Disclaimer: Still wish it was mine, still not mine. All praise to Rowling for such a great work!
Chapter 28: Prepare for War
"It makes sense to me now, I think," Snape said quietly.
"What does?" Remus still stared out the foggy window, the view of the street obscured by rain, not that he noticed.
"Lily. Knowing what she did." He paused in thought, "I've been wondering if she knew that I would take the mark. If that's why she was kind to me."
It pained Severus a bit to think that Lily was trying to accomplish something specific in her previous actions. At one time he thought she pitied him, that particular time when James and his group had cursed him and turned him upside down so his underwear showed in the middle of the school grounds. At another he mistook it for attraction, when she had sat by him in the library to study—he was surprised she had continued to reach out to him after their previous encounter, back then he hadn't had the good sense to apologize for his rude language.
As members of opposing houses, their interactions were limited, but at the end he respected her as a friend. Her actions always spoke louder than her words, even amongst the company she kept. Her behavior was always congruent with her integrity and courage. Her death at the hands of the Voldemort in some ways had hit him harder than any other.
Remus turned to face him at that, "She was kind to everyone. She may have known you would make the choices you did, but she would've treated you with respect either way. That's just who Lily was." His voice was firm, almost angry defending her.
"I wasn't trying to diminish what she did as insincere," he apologized. Weren't you? Snape scolded himself. Self-deprecation was common for him, especially when her death reminded him of the shame he still burdened him at ever taking the mark.
"She was one of the most loving people I've ever known." Remus stared past the floor, his voice spoke with fond remembrance. "She was beautiful and smart… Hermione reminds me a little of her."
He choked a bit. He envied James. He and so many others saw Lily and James Potter together, so much in love, so committed. Their affection for one another, once established in their seventh year was obvious to everyone. This memory painfully reminded him of his loneliness. He remembered feeling the same way seeing Hermione and Severus together at dinner. He wanted that for himself, but long ago resigned himself to believe he'd never have it.
Severus found himself stunned at the comparison. And was finding himself eternally grateful to fate for bringing Hermione to him, for allowing him a love which he thought he could never share so deeply with another. He had always envied James, jealous and bitter for many months as he watched Lily do the one things she swore she would not do— date James Potter. Even after that, it didn't seem to change her. She still extended kindness and friendship to others, instead of losing herself in a youthful relationship which so often dissolved other friendships. But they were perfect together, or at least it seemed that way. Hard to believe that all the while she knew her time with Potter would be brief.
What had Hermione seen today? More than ever he wanted to know.
Remus felt the air hang as Severus became lost in his thoughts. "You're worried about Hermione." It was a statement not a question, and his guess was a bit too close to the mark for Severus to think it was intuition alone.
"Are you reading my thoughts?" Snape asked in accusation and amazed observation.
"That and it's written all over your face. Hermione is as stubborn as they come. I hope it won't be terribly difficult for us to help her in spite of it."
"Can you read Hermione's thoughts yet?" Snape asked, feeling the edges of jealousy once again at the thought that Remus could share intimacy with the woman he felt only he should be able to know that way.
"Sometimes. Just a little. Most of the time I think it's because she wants me to. She opens her mind up so that her thoughts are right there on the surface, others… it's like a wall slams down between us and I feel ordinary again."
Remus saw the tense look that crossed Snape's face, and he quickly added, "I think she's trying to train me to do it. How about you?"
At the question Snape's expression changed. In a guarded tone he responded, "at certain times…"
Remus didn't want to hazard a guess as to when those times were.
"She'll help us read her better. Though I can't imagine she'd enjoy us prying into her mind all of the time," he hinted. "She at least respects us enough to permit us to keep our thoughts private." He could hardly believe he heard those words come out of his mouth as he realized he would in fact encourage Hermione to do the opposite. Hearing the logic of it from his own lips helped him to concede the ethics of it a bit in Hermione's favor.
"I need to know if she's in danger, Remus. She and Harry are linked through their bond, and he didn't even know Lucius had kidnapped her." He thought again of the blood flowing easily down her back from the mysterious wound which appears after she had slept. She was facing far more danger than that, and he was afraid for her if he, her love, her future husband, could not even in sleep protect her from harm.
Lupin could hear the fear underlying his pressured tone. "That's not the same as what you have with Hermione. You know that. Hermione may have felt like she needed to face Lucius alone, but she won't deliberately shut you out. That's not stubborn, that's stupid and Hermione is not stupid." It was odd this. Is this my role now? Not just protecting Hermione but reassuring Severus as well?
"What is it?" Remus was listening to Severus intently now and he could tell he was holding something back. I see blood… "Did she get hurt today?"
Severus' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're reading me. How?"
"I don't know and stop dodging the question! How did she get blood on her back?"
"She was dreaming, and when she woke up she had a large gash down her back, perhaps from a slicing spell and her feet were caked with dirt. I healed it and the identical injury returned a few moments later when she had a waking vision." Severus' fists clenched just thinking about what had happened.
"So she's improving…" Remus thought aloud.
"How is that an improvement?!" She was hurt and that's all you can say!
