Palma de Animus: Chapter Two
By: PhoenixStAr
Rating: PG
November 9, 2003
A/N: Many, many thanks to Singing Mime, Jo, spacecatdet, Butternut, X-Lander, kratzee, tigerlily, Rosie W, Pam, Jenn, and redcristal for reviewing. ^_^ I especially loved how those reviews were all constructive. You guys kick an amazing amount of ass.
Thanks also, to Fanfiction.Net, for stripping me of my identity and making me a number, by adding a "2" behind my penname. Gosh durnit, I'm not PhoenixStAr2, I'm PhoenixStAr!
On a totally unrelated note, I'm looking for a personal beta cum cheerleader cum muse cum annoying voice in my head to, basically, impound the fact that I need to write these things more frequently. The ability to read over my fics for grammar, spelling and reference errors would be great too. Ooh! And while I'm at it, maybe even a Britpicker! Do let me know if you're interested. People like me need immense amounts of help to get stories finished.
*cracks knuckles*... here we go again.
**
"She's brilliant, isn't she?"
Hermione Granger rolled her eyes as she continued flipping through the copy of "So They Think You're Criminally Insane? Spells and Charms to Convince Them Otherwise" that she had picked up randomly off the shelf of Flourish and Botts. If one asked whether she was rolling her eyes at the idiocy of the contents of the book or at the idiocy of the two boys in her company, however, she wouldn't be able to tell you which it was that she found terribly mundane.
Honestly. Buffy Summers was pretty, Hermione admitted to herself, and very 'cool,' as Dean might put it, but they had been like this all bleeding summer! It was just like Professor Dumbledore to introduce a new and breathtaking addition to Hogwarts the very summer that Ron and Harry had discovered hormones.
"So she just tackled Bellatrix? On her broom?"
Apparently, this was a fact had to be reconfirmed every single day.
The bushy-haired sixth-year stifled an impatient sigh as she shelved the book back where it belonged -- far, far away from her -- and zoned herself out of their conversation as best as she could. Actually, the petite blonde girl hadn't been around much, and they never knew where she went. Perhaps it was that aura of mystery that intrigued the boys. Hermione and Ron had seen her for a week before she escorted Harry to Hogwarts -- Grimmauld Place had been compromised until they could rid the building of Kreacher, Mrs. Black, AND those ineffingly irritating pixies -- and twice afterwards. No more, no less. She never came around to the dinners that accomodated the entire Order, but instead came to the breakfasts. And even at those, she was never able to talk; her time was far too preoccupied with the elder Weasley brothers -- namely Fred, George, and Charlie -- who had taken to accompanying her whenever she was around. Of course, this habit of hers was more than enough to ensure that Ron was up every single morning for breakfast, a fact that pleased Molly Weasley to no end.
Buffy was too old to be a first-year, but there had never been any records of exchange students at Hogwarts, save for the Tri-Wizard Tournaments. And yet, Harry was certain that Buffy had said she'd be attending Hogwarts this year. She couldn't be attending as a professor, either, seeing as she knew enough about the Wizarding World to make Ron seem like a genius at the matters of the heart. Frankly, for all they knew, Buffy Summers could be attending Hogwarts next year as their newest Defense Against the Dark Arts specimen. Hermione had voiced these spectulations to the other two once, but had immediately been admonished for her treasonous thoughts towards Buffy.
She fought the urge to roll her eyes yet again.
"Speaking of Bellatrix, where is she being kept? Not Azkaban, obviously."
"Nobody knows where all the captured Death Eaters are being kept, don't you remember, Ron? Your father told us about this in the beginning of the summer! They've all been relocated at Dumbledore's disclosure, for safety's sake."
