Chapter 10- The Staff And Stone
The lock on the door clicked open and the exhausted group came in and sat themselves into different conjured chairs. Ron spotted Hermione in the sea of heads and kissed her adorable cheeks in welcome. Everyone hurried to every available seat as Hermione shifted her position as though she was about to say something important.
"Um..." she started after clearing her throat, "I just wanted to announce publicly that I'm pregnant... two months now." Ron felt himself flush as the crowd exploded in applause. Hermione shifted slightly and then motioned for the people to quiet down. "And congratulations to our latest achievement."
The room was filled with applause again before people started departing minutes later. Ron saw this as a chance to be alone with Hermione and present his gift. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and motioned for her to sit down on one of the chairs. He took Hermione's hand squeezed it gently as he thought.
In looking back, Ron felt truly sorry for the old man. He had no family, no one to turn to in times of need. It was like he was hanging on to his work as his only reason to live. Ron felt bad that he did not pay the man some money. Yet, on the back of his mind, something told him that it was an opportunity that he had to take. It would make someone really happy, and the man gave the ring willingly. He dug deep into his pocket and felt the cold metal touch his skin. He took it out and inserted it in Hermione's finger.
Hermione felt a little
shocked, surprised, special. She swallowed and then said in an off
voice, "Thank you! But..." She looked away trying to think of the
best way to say what she was about to without hurting Ron, "Why?"
To
her surprise, Ron did not glower at her reprovingly, but instead
chuckled softly and beamed at her while saying, "Silly! You're
overworked." Ron kissed her again. "You know you don't have to
ask why. I love you and I want you to be happy," Ron looked
amazingly handsome; it was as though his whole face was sparkling in
a brilliant glow. "That's all that matters," he finished.
Hermione smiled feeling satisfied. She never felt happier today; nothing- not even the hope of vanquishing Voldemort- could ever uplift her heart but the declaration of love that Ron had just done. She felt comforted, refreshed, and ready to face the world and all its evils. Nothing could stop her. "I love you too!" Hermione joyously.
The two of them hugged passionately, feeling each other's warmth. Ron felt Hermione's inviting lips, her smooth skin, and the slender curves of her body. They were all so irresistible. He felt overpower by her misty breath. He was drawn to her bare flesh. If he could only rip off that clothe that impeded his advance. He was only inches away from her nakedness: he could taste it with his tongue and feel it with his fingers. Yet, he could not reveal Hermione's bare body. He noticed a slight jolt of concern in his heart for another person that dwelled within her love. He must not be so selfish: Hermione must rest. He pulled away with all his might.
He gave Hermione a comforting look and said, "You need to sleep." He tapped Hermione's stomach playfully. "Little one needs to rest."
Hermione nodded in approval and rose from her seat. They made a quick last glance at each other, and then Hermione hurried to their bedroom.
"Hermione wait!" Ron blurted out.
"Yes, honey?"
"About the stones.... I think maybe we should go on without you, you know?" Ron shifted uneasily as Hermione's eyes widened. "I mean you need your rest."
Ron's words that day started a chain of daily roes between him and Hermione about the welfare of their unborn baby: Hermione insisted that she was very able to come along the group when collecting the jewels, and that she was responsible for them. Yet, Ron feels that every single time Hermione puts herself in harms way she's risking two lives. Other than that, the stress created from the situation might cause her to fall ill.
One fight led to another, the tunnel was filled with endless recriminations, and Cho's animated storytelling became drowned out by Ron's constant ranting as he paced around the meeting room. Cho tried hard to raise her voice above the screaming, and still tell her story without sounding angry.
"So he was a bandit." Cho screamed.
"Look! I'm just thinking about our child's future." Said Ron from somewhere in the tunnel.
"Ron, if you think I can't take care of myself then maybe we should go away from each other for a while. I don't want you sneaking up on me every five minutes telling me I couldn't do things...I've done a lot these past few months and my pregnancy didn't stop me one bit!"
"Wait! Hermione!"
Hermione strode into the crowded meeting room looking flustered. Ron followed her a few minutes after wearing a pleading look. Everyone ignored them, as this had become the norm at this time. A few times they disturbed Dumbledore from his work and they had to keep quiet. However, this didn't last long and the argument went on once the headmaster was out of the room.