"That's not what I meant, Severus. Calm down. You said she had a waking vision. That's more advanced. Up to now, most visions have tormented her while she slept. As she has more waking visions she'll gain more control and feel more rested when she actually does sleep. She's been running on empty for far too long. If she can continue to have more of these visions during the day, it will be the best thing for her."
"How do you know all this?"
"Liam. He went over what I needed to do, and tell me those things she needs from me that even she wouldn't be able to tell me." Remus gave Severus a serious and sincere look.
In that moment when their eyes met, they had come to an understanding. Severus Snape understood and accepted that Remus would give his life to protect her.
***
The trees blew and rustled against one another in a welcoming way as Hermione strolled from the edge of the Forbidden Forest toward her second home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a little disconcerting that the noises and sight of the castle from this angle was not unlike her dream, but the temperature was wrong, and the leaves weren't falling and it wasn't quiet. The song of birds could be heard which reassured her that this wasn't the dream. It wasn't time yet.
Hermione could smell wood burning from Hagrid's hut as she continued the path toward the steps where she graduated, the ones that she walked up hundreds of times over the course of her schooling, the ones that lay beneath the body of Rose Levi. So many memories, not all pleasant, but all important to her own history as she reacquainted herself with the majestic and magical grounds which were responsible for so much of her learning.
The last time she'd been here, it was in the dead blackness of night, in fear running to the dungeons. There in the distance she could see the Whomping Willow, a truly enormous tree, magnificent in its own right, however abusive and misunderstood it was. She remembered the time she, Harry and Ron were trapped in there with Lupin, Black, Wormtail and Snape. That was the first time she had truly seen how frightening powerful wizards could be. Especially Snape. He had been so angry that he wouldn't listen to reason. But she understood that he wanted to protect them. He could try to be a bastard but his motives, at least to her, had always seemed clear. There were a few Gryffindor cells in there somewhere, she thought as she ascended the steps to the grand foyer.
A tall, bearded man greeted her at the top of the stairs with a twinkle in his eye. He could be considered elderly only because of the color of his white hair, because his friendly disposition always belied his years which were nearing 200.
"Welcome Miss Granger. You are looking well," He said with a mischievously knowing glint in his eye.
Don't look at me like that, you nosy coot. Hermione's eyes narrowed with a smile.
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione took a breath as if to speak and shut her mouth.
Dumbledore always appeared to know more than he actually did. True, he had portraits in most all of Hogwarts, the Ministry, and St. Mungo's telling him all sorts of juicy gossip. In truth, he was just actually very good at drawing out the most interpersonal details of people allowing them to draw whatever conclusions they liked about his abilities. Consequently everyone thought he could read minds. One of the reasons Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard (aside from his experience, age and wisdom) was because people gave him that power. It was certainly well deserved.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of you visit today?"
"I came to see Sibyll."
"Indeed." He walked beside her toward the Divination classrooms up the tower.
"Does she have a class right now? I
don't wish to interrupt her."
"Oh no, Firenze is teaching today. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."
The tone of Dumbledore's voice made Hermione a bit suspicious. There was something there he wasn't telling her. She was tempted to fire back at him with his oft used phrase 'is there something you wish to tell me?' but thought better of it.
Firenze and Sibyll had traded off weeks of teaching. It gave Sibyll more free time and kept students on their toes. It didn't matter what Hagrid or Dumbledore said, Firenze was not going to be accepted back into the centaur community. Firenze had, in the centaurs' view, kowtowed too much to the humans. They felt magical creatures had too long been oppressed and grossly underestimated by the wizarding world. They had been viewed as animals, ignorant creatures without sophistication. They were completely unwilling to engage in the discussions needed to resolve those differences. Even though Dumbledore did treat them with respect as equals, the Ministry never would. The prevailing prejudice endorsed by wizarding society was obvious to all by the mammoth belittling statue at the government building.
Hermione could begin to smell the familiar remnants of burnt incense, not as thick as when she was in school but forever there… it had seeped into the damp stone walls. Hundreds of years from now, it'd probably smell just the same.
As she arrived at her office door she thanked Dumbledore for the escort, and the large mahogany door swung open revealing the graceful frame of Sibyll Trelawney.
"I've been expecting you."
"Good, because I'm here," Hermione said with a wink and embraced the woman she hadn't seen for a long while, but whom she still considered friend.
"Tea?"
"Yes, thank you."
"You should visit more often Hermione, it's been too long." But before a guilty Hermione could comment Sibyll held up her hand. "I know you've had quite a bit on your plate dear. You've had your hands full with that Grumple fellow. And…" she looked up with a smile, "congratulations on finally nabbing him."
Hermione blushed. "You did know!"
"No way not to dear. You deserve it."
"I wasn't sure he'd come around."
"I was." Sibyll sipped her tea with a smug matter of fact look on her face.
"No wonder you had him take a week off. That was impressive. Severus is never one to skive off his duties."
"Well after waiting so long… I had to do something." Sibyll sipped her tea innocently.
"Wait a second," Hermione set her cup down. "How long have you known?"