"Guess Malfoy's father won't be breaking out like he thought he would be." Harry grinned -- one of the many that he'd broken out into this summer, Hermione noticed with relief -- and pushed up the new glasses that Hermione had presented him for his birthday this year. Among his many gifts this year, he'd also received an Expandable Spell Holder -- "Large enough for any spell you could imagine," Moody had grunted -- a Speed Enhancer for his broomstick from Ron, and -- most likely for her own amusement -- a leather jacket which Buffy had owled over. His birthday had also flagged the arrival of the O.W.L. marks, followed closely by the Hogwarts owls, which were devoid of any mention of Prefect status for any of them. Hermione was disappointed, to say the least, but had squashed her own trivial disappointment when Harry had announced, looking up dismally from his letter, that he had not received enough O.W.L.s to take Potions this term. As much as he hated the Potions Master (common knowledge, really), he needed the course if he wanted to persue a career as an Auror. The dream now seemed lost.
Despite all circumstances, however, Harry was in a peculiarly uplifted mood. The last time Hermione could remember him being so offhandedly care-free was back in first-year, when Harry had first discovered that he was a wizard. Since then, burden over burden had been placed on his shoulders, each one marking the inevitable appearance of a worryline on his otherwise young face. It wasn't so much that he was happy nowadays, per se, but more like he recognized the redundancy of moping.
"That'll be 42 galleons and 3 knuts, miss." Hermione winced slightly at the bill she'd run at the bookstore, stopping only when she realised Ron and Harry were rolling their eyes good-naturedly at her.
Heavily book-laden, Ron tossed an arm over her shoulders and Harry's. "I say we go and take a nip into Quality Quidditch Supplies and check out the new Firestorm. It's the newest broom that's been produced since your Firebolt, you know, mate. Wickedly fast -- I hear they needed to install rubber grips just to keep you from falling off the broom -- grip charms weren't enough on their ow--"
Hermione smiled patronizingly as she extricated herself from under Ron's arm, ignoring the hurt look on his face. "Why don't you two go ahead? There's just one more book that I've forgotten to pick up. For my father, really," she amended, seeing the horrified look on her companions' faces. "He wants to know about magical dentistry and the like. Go ahead, I'll meet up with you." She never really liked Quidditch, anyway.
Pretending to be oblivious to the 'Mad muggles' comment made by Ron, she slipped back into the familiar bookstore with a sigh of relief. She could spend a half hour or so in here browsing, she surmised. They should be done ravishing the broomsticks with their eyes by then. Stepping behind a particularly stuffed bookshelf, she picked up a copy of "Dancing Doilies and Other Fun Party Tricks" and began flipping through it aimlessly..
The bell at the door tinkled, signifying a customer's entrance to the store, and Hermione paid no heed to it. "What's with the hiding, Buffy?" Buffy? Hermione instantly began paying attention.
"Got a little close to Harry and Ron -- you know, those kids I told you about. Cute and all, but I'm too much of the secret-identity girl. Don't really like all the hero-worship they're going through." Hermione could almost hear the smile in her voice. If only she could see past the cursed bookshelf!
A breathless laugh. "Breaking hearts already, Buff! How are you going to deal when school starts?"
"I'm hoping it'll wear off by then. I mean, I only knocked a woman off a broomstick. I don't really get it. Oh, lookit... books!"
"Always with the subject changing. You're a sexy woman on the loose; of course the nubile young gentlemen are going to be interested. Whatever will they do when they realise that -- Oh! 'Demons of the Entirely Harmless Variety'! I've been looking for this one for the longest time. Lorne swears that they did a photo expo on him when they published it back in the 90's." Realise what? Hermione crept over to the edge of the bookshelf, keeping as quiet as humanly possible. She had learned enough over this summer to know that Buffy had VERY good hearing.
Buffy was indeed standing there, with a girl who looked about her age and had Weasley-like red hair, both dressed entirely in Muggle clothing, ignorant to the curious stares of passer-bys. "Thank goddess they found that spell for me, though. If I had to go through Hogwarts without it --" the blonde stopped there to shudder emphatically -- "I'd be totally lost."
"Isn't it weird now, though? Voices in your head and all?"