"So Cho...how did they convince him to join?" Seamus asked loudly after the two had left.
"I don't really remember." There were a few chuckles from the crowd. Cho waved her hand to dismiss the situation. "It doesn't matter. He's a bandit, and then he became a warrior. Then everyone else, he had a special bond with the priestess."
"I thought fans were used to cool yourself, not to burn yourself," joked Luna. Nobody laughed.
"Well, that's it for today. We'll just have to wait two more weeks for the next story." A wave of sighs traveled through the crowd but everyone got up and dispersed.
The two weeks passed by rapidly. No one had anything to do but endure the constant arguing of Ron and Hermione. Everyone started to begin getting excited again as the day to collect the fifth jewel came. Draco Malfoy was being pressed to do his work, and he would dully tell them to move out of his way. He wasn't the only one, however, since Cho was also constantly being interrupted from her work by pesky people who wanted to hear her stories beforehand.
It didn't take a long while for people to notice the increased frequency of Ron and Hermione's fights. Hermione was adamant but Ron was persistent. Everybody was disturbed since they usually fought in the meeting room where they could scream as loudly as they wanted but not be heard from the outside.
Many stories and rumors spread about what kind of powerful monstrosity would be lurking inside the fifth chamber. Many shivered in fright and excitement as they recalled the gigantic boggart-like creature they had encountered in their last mission: it was immune to the handy ridikkulus spell and any form of laughter only made it stronger than it was. It turned out that the only way to vanquish the creature was to fully accept fear, rather than fight it.
"Never in my life was I that scared," recalled Terry to the group of gather people (even with Ron and Hermione in the room screaming at the top of their lungs) as he did a pretend-shiver.
"Yeah. You screamed like a girl," Dennis said and he made a hoarse shriek while flailing his arms madly as he ran around the room with his eyes rolling. Terry Boot leered at him.
"You know, I think we might have to fight an ancient dragon!" Susan Bones exclaimed enthusiastically to the crowd. Her eyes wide and gleaming with zeal, she added, "I wonder how it looks like. I've been fascinated with them ever since I saw Harry..." she trailed off. The mood of the whole group had changed at the mention of Harry's name. "I'm sorry," Susan quickly said, "I'm so sorry."
"Well, if we're going to fight a dragon," Seamus butted in, "I'm not so sure if we can use regular anti-dragon spells. Remember the boggart?" Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Maybe we could encounter an army of merpeople!" Someone from the crowd shouted.
"Or a few hundred dementors!" Another said.
The discussion went on for a few more minutes. Ideas were flying out and getting wilder and wilder. Some people jumped up and down as they thought of the most dangerous way to be able to take the fifth jewel. Some people even went on to suggest alternate dimensions and complicated puzzles that require superhuman skill to complete. Everyone's voice got louder and louder, and soon the meeting room was filled with the echoes and shouts of the crowd.
The conversation stopped when Hermione yelled loudly, "Fine! I'll stay here! Trapped like a caged animal! I can't do a single thing! I'm practically disabled!" She glared at everyone, especially at Ron, and then slammed the door of her room shut.
Ron had to sleep with Dean that night because Hermione had locked the door to their room from the inside. Using the alohomora charm would have helped him but he figured that Hermione needed some time alone for a while. So he lay there, on the floor, thinking about the next day.
"Dean," he called out slowly as he thought of how an acromantula as big as a golden snitch would be his best candidate for the next creature they had to face. After waiting for a few seconds, and no response, he turned to his side and saw Dean lying in his bed muttering. He wondered if Dean had any religious affiliations and if he was deep in prayer or not. He decided not to think about it: after all it was really none of his business. He went to sleep.
Morning came and Ron was awoken by the hustling and bustling noises in the tunnel. Everyone was getting ready: some people were hurriedly throwing and assortment of potion bottles in small bags; others were practicing enchantments under their breath; only a few were sitting down and relaxing. Ron laughed to himself as he examined the ecstatic group: this was probably the mission where everybody was craziest before it even started.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked Seamus as he zoomed past by him.
"Dunno. I haven't
seen her out of your room," Seamus replied quickly.
Ron
remembered that just last night he had a fight with Hermione.