She winced. "Since that summer after your sixth year."
"Get out!" Hermione's jaw dropped. "If I had known I could have confided in you all of this time… Geesh! I would've been good to talk about it is all." Hermione slumped in her chair a bit, immediately comfortable and remembering that she and Sibyll could immediately retreat back to a place of comfort in understanding only the way they uniquely could. It was nice.
"Hermione, I have told no one of the things that I have seen…" she left it unspoken but Hermione knew she was referring to the Clisha. "…except for the Grumple situation. He is having you followed."
"I know. That's why I've been hiding out at home."
"That's not what I meant. He's following you very closely. Two men are as we speak sitting in a parked car down the street from your flat waiting to locate you. They saw Ron run in the other day."
Hermione's face was pale. She did not know that. "Oh no… What am I going to do about him?" She thought aloud.
Sibyll reached out a put a hand on her arm to get her attention. "Hermione, what are we going to do about him. We. You're not alone. I talked to Albus about it. He and Harry are speaking to the Minister right now."
"Oh my God! Really? But I just saw him…"
"He wanted to see you safely here. He has been very worried for you since you left school. I know he has asked things of you… but he really wants the best for you."
"The best? What does that mean?" She thought it and hadn't realized she had blurted it out.
"Hermione, he wants you to be at peace."
Hermione almost cried on the spot. He knew she was in turmoil. Dumbledore wanted her to be at peace. Peace. The word alone washed a wave of comfort over her body. Then she felt the pang of loss that she felt knowing did not immediately trust people's intentions anymore. When had she stopped doing such a basic thing? She had always accepted people for who they were. She wasn't naïve. But she had faith. When had she lost it?
Sibyll redirected her attention to the topic at hand. "The Grumple issue has been needing to come to a head."
"Because Fudge won't address it without being forced…" Hermione finished. "How can you be so sure?"
Trelawney's face became clouded in thought. "I can't. I don't know when. But it will end. And soon."
Hermione knew she wasn't referring to Grumple anymore. Hermione held her gaze. "I had a vision today of how it ends."
The elder seer sighed deeply, wearily— and then straightened after a deep breath. "What do we need to do?"
Hermione had expected she would ask about the vision but instead she asked the more important question of what to do about what she saw. That was the trick. Knowing how to respond to a vision or premonition. Choosing… deciding… acting. "We need to gather up the strongest and most loyal women we know to meet this weekend. We need to learn elemental magic."
Sibyll just smiled knowingly. The spark in her eye confirmed Hermione's suspicions about that day on the school grounds. She knew about the wisteria.
"I'll contact Minerva, Molly, Ginny, Sprout… anyone else?"
Hermione sat calmly with flashes of the vision before her. A long row of women surrounded the enormous castle, barefoot, wands raised, sentries of Hogwarts… In a solemn but serious tone she replied,
"Everyone."
What do you mean 'everyone'?
"I mean as many women as we can find who are loyal. We need this. Now. I thought… I thought it might be possible that this would happen in a year… we have weeks maybe, until fall. That's all." Hermione's expression was one of tacit acceptance and determination. She didn't notice her own body language but her jaw was set and her fists were tightly clenched.
"We must prepare."
***
Dumbledore notified Harry that Grumple had been following Hermione. That had been the last straw. Harry was feeling very unpredictable. He was an intelligent man, but fiercely loyal in protecting his friends and that meant he could be rash. Dumbledore alone was very angry, but he kept it under cover easily. Harry had planned to see the Minister like it or not, Dumbledore in a way was there to keep Harry's temper in check. The tall men strode in the room walking swiftly past the young secretary who sat filing papers with a swish and flick.
"W-wh-what is the meaning of this? I have appointments today…" Fudge stammered, as he brainstormed quickly of half a million ways to fire his secretary for allowing them past.
Harry and Dumbledore sat directly in front of the Minister of Magic, firmly not losing eye contact with the man who had finally yielded to their demand to see him. Fudge was clearly not at all pleased to see them and tried to avert their accusing stares.
Harry had never in his life been so angry.
"Sit. Down. Mr. Minister." It was Harry who spoke first in a commanding tone reminiscent of the power that Dumbledore exuded that day in the Department of Mysteries as Dumbledore protected him from Lord Voldemort. Today Dumbledore was the outwardly collected one as Harry Potter quickly replaced him as someone who should be equally feared by someone such as Fudge.
Fudge blanched and sat in his chair as if he had been pushed into it. "Well, I guess I can make some time. Ms. Sherinia? Please hold all appointments," he remarked in a quick snobbish tone as he attempted to reassure himself with the power of his office.
"You will contact Mr. Grumple and bring him here immediately." Harry's voice was cold and serious but that didn't prevent Cornelius from snorting with disbelief.
"You must be joking… he is a busy…"
"You listen to me Fudge," Harry's voice was a deadly low growl, a place it had frequently remained since the Auror's deaths. "Hermione Granger provided you numerous times with information about Grumple and you ignored it. How could you knowingly keep the contract of someone you know to be deliberately responsible for the deaths of Ministry officials?!" He was seething now, towering over the seated Minister his white hands planted widely across his desk. Fudge tried to resist the urge to crouch a bit in his chair.
