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Chapter 8
Audrey woke the next morning disoriented. After a few minutes of looking around, she started to remember the day before. As she looked to her left, she felt a small smile pull at her lips. Duke was spooning Hermione and both were sleeping peacefully. Next to them was the dark haired man she had learned was a Potions Master and Hermione's Master. The man was pale and stoic but knew his stuff. Haven owed them both a great deal as they did the Matron healer. Because of their efforts, Haven would no longer be plagued by the Troubles.
Just as she looked to her left and saw Nathan sleeping facing her, Audrey was slightly startled by a quiet ~pop~. When she turned her head she saw the healer approaching her bed.
"How do you feel this morning?" Poppy asked Audrey as she waved her wand to run a few diagnostics.
:"Fine. Actually, a little sore but other than that I feel pretty good." Audrey told her.
"Well, that's to be expected. We performed quite a bit of magic on you in a short period of time." Poppy commented as she smiled at her patient.
"So does all magical healing hurt so much?" Audrey wondered aloud.
"That depends on the injury or injuries. Just be glad you didn't have to regrow bones or nerves." Poppy offered before chuckling at Audrey's shocked and horrified look.
"It is as awful as it sounds. Not only do the potions taste horrible but no pain medicine can be given until they run their course." Poppy told her.
"You have to do that often?" Audrey asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.
"More than I like but not as often as you think. You would be amazed at all the things magicals can do to hurt or transfigure themselves." Poppy answered with a chuckle. "Even that brilliant and very capable young witch and the older wizard have spent their share of time in a bed under my care throughout their school days."
"Wow! Your world sounds crazy!" Audrey snickered.
"No more than yours, dear." Poppy countered.
"Is all the Aether really gone?" Audrey's voice was full of apprehension.
"Yes. You were the last one we know of to be cured. That's not to say someone not here doesn't need to be treated but Haven is Trouble free." Poppy reassured her.
Audrey let out a sigh of relief which seemed to roust those sleeping.
"Hey, how're you feelin'?" Nathan asked as he sat up.
"A little sore but good." Audrey shared.
"Nothing unusual?" Hermione asked as she stood next to Poppy.
"Actually, no. I don't feel like there's a part of me I can't access. I feel, well, I feel like me." Audrey told them.
"They say timing is everything." Chief Wuornos stated as he walked in. Seeing everyone's confused looks, he explained, "The Hunter meteor shower started last night."
"Oh. Oh! How is that going to work?" Audrey worried.
"I suppose that means we get to find the Barn and Agent Howard so he can let us know. As I see it, he can take the Aether with him and leave our little town alone." the Chief stated.
"Duke, you took Agent Parker there, do you remember where it was?" Audrey asked.
"I do. It was at Kick'em Jenny Neck. She went in and then came out a few hours later with no memories. I don't know what all happened but something sure did." Duke told them.
"Good. You can take us there tomorrow." Nathan demanded.
Duke stiffened at the command and was about to respond when Hermione laid a hand on his arm, stepping in front of him.
"You know, demanding something from someone who owes you nothing is not very smart." came her icy reply causing Duke to smile. Severus and Poppy both smirked, knowing just how fiercely protective Hermione was over those she cared about, especially if someone was deliberately disrespecting that person.
Audrey smiled at Hermione's defense of Duke. She was glad he had someone.
"Duke, would you be willing to take us there?" Audrey asked nicely, causing Nathan to roll his eyes and the Chief to smirk.
"Of course." Duke answered with a smile.
"First, I insist on everyone having a good breakfast." Poppy announced in her medi-witch voice.
"Allow me." Severus said before calling his house elf and requesting breakfast for seven. A few minutes later, after Hermione transfigured a table with chairs, a bountiful breakfast appeared. Of course, the magicals in the room enjoyed the astonished looks of everyone else.
"Isn't magic great!" Hermione joyfully said to break the silence and it worked. After various forms of agreement, everyone sat around and dug in, complimenting the very tasty offerings. Once finished, Audrey suggested they all go shower and get into fresh clothes.
Nathan dropped Audrey off before heading to his home just as Duke took Hermione home before going to his boat. Chief Wuornos left after checking to see if Severus and Poppy would be joining them. Both declined, saying there were other things which needed tending back in England.
An hour later found the small group meeting at the docks and heading out to find the Barn. Hermione had made sure to re-ward the chest her and Severus had put the Aether in so nothing could let it free. Once they docked at Kick'em Jenny Neck, they decided to stay together but spread out to search.
After a few hours, they finally stumbled into the clearing with Agent Howard standing there. He looked surprised for a moment before he schooled his features and stood straighter.
"Are you coming freely or have you decided to put up a fight?" Agent Howard asked with a nod towards those gathered around Audrey.
"I won't be going anywhere." Audrey stated calmly.
"Is that right?" Agent Howard asked with a smirk and cocked brow.
"It is." Hermione stepped in front of Audrey still holding the chest.
"And you are?" Agent Howard asked.
