd come back to him alive.
He needed her.
Because he loved her.
**-**
Hermione bit her cheek, wondering if Oliver had gotten the letter yet. Had he read it? What did he think? Was he coming – Hermione shook her head, ending that thought. If he did, she couldn't stop him. He could die with her, and she would never have that.
Never.
Finally, Hogwarts castle loomed ahead, looking dark and dangerous, just as Tom had wanted it. She shivered on her broomstick.
But we have the trump card, she thought, he doesn't know of our new powers.
However, a small voice in the back of her head, neither Harry nor Ginny's, she was certain, asked, but do you know if he has any new powers?
She shivered again, harder this time. The castle was close. She could see the Herbology greenhouses, soon each glass roof block… now they were landing.
Welcome, a voice hissed across their minds. Welcome to my home, Renaissance. Get used to it – because you're not leaving.
Hermione shuddered. It's too late, she thought, to go back. Goodbye, Oliver.
The time was now, she realized, to stand up for what she believed in, to fight what she hated. She just didn't know what the price to pay was.
**-**
MistWalker: you're right to worry about Harry… I've got some nice plans for him. Most people won't like the ending though… **sigh** oh well.
Brendan: ha, ha, no problem. I actually completely forgot about the Dursley's… but ^_^ I thought that was funny.
Lady Knight of Kennan: I'm glad you like the story! It's really fun to write!
Moony: what makes you so sure that it isn't a S/G story? I've got my cauldron full of plot twists!
TO EVERYONE ELSE: yeah, hi! Um… I've been getting a few, "e-mail me when it's updated", etc. But, sadly, I really don't have time for that, to sort through the reviews and such… so, if it's not an inconvenience, email me, and I can reply to you much faster, and I can assure that you'll get the update. Thanks – Kneazle
PS: **stands up and applauds the USA** Great job, US. You guys played great in the Winter Olympics. Hands down to a great job, and CONGRATULATIONS to my home country, CANADA, on winning the gold. You guys deserved it after all these years.