"I don't know any such thing…" he said a bit too weakly.
"If I may Mr. Potter," Dumbledore interrupted offering Harry the opportunity to gather himself as well as Cornelius. The Minister needed an opportunity on how to respond as well. He needed to be calmer for the task ahead. Getting Grumple to come willingly would not be easy. It was proving far too difficult to locate him through usual means. "Cornelius, you will find ruling the British wizarding community will become very difficult for you— if you are exposed as someone who contributed to the death of the Aurors of prominent wizarding families."
Fudge was furious. The words spilled out of his beet red face. He would have turned purple if he didn't let the air out. "You can't just barge in here and accuse me of such a thing. They died in the line of duty. It was a tragic accident!!"
"By your action of inaction, it matters not," Dumbledore calmly added. With his smug twinkle and a glance over the rims of his glasses, he could scold any wizard until they cowered back to a school-age child. "You will contact Mr. Grumple and bring him here immediately." He left no room for arguement.
Fudge was gob-mouthed. "I will not do this." It was a useless last ditch effort. You can't just waltz in here and order me around. I'm the Minister of Magic!
Harry hadn't had enough time to calm himself.
"YOU WILL DO THIS RIGHT NOW!" Grabbing the phone, he shoved it toward the blustering Minister. "Can you dial yourself, or do we need to bring in Ms. Sherenia to do it for you?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.
Ms. Sherenia heard the shouting but knew better of it and stayed out of their way. This wasn't the first time she had heard shouting in his office before though it usually happened when Mr. Fudge was yelling as other people not the other way around. She savored this moment.
Fudge was shaking now, taking the receiver from Harry while he pulled out a writing surface which extended from his antique desk. As he searched for the number written on a parchment stuck to the wood, he dialed before he realized he had to hang up again. Too much time had passed while he had searched for the number the first time and the tone went busy. He tapped for a new dial tone and called.
"Mr. Grumple, I believe we need to discuss the terms of our arrangement. Some things have come to my attention that are unsettling to say the least. Can you Floo over to my office? I'm not comfortable continuing this conversation by phone." He stared blankly at the pair of cold green eyes before him.
A moment passed before Fudge became irritated by the apparent response.
"Mind who you are speaking with, Grumple. You are running your company, and I am running the Ministry. We are both busy, so let's get this over with. Come in 30 minutes. We need to discuss the terms of our contract." Cornelius Fudge was sweating. He needed to persuade Grumple to come himself, which he never did, he always sent a representative. Fudge felt like Grumple held all the marbles. Now he wanted them back.
Finally Grumple graced him with a response, and he hung up the receiver.
Cornelius waited in uncomfortable silence and tried not to squirm under the loathing, scrutinizing stares of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
It was a bad idea to piss off Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, order of Merlin, First-Class, member of the Wizengamot. He had his own collectable Chocolate Frog cards, and it was rumored, that his image on the card would provide a frightening look at an owner who was up to no good.
Harry Potter, on the other hand— being the young man he was, has no such reputation as of yet for his threatening gaze. He was working on that reputation now, looking more imposing than the Dark Lord himself at the floundering Minister.
Grumple, a hefty over-weight man in a fine tailored suit strode in with a huff past the Minister's secretary and stared incredulously at the two guests he did not expect to be present.
"This had better be good Fudge. What do you want?"
"We would like to ask you some questions about your contract with the Ministry, Mister Grumple." Harry managed in the calmest voice he could muster under the circumstances.
"That much is obvious, however the matters pertaining to this contract are bound by confidentiality so therefore I will not answer any questions made by you, Mister Potter. I deal with the Minister of Magic only. I am however, quite startled as to how you came upon such information," he said in mock surprise with a look in the Minister's direction. "Cornelius what have you to say?"
He was playing his clever games, turning it around. In a Muggle life he would have fancied himself as having the logic worthy of a barrister. He was slippery enough anyway.
"SHUT UP, GRUMPLE! Silence this instant! Your protection under the confidentiality clause became null and void once those Aurors died. One of our researchers has made a claim that the purity of your potions ingredients are of substandard quality."
"Hmpph. Meaningless. Accusations without any basis in fact." Grumple's chins protruded even father from his neck as he stuck his chest out. He appeared quite confident in his ability to talk his way out of this one, as he had done countless times before.
"The testing has shown that ingredients specific to Veritaserum, magical explosives, strengthening potions and most antidotes were of little or no value." So he did read her notes, Harry thought. "As soon as I received those memos they were submitted for a full inquiry…"
Full inquiry, my ass. Yeah there was an inquiry… as of 10 seconds ago, Harry sneered.
"…that it why you were summoned on such short notice. Given the money the Ministry has paid to your establishment…"
And that you have taken a cut of no doubt… mused an angrier Harry.