"I and another witch pulled all the corrupted Aether from Haven and its residents, near and far, including Audrey." She explained. They had decided to let Hermione do the explaining as she and her people were the ones to figure out and enact the cure.
"Is that so?" Agent Howard asked as he gave a worried and disbelieving look to Audrey.
"It is. What you want is in here." Hermione said as she lifted the chest up for him to see.
Agent Howard eyed the chest then the woman holding it. "I don't see how. That chest isn't large enough to hold that much Aether. Not to mention Audrey would be extremely sick or dead without the Aether sustaining her."
"You see, you are partly right. Audrey almost died several times through the procedure but the wonderful thing about magic, well my kind of magic, there's not much we can't heal. Once all the bad Aether was removed, I and two others like me spent hours healing her failing body. And this chest? It's a lot larger than you think. You see, it's magically enhanced. Trust me, all the bastardized Aether is in there." Hermione explained.
"You keep calling the Aether corrupt, bad and bastardized, why is that?" Agent Howard asked, very intrigued.
"Because it is. The original Aether is pure magic and not of either of our worlds." Hermione stated.
"How do you know this?" Agent Howard demanded.
Hermione cocked a brow at him before answering, "Because, Agent Howard, my culture has been around for millennias and some of us venture farther than our own backyards."
"I see and you believe this is what is tying Ms. Parker to the Barn?" Agent Howard prompted.
"Considering you and the Barn have a similar feel to the corrupted Aether, yeah, I do." Hermione replied.
"Is that true? Was the Aether in me and the town what made me return to end the Troubles?" Audrey asked, moving to stand beside Hermione.
Agent Howard sighed as he took the group in. He decided to tell them the history of Mara and her family then about Mara and William and finally about Audrey's connection to the Barn. However, as he was telling them all this, he made sure to watch Audrey closely. He wanted to see what her reactions would be to this new information. Her face showed pity then disgust and finally settled on horror when she learned the Barn's purpose.
"Okay, explain to me how the bloody hell someone is supposed to correct their behavior when all tells, of such behavior, are stripped away?" Hermione exploded.
"I do not know, I am just the Keeper." Agent Howard stated. "However, I will need you, Audrey, to enter the Barn to prove you are truly cured and only one personality survived."
Several voices rang out with varying degrees of disagreement and concern until Audrey held her hands up to quiet them down.
"Is that truly needed and will the Barn really know?" Audrey wanted clarified.
"It is necessary and, yes, the Barn will know. You will need to bring the chest with you. If you are truly cured and only the current programming is active, then the only way to enter is to be holding that." Agent Howard explained as he pointed to the chest still in Hermione's hands.
"Then why can't she just try to enter without the chest and you take it in?" Nathan growled out.
"Because," Agent Howard sighed, "the Barn needs to record the changes itself so there can be no doubt to the information." He finished irritably.
"Alright, let's do this then." Audrey said and took the chest from Hermione who gave her an encouraging smile.
Hermione and the young witch had spoken on the boat about Audrey possibly still needing to return a final time so the meteor shower passed with little to no harm to Haven. Audrey was worried about Nathan's reaction and Hermione had promised to stick him to the ground as well as shield the Barn, Audrey and Agent Howard from any unseen threats. So as soon as Audrey took the chest, Hermione dropped her wand to her hand, stepped back into Duke, who wrapped his arms around her, and took aim at Nathan. No sooner had she stuck his feet to the ground, Nathan tried to lunge forward to grab Audrey. Then Hermione threw a shield around the two and the Barn just as Nathan pulled his gun and tried to shoot Agent Howard.
Audrey, shocked but not really surprised by his stupid aggressiveness, and thankful for Hermione's quick actions, hurried her steps to the Barn while she tried to block out Nathan's ranting. Her last look over her shoulder, before entering, was Nathan waving his arms and shouting but what helped her heart and mind was Duke holding the brave witch and both with supportive half smiles upon their faces. Then she saw Garland Wuornos as grumpy looking as always with only his eyes showing her concern.
"Okay, so what now?" Audrey asked after the door closed and she took in the sterile room.
"Now, you hand me the chest and we see if your witch friend is correct." Agent Howard answered.
"What will happen if she is?" Audrey asked a bit apprehensively as she extended the chest towards him.
"If she is correct, the Barn will scan you, record the findings and then you will be promptly spit out. I and the Barn will disappear to never return." Agent Howard told her as he took the chest.
Audrey had no clue how long she was inside but she suddenly found herself landing on her butt on the ground. With a huff, she picked herself up, dusted her bottom and looked up in time to see Hermione release Nathan. Audrey smirked when she realized Hermione must have silenced him as well. She couldn't really blame her; Nathan's ranting could get old quick.
The next thing she knew, Nathan had her in his arms and was kissing her passionately which she returned; they would have a talk later, she was just glad to be out and remain Audrey Parker. Unbeknownst to them, Duke had spun Hermione around to kiss her senseless, leaving the Chief to snort and smile at their behaviors as he headed to the boat to give the two couples a bit of private time.