"Not so much voices as it is instinct -- y'know, sorta like the instinct thing us One Girls are prebuilt with. Dunno, ask Gunn. He's much better at explaining it."
"I'm surprised we were able to work with any traces of that spell, cuz it was all powerful and all that. I really didn't think I could handle it, I mean, even the remnants of it were literally throbbing with power, and the last time I did anything with any kind of power like that, Kennedy was there with me, with the moral support and all -- not that you're not moral support, Buff! But, y'know, with me and the girls and stuff, it's not the -- and I'm rambling again, and you're supposed to have stopped me by now!" The redhead was wringing her hands as best as she could, with a stack of books in her hand.
Buffy took the books from her without much thought, as if it were an old practice that she'd hold the packages while they were shopping. "I'm sorry about Kennedy, Wills, but we need her to be New York right now, scoping out the scene."
"Well, we weren't exactly being the best of buds for a while. She scares me sometimes, what with the power-hungriness and all. Sorta like Faith and me combined, but without the experience."
"That's why Wesley's taken a vacation from Wolfram and Hart to spend the year with her. He handled Faith pretty well; he should be able to deal with Kennedy." Hermione was having difficulty recognizing all the names that were being thrown around in the conversation. Quenching the guilty feeling of eavesdropping, she stepped behind another nearby bookshelf and hid behind a book there.
"But! Onto things that give me less tummy-rumblings... how goes Hogwarts plans?"
"Hogwarts plans go well," Buffy grinned. "It's so much easier now, with the spell. You'd be amazed at what the Council knew about the Wizarding world. 'Course, their info could be all wrong and then I'll be screwed -- we'll ALL be screwed, actually, but you know, life's all improv anyway."
The two girls continued their conversation, but Hermione wasn't around to listen. She hastily stuffed the book back in its vacated spot on the shelf and rushed to the Quidditch supplies shop.
She, Harry and Ron needed to have a talk.
**
TBC...
Reviews and CCs are very much appreciated and encouraged. Please? I'll give you a cookie. ^^
By: PhoenixStAr
Rating: PG
November 9, 2003
A/N: Many, many thanks to Singing Mime, Jo, spacecatdet, Butternut, X-Lander, kratzee, tigerlily, Rosie W, Pam, Jenn, and redcristal for reviewing. ^_^ I especially loved how those reviews were all constructive. You guys kick an amazing amount of ass.
Thanks also, to Fanfiction.Net, for stripping me of my identity and making me a number, by adding a "2" behind my penname. Gosh durnit, I'm not PhoenixStAr2, I'm PhoenixStAr!
On a totally unrelated note, I'm looking for a personal beta cum cheerleader cum muse cum annoying voice in my head to, basically, impound the fact that I need to write these things more frequently. The ability to read over my fics for grammar, spelling and reference errors would be great too. Ooh! And while I'm at it, maybe even a Britpicker! Do let me know if you're interested. People like me need immense amounts of help to get stories finished.
*cracks knuckles*... here we go again.
**
"She's brilliant, isn't she?"
Hermione Granger rolled her eyes as she continued flipping through the copy of "So They Think You're Criminally Insane? Spells and Charms to Convince Them Otherwise" that she had picked up randomly off the shelf of Flourish and Botts. If one asked whether she was rolling her eyes at the idiocy of the contents of the book or at the idiocy of the two boys in her company, however, she wouldn't be able to tell you which it was that she found terribly mundane.
Honestly. Buffy Summers was pretty, Hermione admitted to herself, and very 'cool,' as Dean might put it, but they had been like this all bleeding summer! It was just like Professor Dumbledore to introduce a new and breathtaking addition to Hogwarts the very summer that Ron and Harry had discovered hormones.
"So she just tackled Bellatrix? On her broom?"
Apparently, this was a fact had to be reconfirmed every single day.