"How dare you accuse me of fraud! You asked for the impossible Fudge! You make cuts everywhere. Even during a shortage, something must give. You offered me 40% less than what these ingredients normally cost and then demanded to purchase them in bulk at a time when these items are scarce! No doubt your potions mistress has cut the strength to stretch your supply…" Grumple accused with a silky smug venom.
Harry sat up straight at the same time as Dumbledore and Fudge. Fudge said confidently as he noticed the slip, "I never identified to you who wrote those memos, nor the gender of said person."
For a fat man, Grumple was quick. He shot up out of his chair but before he could extend his wand there was an explosion of movement to the right of him.
"BODY BIND!" Ropes streamed out of the end of Harry's wand and encased the large man before them, binding Grumple to the chair. A quick 'Silencio' and Grumple's angry cursing could not be heard. However, a faint ringing was muffled beneath the ropes and the dim light of a cell phone could be viewed. Harry poked at the stiff cords with his wand as Grumple struggled in vain, his eyes bulging in panic at the sound of his cell phone. With some coaxing he managed to wriggle the tiny phone free of his pants pocket.
The phone continued to ring and after a muttered charm to his voice box, Harry answered the phone.
"We found her," an out-of-breath man said. "She's walking up the steps to her apartment now. She's alone. Should we kill her now or do you want us to stash her somewhere else?"
Harry glared at Grumple with venom as he hissed the orders back to the thug with a voice unlike his own. "No, wait for my instructions. I will contact you in ten minutes. Wait for my call." Harry hung up, leaving the man on the other end wondering why Grumple had ever been so polite.
"Get Veritaserum, and another Auror. We're going to have an emergency hearing right now." It was Dumbledore speaking now, and Cornelius paled as he realized that Grumple might be made to say too much. If Grumple was going to go down in flames, he wouldn't go down alone.
It was a shame that no one could hear the grateful wings of a small beetle eagerly humming in the safe residence of Harry's coat pocket.
Yes, the one and only sticky-lipped, silver-tongued reporter had a story the wizarding world would never forget. If she played her cards right, she'd be independently wealthy and once and for all out from under the thumb of Hermione Granger who had blackmailed her for far too long.
Once again the pen would be mightier than the sword, or in this case— the Quick-Quotes quill would be mightier than the Minister.
Yes indeed, this would be payment in full.
***
Hermione walked through the front up the steps to her flat with purpose. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the car Sibyll had described and viewed a man she'd never seen before ascending the steps to flat next door, pretending— and badly, to be a visitor for a neighbor she knew was out of town for one month. Her ring was still warm. She could feel the anger coursing through Harry's veins. Though of course, she knew how his time was occupied.
She opened the door which immediately earned a strange look from Severus. Remus however, in rare form, appeared to know immediately.
The images flashed quickly through his mind. His first assignment. "What would you like me to do?" He obediently stood and twirled his wands between his hands as he contemplated.
Hermione smiled. Remus was getting the hang of this with very little instruction and she wondered how he was doing it. Severus was looking angrier by the moment as he noted once again, that he was left out of the know.
Very casually, Hermione walked to Severus and put her hands on his shoulders and began to rub. "Grumple's men have been following me, and I have allowed them to get a glimpse. I assume they called Grumple and are waiting for instructions." Hermione was strangely calm, as more images flashed before her. She continued to rub a still stiff Snape who tried to stand up abruptly but she stilled his movement with a projected thought. She continued, "There is a man parked in a car two blocks from here and a man standing in front of the flat next door, mid forties, big, wearing a plaid shirt and tan overcoat. Aurors will be here any minute."
"Don't worry Hermione. They will be gift wrapped by the time they get here," he calmly said with a smile walking to the door.
"Thank you, Remus."
"My pleasure," he said with a feral smile and a bow. She watched his exiting form and thought back to her conversation with Sibyll.
Severus spoke up, "What about Grumple?"
"He'd indisposed at the Ministry at present." And Severus turned to face her. She sat facing him and put her hands on his face looking at him deeply. "Harry and Dumbledore decided to take matters into their own hands and confronted Fudge about him."
"You're kidding."
"I'm not. As we sit here," she looked up as if accessing some mental image, "Grumple is bound to a chair awaiting Veritaserum and another Auror. There will be a swift indictment."
"You are so sure?"
Hermione just smiled. She knew so. Her brow furrowed and she turned her head slightly as another image came into view.
"What is it?"
She chuckled to herself and shook her head. I could just kiss you Harry! Brilliant. "Wait 'til Remus gets back. You won't believe this."
***
He descended the stairs with a bounce in his step, hand in his pocket, wand at the ready— exiting the front door, whistling a happy tune. That's right, just a nice happy stroll after the rain. Look straight ahead, nod 'good day' to the gentleman to your left, Remus prompted himself. So many people here walked to the local stores, he'd blend right in. Remus crossed the street, and continued to whistle. He approached the car and passed it. He turned the corner and when he was certain that no one was looking, indeed the street was vacant except for the parked car and the loiterer at the neighbor's home—he apparated into the vehicle with a 'pop' quickly body binding the hired man and silencing him. Remus ducked low, looking behind to see if the second thug noticed anything amiss.