Thinking about how furious Hermione would be if he bothered her, Ron
decided to take a chance and knocked twice on the metal door. After a
few seconds, no one answered so he decided to knock again.
"Hermione," he called out just loud enough for her to hear. The door swung open and Hermione's red face came out; she was radiating with anger.
"What do you want?" Hermione demanded eyeing Ron as though he was a repulsive rat.
"Aren't you coming?" Ron asked.
"Coming!" Hermione blurted out loudly. The busy meeting room seemed to have frozen for a second as heads turned toward her and Ron, and then it slowly started up again like a slow-motion recording. "I don't know why you have the nerve to ask me to come with you when just the day before you were so insistent on letting me stay here," Hermione added speaking in a soft but spiteful tone.
She slammed the door shut as Ron tried to say, "But, Hermione, we don't know where to go," and immediately a paper slipped out of the door with a map and all the instructions on how to get all the jewels. Ron looked at the map, realized that he said and tried to redeem himself by saying, "We need you, Hermione!
"Let it go, mate." Dean said from behind looking tired and robbed of sleep.
Ron sighed and decided to follow Dean's advice. They still had many things to do. He helped everyone pack up while all the things that they thought were needed to defeat or immobilize whatever creature might be guarding the jewel.
"Let's go," ordered Ron after everything was packed and everyone looked ready. "You can come too, Dean." He added as he saw the glum look on Dean's face. They went out the door and sealed it.
Inside the tunnel, Hermione was drowning herself with anger. She paced 'round and 'round her room wearing a glaring look and a frustrated sneer. " The man has to do everything, eh? This isn't the 1400's!" She said to herself furiously. "It's like I can't move an inch from anywhere! It's not like I'm carrying a thousand pound rock in my belly!" She went to curse the very life she was in right now. Anger had blinded her completely that she was lost in thought and frustration.
"Priestess," a faint voice called out that interrupted Hermione. She turned to the direction where she heard the voice and saw a small spark of red light.
The red light glowed brighter and exploded, swallowing Hermione. From it came a tall man wearing a blue robe with a staff in his hand. Hermione, at first, thought that it was the God-Beast again but it wasn't him. The man wore a serious look and one of his eyes was badly scarred. His hair was as blue as his clothing, and he looked up and spoke with a slightly childish voice, "They need your help. Release me!"
"Need my help!" Hermione started to say as she remembered her anger. However, something in the urgency and seriousness of the man's voice reminded her of the burden she had taken once she had held on to the first jewel. She looked down at the ring Ron gave her, which was reflecting the bright red light from the man, and reminded herself that Ron still loved her. The only reason why he did not let her come was because he was concerned for the baby. She started to feel her anger subside. She was mad over something so insignificant. "Ron needs me," she told the man with a look of determination in her face. In a burst of red light, she disappeared from the tunnel and became right in Ron's masculine arms.
"I... uh... Hermione!" Ron stammered, obviously startled by Hermione's sudden appearance.
"What's happening?" Hermione asked quickly, not wanting to waste time.
"We're dead," Cho replied breathing hard, "Somehow everything we thought would be in this temple come out. We're all so overwhelmed," she gasped, "I know Chichiri was the best sorcerer but I didn't know he could actually conjure real things."
Hermione looked around the panicking people. Many of them were hiding in whatever place they could and firing ineffective spells on the hundreds of beasts. All the potions everyone prepared for were gone. The beasts were all over the room, and more seemed to come out from a black hole in the middle of the room. Hermione knew that everyone was doomed. She was assigned with the task to save her friends and now she could not save them from this.
She decided to ask another question, "So if I told you that I was expecting a great lion to be the one in charge of the stone's defense, what would happen?" Cho did not reply but lifted her arm and pointed at the direction right in front of her. There was a fierce lion that had come out of the hole. It growled ferociously and joined every other beast in attacking the witches and wizards. An idea struck Hermione: what if the monsters were not real?
"Are you sure these things are real?" Hermione asked but she felt stupid saying it. Cho just nodded her head. A scaly-legged bird creature passed by them and the wind that followed it was as real as Hermione's fingers. Hermione cried out in frustration. She had no idea what to do. Pretty coon, people will start to get tired and someone was sure to get hurt (although Dean was already ahead in that area). She examined the lion that she had caused to come out. How was she supposed to banish it? Hermione felt her head start to feel numb. This was too impossible! She looked around the area looking for an answer. Everyone was hiding behind jagged pieces of stone while firing spells. She could tell that they were all within shouting distance. Yet she still could not think of anything to do! She had nothing on her mind!