The bushy-haired sixth-year stifled an impatient sigh as she shelved the book back where it belonged -- far, far away from her -- and zoned herself out of their conversation as best as she could. Actually, the petite blonde girl hadn't been around much, and they never knew where she went. Perhaps it was that aura of mystery that intrigued the boys. Hermione and Ron had seen her for a week before she escorted Harry to Hogwarts -- Grimmauld Place had been compromised until they could rid the building of Kreacher, Mrs. Black, AND those ineffingly irritating pixies -- and twice afterwards. No more, no less. She never came around to the dinners that accomodated the entire Order, but instead came to the breakfasts. And even at those, she was never able to talk; her time was far too preoccupied with the elder Weasley brothers -- namely Fred, George, and Charlie -- who had taken to accompanying her whenever she was around. Of course, this habit of hers was more than enough to ensure that Ron was up every single morning for breakfast, a fact that pleased Molly Weasley to no end.
Buffy was too old to be a first-year, but there had never been any records of exchange students at Hogwarts, save for the Tri-Wizard Tournaments. And yet, Harry was certain that Buffy had said she'd be attending Hogwarts this year. She couldn't be attending as a professor, either, seeing as she knew enough about the Wizarding World to make Ron seem like a genius at the matters of the heart. Frankly, for all they knew, Buffy Summers could be attending Hogwarts next year as their newest Defense Against the Dark Arts specimen. Hermione had voiced these spectulations to the other two once, but had immediately been admonished for her treasonous thoughts towards Buffy.
She fought the urge to roll her eyes yet again.
"Speaking of Bellatrix, where is she being kept? Not Azkaban, obviously."
"Nobody knows where all the captured Death Eaters are being kept, don't you remember, Ron? Your father told us about this in the beginning of the summer! They've all been relocated at Dumbledore's disclosure, for safety's sake."
"Guess Malfoy's father won't be breaking out like he thought he would be." Harry grinned -- one of the many that he'd broken out into this summer, Hermione noticed with relief -- and pushed up the new glasses that Hermione had presented him for his birthday this year. Among his many gifts this year, he'd also received an Expandable Spell Holder -- "Large enough for any spell you could imagine," Moody had grunted -- a Speed Enhancer for his broomstick from Ron, and -- most likely for her own amusement -- a leather jacket which Buffy had owled over. His birthday had also flagged the arrival of the O.W.L. marks, followed closely by the Hogwarts owls, which were devoid of any mention of Prefect status for any of them. Hermione was disappointed, to say the least, but had squashed her own trivial disappointment when Harry had announced, looking up dismally from his letter, that he had not received enough O.W.L.s to take Potions this term. As much as he hated the Potions Master (common knowledge, really), he needed the course if he wanted to persue a career as an Auror. The dream now seemed lost.
Despite all circumstances, however, Harry was in a peculiarly uplifted mood. The last time Hermione could remember him being so offhandedly care-free was back in first-year, when Harry had first discovered that he was a wizard. Since then, burden over burden had been placed on his shoulders, each one marking the inevitable appearance of a worryline on his otherwise young face. It wasn't so much that he was happy nowadays, per se, but more like he recognized the redundancy of moping.
"That'll be 42 galleons and 3 knuts, miss." Hermione winced slightly at the bill she'd run at the bookstore, stopping only when she realised Ron and Harry were rolling their eyes good-naturedly at her.
Heavily book-laden, Ron tossed an arm over her shoulders and Harry's. "I say we go and take a nip into Quality Quidditch Supplies and check out the new Firestorm. It's the newest broom that's been produced since your Firebolt, you know, mate. Wickedly fast -- I hear they needed to install rubber grips just to keep you from falling off the broom -- grip charms weren't enough on their ow--"
Hermione smiled patronizingly as she extricated herself from under Ron's arm, ignoring the hurt look on his face. "Why don't you two go ahead? There's just one more book that I've forgotten to pick up. For my father, really," she amended, seeing the horrified look on her companions' faces. "He wants to know about magical dentistry and the like. Go ahead, I'll meet up with you." She never really liked Quidditch, anyway.