The man dressed in the tan overcoat just stood there, taking a long drag off his cigarette, clearly distracted as he muttered to himself. Remus cast 'Petrificus Totalus' on the man in the vehicle and disapparated to the street behind Hermione's flat, far enough out of the way that the sounds of his apparation could not be overheard, tipping off his enemy.
As he crept quietly between the brownstone apartments, Remus wondered if she could teach him how to do that without noise. He was shocked when he found Hermione could even appear inside Hogwarts, beyond wards. No disapparation spell could hold her. Well, she wasn't apparating really. The physics of it boggled him and decided not to injure himself thinking on it.
The hit man had his back turned as he smoked away and turned restlessly, debating the benefits of pacing. He checked his watch for the third time, playing with the cell phone in his left hand. He pressed a button on the phone and spoke into it, "Roger?"
Remus retrieved his wand and cast immediately. He had a feeling 'Roger' was tied up.
"Roger? " He hung up the phone. "Dammit, you better not be sleeping," he grumbled.
Looking up and down the street, he cast, "Body bind! Accio thug!" The screaming man's body came hurling toward Remus back in the alleyway in the nick of time as a car drove up the street. It was only mildly unfortunate that the railing of the porch got in the way as the man flew though the air toward the knight. His back hit the rail, and he flipped over the side landing with a thud in the marshy ground.
Remus grabbed him and flipped him over. Dirt and grassy remains had stuck to the man's fuming face. Remus thought about interrogating him. A list of painful hexes, curses and dark spells ran through his mind but were quickly discarded. The former DADA teacher liked to duel, but his wasn't a cruel or stupid man. He thought about a more personal form of punishment, but the Aurors were coming… Hermione had said as much.
Damn this was more boring than expected. But boring is good. Boring is safe. There will be plenty of time for excitement later, he thought sadly. The war was long overdue and imminent, and he felt it. By the look in Hermione's eyes when she came in the door, he knew it'd be the next topic up for discussion.
***
The Aurors came quickly with some pops behind Remus. A surprised Susan Bones and Neville Longbottom strode forward and took custody of the large muddy man in the grass. Tonks and another official has already retrieved the one from the vehicle.
"Nice work Professor Lupin," Neville said.
"How did you know to be here?" Susan Bones inquired.
"I was at Hermione's when I got word about her being followed. I decided to make myself useful. Do me a favor and let us know if there are any others lurking about. Maybe there aren't just two following you know?"
Susan Bones piped up. "Don't worry, Harry's interrogating Grumple now. We'll have this wrapped up in the next hour or so." She pocketed his wand and balanced the man between her and Neville Longbottom.
"Should we contact you by owl?" With raised eyebrow, Neville gave a quizzical look to Lupin. He truly was surprised the werewolf was here, as he had understood Hermione to be in hiding and that she had kept her flat's location a secret for years. She wasn't known to be on the Floo Network, and only today were they made aware of her location by Harry Potter.
"An owl will find us now. Now that Grumple's caught, Hermione won't have to be so unreachable. But please be discrete. The less publicity the better. We don't want a picture of the street or her flat in the paper or anything."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that… Grumple will be front page news for a week at least," Susan added. They disapparated with the criminal in tow.
Neville and Susan were pretty shocked to find that Hermione Granger was the ministry official in danger. They had seen some people lurking about without official reason to be at the Ministry and had detained several people. The identity of their Associate Director of Potions had remained secret to all employees except a select few, at her request. Only a few eyebrows were raised. Most employees made this request due to domestic violence and desire to remain anonymous, but Aurors didn't often see it in the higher posts.
Longbottom was proud when he was notified about Hermione's position. It explained a lot. She had seemingly dropped out of existence for a while, and they were close in school. But he still wondered why he hadn't seen her at the Order meetings. He hoped he'd have a chance to come back and ask her once these prisoners were detained and questioned.
***
Back at Hermione's flat, once again Severus and Remus sat around the oak table.
"Ok we're all here, fill us in O Wise One." Remus was joking and wanted to encourage a bit of lighter spirits around Hermione with her daytime visions. Not all could be pleasant. But they both could tell by the wrinkle in her smile that something was afoot.
"What do you know about Rita Skeeter?" Severus smiled as he realized right away what Hermione was getting at.
"A horrible excuse for a woman, writes whatever she feels and damned be the consequences. What's up with her?"
"She's an unregistered animagus. I found out in my fourth year and then kept her in a charmed jar. Rather good for blackmail. She was the same reporter who wrote that nice piece for the Quibbler on Harry in our fifth year. We were dying for a piece of the truth to be printed after all of that crap in the Daily Prophet. She's really quite handy when she's not embellishing so much."
"So what? What's this got to do with her?" Remus asked.
Hermione looked at Severus with a mischievous and triumphant smile. "Right now, she's in Harry's pocket. She sat though the whole interrogation!" Hermione closed her eyes as she invited the images of the recent past to flow through her mind. "She overheard everything. And I have to add, Rita will likely report the contradiction in Fudge's statements before Grumple was interrogated and afterward. Gentleman, I think it would be safe to start a betting pool on who our new Minister might be."