Then it happened: the lion that came out of the hole just vanished into thin air. Of course! If their minds were able to create the monsters, then they could make them disappear too! It was so silly that Hermione hesitated for a moment to tell his companions. But seeing that there was nothing to lose in trying, she called out to them and told them what she thought.
In a few minutes, every monster disappeared one by one as the group tried to empty their heads of imagination. Soon the hole had disappeared and a long, bejeweled staff replaced it. Everyone made a cry of triumph as Ron ran to pick up the staff. The place was now filled with tired but cheerful faces. Luna quickly tended to Dean as everyone headed home. It was yet another spectacular capture and, other than that, they were two jewels away from defeating the most powerful, cruel, and evil wizard since the late Grindewald.
Everyone was chatting joyfully as they unsealed the door of the meeting room and went inside. Many still can't stop thinking about how close they were to freedom. A lot of people thought that it was a close shave. But most important was that Hermione and Ron were not fighting anymore. After al, Hermione had saved them from impending death.
Ron kissed Hermione's cheeks, that soft and clever head of hers. He tasted the scent of her voluptuous body. And those irresistible lips no one could compare. How wrong was he when he decided to make Hermione stay. Why did his confidence on her abilities falter? He felt so grateful to be in love with Hermione: she was salacious, serene, smart, satisfying.
"I'm so sorry," said Ron softly, "I really am."
"It's ok. It all worked out in the end, anyway."
"I hope everything works out that way," Ron was a little worried about the situation. He knew that if they slip up by even one step they were all going to be doomed. There was too much riding on this simple quest of collecting magical stones. What if they fail to get all of them? What would happen then? He shook off the thought of Dumbledore's sacrifice. Ron told himself that they would never go that far.
A few days passed and again the pesky crowd of eager listeners began to bother Cho with their constant demands of retelling the story. Once again, Cho would be interrupted from her breakfast, from her work, and she could never get away from the crowd. Every time she would sit down or stop moving, one by one the people around her would come beside her wearing large, bulb-like eyes and pleading looks. Cho could not resist their constant pleading. Also, she could not resist the urge to tell the story over and over again: she just loved the spotlight.
"I loved Chichiri!" Cho exclaimed in a delighted singsong voice. "He could use his hat to teleport! It freaked out the others a few times but not more than Taitsukun did." She laughed loudly but then stopped when she realized that no one else got the humor of the situation. She sighed. "She was an ugly looking lady who floated around and appeared out of nowhere." She looked around the many dull eyes that stared back at her. "She was really old and she wore those dressy looking robes."
Hermione thought, as she listened with Ron at the far corner of the meeting room, that Cho was trying too hard to make everyone laugh; all she did was build up the tension. However, she could not help but think about the old woman, Taitsukun: her description was very close to how that woman she met in China looked like. Yet it was impossible for someone to live thousands of years old. Then again, what isn't possible? As soon as she had learned that she was a witch, a lot of things that she thought were never plausible were in fact very possible. So she left her thoughts at that; it gave her a throbbing headache.
"I won't do it!" Dean yelled so loudly that everyone turned to him instantly. Looking a little pale, he glanced angrily at Dobby near the kitchen door and screamed again, "I won't do it, Dobby!"
"Dobby doesn't know what you're not going to do, sir!" Dobby stammered.
"I won't do it!" Dean repeated while jabbing his finger at the direction of his empty plate. At once, Dobby understood what he meant and hurried off looking terrified. "Sorry," said Dean but he was almost shouting. He stormed out the meeting room and went inside his bedroom then slammed the door shut.
"And I thought I was moody," whispered Hermione to Ron jokingly. Ron gave a smile.
Another four weeks passed and it was time again to capture the next jewel. Everyone was even more excited than the last because, after all, only two jewels were left and victory was theirs. Once again, Ron felt that everything was too easy. Yet he knew that Hermione would always find simple but brilliant ways to make things right. He swelled with pride as he looked at his love moving in front of his eyes. He was so blessed to have had her.