Pretending to be oblivious to the 'Mad muggles' comment made by Ron, she slipped back into the familiar bookstore with a sigh of relief. She could spend a half hour or so in here browsing, she surmised. They should be done ravishing the broomsticks with their eyes by then. Stepping behind a particularly stuffed bookshelf, she picked up a copy of "Dancing Doilies and Other Fun Party Tricks" and began flipping through it aimlessly..
The bell at the door tinkled, signifying a customer's entrance to the store, and Hermione paid no heed to it. "What's with the hiding, Buffy?" Buffy? Hermione instantly began paying attention.
"Got a little close to Harry and Ron -- you know, those kids I told you about. Cute and all, but I'm too much of the secret-identity girl. Don't really like all the hero-worship they're going through." Hermione could almost hear the smile in her voice. If only she could see past the cursed bookshelf!
A breathless laugh. "Breaking hearts already, Buff! How are you going to deal when school starts?"
"I'm hoping it'll wear off by then. I mean, I only knocked a woman off a broomstick. I don't really get it. Oh, lookit... books!"
"Always with the subject changing. You're a sexy woman on the loose; of course the nubile young gentlemen are going to be interested. Whatever will they do when they realise that -- Oh! 'Demons of the Entirely Harmless Variety'! I've been looking for this one for the longest time. Lorne swears that they did a photo expo on him when they published it back in the 90's." Realise what? Hermione crept over to the edge of the bookshelf, keeping as quiet as humanly possible. She had learned enough over this summer to know that Buffy had VERY good hearing.
Buffy was indeed standing there, with a girl who looked about her age and had Weasley-like red hair, both dressed entirely in Muggle clothing, ignorant to the curious stares of passer-bys. "Thank goddess they found that spell for me, though. If I had to go through Hogwarts without it --" the blonde stopped there to shudder emphatically -- "I'd be totally lost."
"Isn't it weird now, though? Voices in your head and all?"
"Not so much voices as it is instinct -- y'know, sorta like the instinct thing us One Girls are prebuilt with. Dunno, ask Gunn. He's much better at explaining it."
"I'm surprised we were able to work with any traces of that spell, cuz it was all powerful and all that. I really didn't think I could handle it, I mean, even the remnants of it were literally throbbing with power, and the last time I did anything with any kind of power like that, Kennedy was there with me, with the moral support and all -- not that you're not moral support, Buff! But, y'know, with me and the girls and stuff, it's not the -- and I'm rambling again, and you're supposed to have stopped me by now!" The redhead was wringing her hands as best as she could, with a stack of books in her hand.
Buffy took the books from her without much thought, as if it were an old practice that she'd hold the packages while they were shopping. "I'm sorry about Kennedy, Wills, but we need her to be New York right now, scoping out the scene."
"Well, we weren't exactly being the best of buds for a while. She scares me sometimes, what with the power-hungriness and all. Sorta like Faith and me combined, but without the experience."
"That's why Wesley's taken a vacation from Wolfram and Hart to spend the year with her. He handled Faith pretty well; he should be able to deal with Kennedy." Hermione was having difficulty recognizing all the names that were being thrown around in the conversation. Quenching the guilty feeling of eavesdropping, she stepped behind another nearby bookshelf and hid behind a book there.
"But! Onto things that give me less tummy-rumblings... how goes Hogwarts plans?"
"Hogwarts plans go well," Buffy grinned. "It's so much easier now, with the spell. You'd be amazed at what the Council knew about the Wizarding world. 'Course, their info could be all wrong and then I'll be screwed -- we'll ALL be screwed, actually, but you know, life's all improv anyway."
The two girls continued their conversation, but Hermione wasn't around to listen. She hastily stuffed the book back in its vacated spot on the shelf and rushed to the Quidditch supplies shop.
She, Harry and Ron needed to have a talk.
**
TBC...
Reviews and CCs are very much appreciated and encouraged. Please? I'll give you a cookie. ^^