Severus was grinning, "Do you know this for certain? Did you see it?"
"No, I am guessing it is quite likely. But I am positive that Rita Skeeter is about to make her career with this next article."
Shortly later, Harry apparated into the flat and Hermione hugged him fiercely. "You didn't bring anyone we know did you?"
He laughed, "No. She left almost immediately. She's hoping to make tomorrow's paper." Harry's expression changed. "I'm glad you're okay." He quieted and looked at her fondly. "No more hiding, Hermione."
She looked deeply into his green eyes, her own were filled with emotion both hope and sadness, regret and hesitancy.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
He looked to the faces of Remus and Severus and couldn't fully read them either.
Hermione placed a strong hand on his shoulder and led him to the couch in front of Remus and Severus.
"I suspect, we have less than three months." She let out a shuddered breath.
Remus and Harry gasped. Severus sat in stunned silence. Instinctively she reached for his hand and grasped it, stroking his hand with her thumb.
"Can you show me?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure if I should. But we need to prepare."
"Knowledge will help us. Hermione, c'mon. Tell me what you know." Harry was insistent.
"Alright," she agreed quietly. She released Severus and grasped Harry's hands. "Wait a minute." She thought for a moment. "Let's all do this."
Their eyes darted around, "How? You mean all of us could share your vision?" Remus asked.
"Why not? Just make sure you all remain calm. This is a vision of the future, not set in stone. Get relaxed, and put your hands here." Three hands appeared close to one another on the end of the couch. Hermione placed her hands on theirs and the journey began.
Flying above the Hogwarts grounds, rows of women in long robes could be viewed guarding the castle barefoot, wands raised. A storm appeared on the horizon, the grayish clouds obscuring a would-be sunset. The wind whipped through the forest and the rustling noises of the trees were some of the only sounds of nature available. Animals and birds, other wild and magical creatures had already abandoned the forest in anticipation of the encroaching danger.
Hermione felt fear roar under her skin. Why? It hadn't felt like this before. But Severus and Remus were with her, and Harry. She didn't want to risk losing all three at once in the upcoming fight. She painfully acknowledged it was quite possible, but tried to keep perspective as the journey through the vision pressed on.
Severus projected his feelings of love for her and she immediately felt the warm comfort of his arms around her supporting her. She refocused and smiled inwardly that Severus was taking command of some of his new abilities and using it to help her. She needed him. She loved him. Please don't leave me.
They flew suspended above the woods observing a running Hermione. Her feet raced over the leaves and branches and roots as curses and hexes followed her lithe form. She could feel the pounding of her feet and her heart as she dodged the bolts of green and yellow. Blood spilled unnoticed from her back as a curse hit her. Harry ran up from the opposite direction and they regarded each other with a sense of deja-vu.
Immediately a group of Death Eaters appeared between them as Harry quickly disarmed them by half. Sadness, coldness and darkness unnatural to the woods and remaining daylight converged on them as the Dementors surrounded them. Harry chanted and the familiar animagus form of James Potter trampled the creatures. Hermione again felt strangely unaffected by their presence, the light she held in her heart outshone any external darkness. Crouching low, her fingers connected to the damp leaves and soil she incanted…
Earth.
The Death Eaters were flattened to the ground, some virtually sunk into the earth, and she nearly wept as she observed the forest casualties. She walked past a bewildered Harry, and carefully replanted the uprooted trees. She touched the bark, and kissed them whispering under her breath.
Harry felt a strength surge through the earth as the oaks stood taller than they had before, small shoots of new trees crept up from the forest floor, echoes of the raw power of nature. He looked in awe at his friend, the long spirals of her tousled hair flowed down her back nearly touching the ground.
Turning, she looked at Harry and took his hand. Both now with wands extended, they walked forward through parting trees and came face to face with Lord Voldemort.
She gasped and her eyes shot open, clutching at her heart, feeling pain in her chest. Harry quickly put a supportive arm around her and hugged her close. "God, Hermione," he whispered into her hair. She pulled away steadying herself with her hands on his upper arms. She covered her mouth with her hands and everyone was silent.
"We need to call an emergency meeting of the Order tomorrow night," she said vacantly. "Harry call Ron Molly, and Albus and let's try to have complete attendance."
"Alright." He disapparated with a pop leaving her, Remus and Severus.
She looked at Remus who acknowledged her and disapparated.
Hermione was immediately in Severus' arms who kissed her head and held her closely. They had no words to convey their feelings about what was witnessed. There was no doubt they were close to the end. He had seen the falling leaves, the change of season. They had little time.
So the lovers decide to make the best with the time they had left.
***
Through painful but loving tears they kissed each other passionately. He kissed her quickly all over her face and neck in an attempt to heal their hearts. He felt the waves of complete faith and trust wash over him as he immersed himself in emotion.
They vaguely recalled the path their feet took as they wandered down the stairs to their bedroom, feverishly and painfully covered in the embraces, touches and kisses of untamed adoration of the other. She lost herself quickly, her mind floating freely through waves of desire, somewhat oblivious to where his lips had roamed.