Since Ron now had the map, he became the guide of the group. Hermione, although her belly was now big, was still able to come since Ron had promised that she would be able to. Ron whined all the way to the castle-like temple but he was not able to do anything. Everyone examined how the vines crept up the walls of stone before entering inside.
The capture of the sixth jewel, contrary to what everyone thought, was the simplest one. The trick was for someone to intentionally hurt his or her self. Dean did the job for them as he impulsively ran toward the wall and knocked himself out. With that the empty castle glowed bright red as the sixth jewel emerged from Dean's body and started emanating light. Dean was completely healed- with a sigh of relief from Luna- and the rebels now had possession of six jewels.
'Mitsukake, the healer," Cho began after everyone was settled down from the journey back home. Everyone wore dissatisfied faces: the latest challenge did not even take them fifteen minutes to complete. When the rebels came back, they were very eager to hear the story of the warrior whose powers had been sealed in the jewel.
"Well, I didn't figure that out," one of the audience said sarcastically. Cho looked at the person glaringly.
"But if you think about it, he was supposed to be the fifth." Cho pointed at seven different parts of her body and said, "That's where each warriors' symbol were supposed to be. The highest mark is the first warrior then going down." She held up her palm and showed it to everyone. "Mitsukake's was there." There was a unanimous grunt of understanding from the crowd. Cho was beaming, feeling satisfied.
That day ended peacefully. Everyone basked under the comfort that soon his or her struggles would be over. Many wondered in awe at the simplicity and cunning of their scheme: Voldemort was completely unaware. However, at night when everyone turned in, Cho walked over to Hermione and called to her slowly.
"What is it?" Hermione inquired.
Cho tried to straighten her face but could not stop her lips from quivering. She swallowed a great deal of saliva before she spoke. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked; her voice was high pitched and queasy.
"Yes," replied Hermione with such a fiery determination that Cho burst into tears. "Oh, Cho!" Hermione tried to comfort her but she found it hard to keep her from crying when she too felt very sad and lonely.
"Hermione!" Cho wailed.
"Look..." choked Hermione, "Look around. Everyone is happy. They know they're going to be free. This is what I want."
"It's just so hard to accept."
"I'm not afraid to
die."
"But I am for you!" Cho screamed with fresh tears
streaming from her eyes. "I'm the only one who knows, Hermione.
And it's killing me!" She plopped down on one of the more
cushiony chairs as she continued sobbing. "It's killing me
because I don't want to lose anyone!"
"We already have! Neville, Harry, Cedric, Sirius..." Hermione's tears kept her from yelling too loud. "They did not die for nothing, Cho! If one last sacrifice is to be made, I am the one who makes it! Not Dumbledore..."
"What about Ron?" Cho yelled back.
"Ron would be fine,"
Hermione said, suppressing the urge to just break down and cry at the
sound of her love's name. "He has lost all of his family to this
cause. He will understand."
"Don't you think you're being
a little selfish?" Cho sounded a lot angrier now. Her breath was
heavy and she stared at Hermione with a piercing glare.
"Don't lecture me about selfishness, Cho!" I wake up everyday knowing that soon I would not be amongst you... and it hurt! I admit it! I'm not doing it for myself! I'm doing it for you, for everyone, for Ron!"
"Why does it have to be like this, Hermione?" Cho said weakly. Her face wet with tears.
"You know, I wish too that Voldemort never happened, that he never existed," said Hermione in an angry but controlled tone of voice, "But it isn't so... it's not our choice. All that matters is that we do something to alleviate the situation."
"I wish I had your courage, Hermione; I do everyday. I have lived twenty plus years and I haven't done anything to help."
"Oh, don't say
that!" Hermione felt concerned. She did not want Cho to drown in
self-pity. "One way or another this was bound to happen. It just so
happens that it's my turn this time."
"My head hurts,"
Cho sobbed softly. "I am supposed to be very clever but I just
can't understand all this."
"Cho," whispered Hermione in a comforting voice, "the only thing we all need to know is that we're fighting for the greater good. We all know Voldemort must be stopped. And that is our task."
Hermione slept a little uneasy that night. One more jewel to collect and the God-Beast would emerge. The being that would consume her soul to grant three wishes, and destroy Voldemort.