They connected and Severus trembled with the awesome power of it. The waves of their union echoed through the room, the stems of a once beautiful flower arrangement were now barren of petals. His well defined muscles tightened and released with beautiful ferocity of movement. Hands and fingers, breathing and murmurs danced over their bodies as they joined again in the most passionate of unions yet.
Severus was so overwhelmed by the love she projected for him he could scarcely bear it in his heart. Her kisses and seductive movements were lost to him as she pleasured him body and spirit. Once again he felt healed and renewed, rejuvenated by the acceptance that she would never betray him and that he could completely trust her.
Silent tears escaped her lids as she felt his heart open so. She had never felt so naked, so unhindered. Their passions escalated with each lick, bite and thrust when a shocking wave of energy erupted from them once again not unlike their first night, but different.
Hermione was lost in a different place now. An out of body experience of sorts. The physical things that were happening in the bed weren't nearly as important as their connectedness, as the absolute serenity of spirit she had only experience during her deepest meditations. As they moved as one, still appreciating each other, she had visions… visions of important things which could no longer be delayed. She was detached and the images didn't pain or distract her as before. She felt the calling of her ancestors, she felt the glimmer of the life in her womb and the next step ahead. Time meant nothing, and yet somewhere else she was dimly aware her physical self was screaming out in release with her love.
She looked up in to the deep black eyes of her love. Their gaze did not waver as they beheld each other for a long while before separating. They were both crying, once again their love and passion for each other demonstrated by plain sight.
Oh my love.
She reached up her hand to stroke his brow and touch his hair. She looked at him knowingly. He returned her smile.
She slipped into the bathroom without speaking, washed and dressed herself in almost ritualistic fashion.
Mother, I am coming.
***
Author's Notes:
How do you like them apples?! Hope it was worth the wait. Next up, you guessed it… Coronation.
Thanks so much to all reviewers! Thanks for sticking this out! I'm not sure how many more chapters it will take to complete… maybe 5 or so.
By the way, I have given up on trying to put in the body of this text the astrology readings of Severus and Hermione. They are awesome and thought I keep reloading it, it w\always gets cut off. I'll be glad to e-mail them to you individually they are so good. Let me know if you are interested.
I was also disappointed on how my formatting had changed in the last chapter. Much was not in italics as it should have been. I apologize for the confusion. Some paragraph returns were taken out as well leaving Severus' and Hermione's private link somewhat confusing. I will, once again try to reload it.
I am starting a new fan fic so I will try to keep up with both. Once again the new fic with feature the power of women. Girls rock!
Azulkan2: thank you much, hope you like the next chapter!
Bastet-the-cat-goddess: Thank you for your review, awesome name by the way. Thanks for returning to finish the fic. Hope your dad didn't freak out. Wink. ; )
Beauty Queen-1979: Thanks for your review! Were you really a beauty queen? Sorry your printer broke. I too, print out chapters and read them on the bus on the way to work. Glad you liked the pendant bit.
Athena: Thanks! I hope I can end it as spectacularly as it began. I had so many ideas when this whole thing started and now I'm faced with a blank page as I'm trying to dream up how it will all end. Thank you, thank you! Keep reading!
Cianna Greenwood: Thank you, characterizations are hard. I'm glad you like Liam. Truly his story is so sad. Even though he is a former vampire in this fic, I always imagined he looks like Duncan McLeod of Highlander. Old, weary misunderstood. There will be more exciting stuff on him next chapter. Oooh… sorry to bait you but don't want to spoil the plot.
SpacedOutAnna: All in one go? Cool. I'm flattered. I have easily spent all day or stay up until 4am reading one fic. Thanks.
Weena: Thanks! Let me know what you would like to see happen!
Lady Sunflower: Yay! I'm happy your happy! I think the best part about reading fics is all the emotions I feel when reading them. I've laughed and cried. I hope if my writing improves and I can write better angst and humor then my readers will be tearful and rotfl too. Thanks you for your feedback. I have gone over and over the chapters, and while some are losing some formatting I still find comma errors and 'form' instead of 'from'. Wish I had a beta. When I have time I will try to reload corrected chapters. I will try to make sure I write more about who is thinking what to be clearer. Thanks!
Redlady27: Great! I'll e-mail you the horoscope, still didn't come out. Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like you're a lot like Hermione. She just likes to stick her toe in the Slytherin pool.
Disenchanted Glow: Glad you're curious, I want to create some suspense. There will be more of Hermione's visions soon. Remus will find happiness and Liam… well you'll have to wait and see. Liam is a great character I wish I could spend more time on. I imagine he is the father figure who has helped Hermione out behind the scenes since her adoption. Ever present.
Elf-princess777: Woo hoo! Thanks! I had a great time on my trip, though I did get sick (ugh) but I spent a lot of time with the 8 month old munchkin who is my niece. More soon!
Xmaverick14x: Thanks a bunch. I can't believe it's suspenseful. Wait, maybe that's because I know what's going to happen.